The First Lady In Azzedine Alaia

I don't quite think Michelle Obama has gotten enough credit for her sense of First Lady style.  Last night she wore, not for the first time, Azzedine Alaia and she looked amazing.

The last First Lady to have such a personal and sure sense of style was Jacqueline Kennedy and A LOT of attention was focused on her wardrobe so it is curious that other then Oscar de la Renta getting his briefs in a bunch (now there is an image : )) Mrs. Obama does not really get much credit for thinking so much outside the usual First Lady box...

love, kisses and vintage, Juliana

The Beautiful Bride: Malgosia Bela in RARE vintage!

Malgoisa Bela was married to Jean-Yves Le Fur on Li Galli this past weekend in a white Azzedine Alaia dress from RARE vintage and she looked absolutely stunning!  Her wedding epitomized the glamour of barefoot and bohemian chic in a beautiful setting.  She also wore a flowing lime colored Yves Saint Laurent caftan dress the following day (also from RARE vintage : ) with natural barely there makeup and her hair in soft waves.  So gorgeous!  Congratulations Malgosia!

Some photos courtesy of Purple Diary and were photographed by Olivier Zahm.

The Impossible Collection of Fashion at RARE vintage

The Impossible Collection of Fashion is so possible Miss Valerie Steele here at RARE vintage.

Yesterday I posted our crazy insane gorgeous Chanel haute couture bejeweled and bedecked belt (though belt does not seem quite the right word to describe it - more an incredible piece of costume jewelry I think).  A similar piece was featured in the Assouline book, The Impossible Collection of Fashion and now our Azzedine Alaia 1992 corset jacket and skirt with white eyelet trim which is also in the book.

RARE vintage making the impossible: possible : )  Well, not entirely possible this sold very quickly but I though too wonderful not to share the images of it.  Enjoy!

  

 The Impossible Collection of Fashion.  Published by Assouline.

The impossibly beautiful Alaia ensemble.

1992 Alaia corseted jacket and skirt trimmed in eyelet.

Pretty as a Picture

Fashion and fantasy = Azzedine Alaia

Photo: Ilvio Gallo for Alaia

Alaia's silhouette reminds me of Tissot's The Bridesmaid.  1883.  Ruffles, bustles (sans bustles) and a fit and flare jacket.  

Looking forward to seeing more of Alaia for Fall 2012!

What to Wear for the Superbowl. Part Two.

Wouldn't it be great if Madonna wore Alaia for the Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday?  

Alaia snuggling with Madonna.  Photo by Steven Meisel

And wouldn't this be a great Alaia dress to wear to a Superbowl party?   Pale seashell pink Azzedine Alaia stretch knit dress.  Made in Italy.  (Isn't it wonderful that Alaia has had his knits made at the same factory in Italy for over 30 years?!)  Seaming follows the contour of the body.  

You just might have more eyes on you then on the game!

PURCHASE

INQUIRY

My Mother-In-Law, Azzedine Alaia

Yes you read that right Azzedine Alaia is my mother-in-law.  Didn't you know?  He is also your mother-in-law.  And not only your mother-in-law but fashion's mother-in-law too.  Or so says the New York Times.

"Azzedine Alaia did much to shape the look of the 80's but his place in the fashion world was (and still is) that of mother-in-law." The New York Times

Hmm.  Okay.  Well, Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell call Alaia 'Papa' and I know he makes a mean chicken and rice.  He also makes the most perfect clothes and has an enviable collection of vintage couture.  So Mr. Alaia is obviously the ideal mother-in-law.  Now, come to Mamma!

An exhibit, Azzedine Alaia in the 21st Century, will be at the Groninger Museum from December 11th to May 2012 and is a follow up to the 1998 show which was later displayed at the Brant Foundation in New York.

Here at RARE vintage, we are having our own little mini Alaia sale with some classic pieces.  Alaia designs for the ultimate sweater girl.  Alaia does all of his own pattern making and fittings - usually working late into the night. His knits have been made at Silvia Bocchese's factory in Italy for over 30 years.  There is that old expression, if it isn't broken, don't fix it.  And I do not mean that Alaia has stayed the same but that he evolves at his own tempo, his own pace.  Many designers feel the crushing need to reinvent the wheel (I'm on a cliche roll: ) every season.  With Alaia you can build a wardrobe every year and you can mix a 1980s piece with a 2011 piece. 

