Just in: La Peregrina

Okay, well, not really the famous La Peregrina - found by a slave, worn by a few queens and at least one diva... but la Peregrina as interpreted by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.  

Slightly military-inspired, from entwined gilt, hangs 'la Peregrina' large, elegant, majestic, mysterious...

Just in:

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel entwined gilt brooch with a substantial faux pearl I like to call 'La Peregrina':

Circa 1990s Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel 'la Peregrina' brooch.  Available for purchase at RARE vintage.
info@rarevintage.com or 212.581.7273

and some photos of that other legendary big pearl...

love, kisses and bigger really is better, Juliana

YSL and The Deep Blue Sea

I had no idea when I held this small striped SAINT LAURENT rive gauche box,

that when I opened it, I would be staring deep down into an undulating sea...

Video taken at the Musée Océanographique by me

Saint Laurent was inspired by the books he read, the people he met, the art he saw.  He lived in a sensory world and that world filtered through 5 avenue Marceau.

I adore this jeweled sea anemone YSL brooch which looks as beautiful as the ones in the video above that my children took this summer at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco.

It too undulates with its articulated tentacles.  And the blue is the color of the sea...

Circa 1980s Yves Saint Laurent rive gauche sea anemone brooch.  

Available at RARE vintage.  

For more info or to purchase, please email info@rarevintage.com or phone 212.581.7273

Mamma Schiaparelli Says Wear Your Peas

Like a good Italian Mamma, Elsa Schiaparelli wants you to eat your peas - wait a minute, that is not right.  Let me start over: Like a good Italian fashion designer Mamma, Elsa Schiaparelli wants you to wear your peas!

Schiaparelli was well known for the natural motifs she incorporated into her fashion designs and her interest in Surrealism both of which are reflected in this whimsical brooch.  

House of Schiaparelli 1950s signed peas brooch.  For more information please email info@rarevintage.com or phone 212.581.7273

Very RARE vintage Gift Guide #8: Merry Mary Queen of Scots! Lacroix Noel 1990

9 days and counting until Christmas.  No need to panic - yet.  RARE vintage has your vintage gifting wrapped and ready to go.  21 days.  21 wonderful gifts...

Merry, Mary Queen of Scots!  Go baroque with a Christian Lacroix Noel 1990  with a Fleur d' Lys jeweled heart brooch...

Noel 1990 Christian Lacroix Brooch 

Oh my.  Photo obviously taken with my IPhone.  Can you spot the apple?

For more information or to purchase please call 212.581.7273 

or email info@rarevintage.com

Very RARE vintage Gift Guide #7: Put a Chanel Bow On It!

11 days and counting until Christmas.  No need to panic - yet.  RARE vintage has your vintage gifting wrapped and ready to go.  21 days.  21 wonderful gifts...

This year top off a beautifully wrapped gift with a gilt metal Chanel brooch...

Chanel gilt metal Bow brooch

For more information or to purchase please call 212.581.7273 or email info@rarevintage.com

Do as the Duchess

This holiday why don't you do as the Duchess of Windsor and swan about in a well, a large swan brooch from Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

The Duchess of Windsor had the most spectacular jewelry collection and a definite sense of style.  Wallis Simpson was not a great beauty but absolutely made the most out of what she had by being true to herself and what looked good on her.  It was a look Bettina Ballard would have described as defining the "hard chic" of the 1930s.  But in Cecil Beaton's 1937 romantic photos of her wedding trouseau for Vogue in which the bride to be wore an ethereal (and my dream gown I might add.  How I would love to find this dress for myself.  Ooops!  I mean for RARE☺) fluttering organdy lobster print dress by Elsa Schiaparelli at the Chateau de  Candé.

In Cecil Beaton's book 'Photography' he remembers Wallis Simpson at this time having "the trim  silhouette of a Chinese figurine".

Recently someone made a very good return on their investment with the sale of some of the jewelry formerly from the collection of the Duchess of Windsor.  Included was this exceptional flamingo brooch made for the Duchess by Cartier in 1940.

So why don't you do as the Duchess and wear this impressive large scale three-dimensional swan brooch from Chanel.  It is spectacular and special as well as very rare and an excellent collector's piece.  (Wouldn't this make an incredible gift for the Duchess in your life?  And that Duchess may be you!!)

The swan is covered in faux pearls and has a jeweled blue eye.  Attached to the swan is a jeweled cruciform shaped medallion with ruby, pearl and turquoise cabochons and attached to that is a drop pearl.  More, more, more is how Karl likes it!

A flight of fancy.

Signed Chanel.  Made in France.

Early 1980s Chanel Swan Brooch.

You can also do as the Duchess by wearing this anonymous gold panther belt from the 1960s.

From the Sotheby's catalog:  "The Duchess of Windsor had several 'cat' jewels in her collection which began with the emerald brooch in 1948 and this particular area of her collection was continued to be added to over the next twenty years."