Let the mixing begin:

A classic black Alaia long sleeved knit dress with a slight flare and brilliant seaming.  Size Medium (will fit a contemporary size 6/8)

PURCHASE

INQUIRY

Pigs Fly! The Cows Have Come Home and This Is The Day!

I was shocked I tell you!  Shocked!  When I turned on my computer and saw on Style.Com: Alaia.  Azzedine Alaia.  It seemed like everyone (but Vogue) was writing about Alaia.  Cathy Horyn has been a wonderful supporter of Alaia and I have always turned to her blog, On the Runway,  to read a review of what he has shown and catch a glimpse or two of what he is doing.  But there on Style.com was a listing of designers and amid the designers was the name Azzedine Alaia for the Fall 2011 Couture shows.  I thought I would only see this day when pigs fly or when the cows come home, in other words, that will be the day.

And the day arrived with coats with fitted bodices and full skirts, zippered pencil skirts, tufts of fur and a lacquered looking crocodile and most amazing  of all: a semi sheer evening gown, snug to the  waist but which appeared to have panniers sprouting from the waist for a full regal effect.  All in the colors from an Egon Schiele painting.

Azzedine Alaia.  Fall 2011 Couture.  Photo from Style.com

The track was Je Suis Snob by Josephine Baker.  Here is the version by Serge Gainsbourg:



Aren't you glad the couture chickens have come home to roost?!    And what did the master couturier serve for a small select group after the show?  Roasted chicken in the kitchen.  

And Because Spring is Never Coming to New York

A cozy, sexy, body conscious dress from Azzedine Alaia.  Just goes to show you do not have to be bare to be sexy.  

This is a very early Alaia piece from circa 1981.

'Alaia's first collection was presented in his apartment on Rue de Bellechasse - he made no concessions, with no invitations and no music.  People fought over kitchen stools; the bathroom doubled as the make up room.  All of fashionable Paris wanted to be there.' from Francois Baudot's Alaia

Alaia is a well known collector of vintage haute couture and perhaps he was inspired by Schiaparelli who used brightly colored zippers as a design element.

Dress is in a wool jersey.  So many times, the dresses we have at RARE vintage tend to be on the smaller side but I am happy to say that is not teeny tiny but a size 6/8.

Amazing piece for a collector too!

Circa 1981 Alaia wool jersey zipper dress.  Size 6/8.

PURCHASE

INQUIRY

Ahhhlaia!

Is anyone else feeling very Naomi Campbell looking at this amazing and classic Alaia dress?!  This is an exceptional early piece from Azzedine Alaia.  It is fun, flirty and collectible.  

Want boobs?  Azzedine is ready to serve them to you on a plate!  This dress pushes them up and out - I mean even Naomi appreciates a little help from Alaia!

There is a soft nude colored layer under the dress. with a flirty flare.  

So excited to bring you the absolute best!

PURCHASE

INQUIRY

Belle Curve

We have loved and collected Azzedine Alaia since the late 1980s when Jacqueline Schnabel had a Julian Schnabel designed boutique on Mercer Street in Manhattan. It is hard to resist a dress that makes you feel ultra sexy. Whenever we have chosen to wear Alaia we are usually the only one. And for people who love vintage that is one of its appeals: having something unique that not everyone else has.

There is a timelessness to all of his designs. We have recently seen Marc Jacobs reviving the Tati bag for his Marc by marc jacobs line and John Galliano referencing his short dresses. But we love the original and this pale grey slinky knit dress with tap shorts built-in is as good as it gets. It curves around the body, looks good from every angle, is beautifully cut and is very French.

1980s pale grey Azzedine Alaia knit dress. Size 4/6.

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273

Call of the Wild: Vintage Herve Leger

Vintage Herve Leger (now known as Herve Leroux) has been worn in the past by Elle MacPherson, Cindy Crawford and Iman who wore one of his dresses when she married David Bowie. More recently, vintage Herve Leger has been worn by Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, Nelly Furtado and Sheryl Crow - just to name a few names.

And why not - a girl works hard for an unbelievable body and no one ( other than Azzedine Alaia ) does such sexy but never vulgar designs. RARE has an Eighties pale cream colored Leger evening dress with a long revealing skirt. Let your imagination run wild! (And yours won't be the only one!) Size Medium, but fits a modern size 4. SOLD

For more information about this item please email info@rarevintageinc.com or call (212) 581 7273