Images from Sothebys

I know, I know you were just outbid at the last moment on the Duchess of Windsor's articulated Cartier panther bracelet.  ☹ $4,200,000 was my cut off too (☺)

But don't be depressed because we have this very fab gold coil belt with two gold panther heads.  Most of what we have at RARE is designer but I especially love finding anonymous pieces like this that are cool and fun.  And cost WAY less then a Cartier panther! 

Maybe the cat jewelry was Wallis Simpson's way of saying, I am the Duchess of Windsor, hear me roar!

Anonymous 1960s panther belt.

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Knit One, Pearl Two: Chanel

This is a companion piece to our gorgeously beautiful handcrafted Chanel couture necklaces.  Tiny faux pearls are embroidered on a soft frame wrapped in gold thread with a large central pearl set in filigree.  Of course, this brooch would look perfect on a Chanel jacket new or old but I think it would look amazing on a white mini dress or a floaty chiffon dress.  

1980s Chanel couture brooch.  Price available upon request.

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By the Sea, by the Beautiful Sea

Have you seen the Chanel 2011 Cruise Collection that was shown in Saint-Tropez?  Everything was beautiful and easy just as a resort collection should be.  I don't know about you but when I am in St Tropez or out on Long Island, I don't want fussy and complicated.  I don't want (gasp!) high heels with shorts.  The girls were mostly barefoot during the show, carrying great, strappy gold sandals with a slightly chunky low heel.  It is too bad the clothes, shoes and accessories will not be available until November.

This is the look I am most obsessed with.  I don't usually do head to toe but for all this I would!

In the meantime, RARE vintage has an amazing and incredible Chanel camellia brooch made from mother of pearl set against shiny black leaves.  The photographs unfortunately do not convey how beautiful this piece is.   It is also quite large and was most likely a runway piece.

Mother of pearl Chanel brooch.  Labeled Chanel on back.

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We HEART Christian Lacroix - Literally! Day Three

Day three of our RARE vintage HEARTS Christian Lacroix brooch a day.  This brooch makes me wonder if Christian Lacroix is a member of the secret society of Freemasonry as it seems very mysterious and full of intricately worked obscure symbols.  It is a mystery wrapped in an enigma!  Of course, Lacroix could not resist a little Lacroixism with the jeweled center star.  What does it all mean???

Christian Lacroix signed but not dated 'symbols' brooch.  
Measures about 3" tall and 3" at its widest. $275

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We HEART Christian Lacroix - Literally! Day Two

This Lacroix brooch is very Marie Antoinette in her Hall of Mirrors at Versailles rocking Noel 2007.

Noel 2007 'mirrored' heart brooch.  Signed and dated on the back.  4" long and 3" at its widest. $275


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We HEART Christian Lacroix - Literally!

When the pouf is gone what remains?  The fact that RARE vintage still hearts Christian Lacroix.  To pouf or not to pouf may be the question but new generations of young girls will always thrill to the flamboyant designs of Lacroix. All of this week we will post a different heart brooch from Lacroix every day.  These brooches are all limited edition pieces that were gifts at Christmas time.  

Our first Lacroix heart is a darkened bronze intricately worked with little pieces of mother of pearl and a teeny tiny cameo.  It is from Noel 1994 and is signed on the back. 

Noel 1994 Chistian Lacroix brooch.  2 1/4" long and 2 1/2" at the widest point.  $295

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The Classic: A Chanel Brooch

This is a front and center accessory.  It is romantic but not demure.  It is substantial in size 3 1/2" wide.  It is pretty in shades of seashell pink and a clear sea blue so it will look good on black, white and any pastel color, gold.  It is classic and it is Chanel.  What more is there to say.   Hmmm...  Well, you could say, I want it, I need it...

1980s Chanel brooch.

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Are You a Society Swan? Think Babe Paley, Slim Keith...

I am going to start this post with a previously posted disclaimer:

Just a word of warning: Chanel is extremely addictive and should be treated as a narcotic. Consuming more then the prescribed amount, will certainly lead to addiction.  Side effects may include increased irritability due to a lack of vintage Chanel in your closet, an acute attack of Chanelitis which can only be explained and treated by your doctor, Karl Lagerfeld.  Do not take Chanel if you have an aversion to feeling fashionable, stylish, classic or timeless.  If  symptoms persist for more then 30 days, well, hello!  go buy yourself some Chanel at RARE vintage!

So consider yourself forewarned!  Last night I put on the first piece from an incredible single owner collection.  Here it is the Chanel Swan Brooch.  A moment of silence please!  

This is a spectacular very large piece.  The swan is actually three dimensional.  

I see it worn on a tiny tuxedo jacket - tiny jacket, big brooch - or on a simple black dress or how beautiful would it look on a gown at the hip?!

This is not the subtle piece for a dainty girl.  This is for girl who says it loud and says it proud: I love Chanel! I love Gripoix! I love Karl!  I love faux pearls!  I love all the Chanelisms rolled into one big, beautiful brooch!

1980s Chanel Swan Brooch in metal, faux pearl, rhinestone, poured glass.

Total length: 8" Swan is 4" wide.

Price available upon request