Donald Brooks on Shirley Bassey and at RARE vintage

If you read the blog regularly, you will know I love finding images of pieces we have at RARE vintage  from back in their day.  So it was exciting to see this image of Shirley Bassey wearing our Donald Brooks jumpsuit sharing cocktails and giggles with Joan Collins.  Looks like a super glamorous time doesn't it?!

Image from Penny Calder Instagram

Donald Brooks jumpsuit can be purchased here

xo, Juliana

The Dream: Donald Brooks

Please don't tell my husband but I am a very good client of RARE vintage.  I try not to be but I can't help myself.  So when this Donald Brooks dress came in our door, I tried to tell myself, NO! you do not need to try it on because this is exactly what would happen: 

Cue dream sequence music...

Scene One:

Juliana sees a 1970s Donald Brooks dress in brown tulle with white beading.  It is an haute boho moment and her heart starts beating.  Hard.  Butterflies flutter around her and little blue birds circle over head carrying little rainbow colored hearts (remember this is a boho moment and butterflies and birdies are a boho must).   

Scene Two:  

Juliana tries on said Donald Brooks dress and immediately decides she has to have it.  The little devil on her shoulder says, it was made for you.  Just you.

The little angel on Juliana's shoulder says, but what about your clients?  You can't keep all of the best pieces for yourself...

Scene Three:

The little devil wins.  Juliana runs out of RARE vintage wearing the Donald Brooks dress and Patricia (who basically runs the store while Juliana is out and about shopping closets) chases after her, telling her she needs to pay for the dress.

Whew!   That is exactly what would happen.  So I did not try it on.  As much as I wanted to.  A beautiful haute bohemian brown tulle dress with intricate white beading from the 1970s by Donald Brooks for you from RARE vintage. 

 1970s Donald Brooks dress

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I Shopped Till I Dropped so in the Meantime I am Going to Let Natalie Joos Do All of the Work.

Quite literally.  I shopped and I shopped...  there is Galanos, Balenciaga, Bob Mackie, Chanel, Zandra Rhodes, Donald Brooks... and more...  so excuse whilst I lie back in a Smoking, in sparkly heels with a cigarette (just a prop ☺) and a nice glass of wine (not a prop!) ... 

Photo by Rico Puhlmann

me relaxing after a hard week of shopping...

while Natalie Joos, a blogger extraordinaire,  a woman Tommy Ton called the most stylish casting director, a woman whose most stylish and eclectic blog, Tales of Endearment, visits Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Hanneli Mustaparta and Fabiola Beracasa among other equally stylish and independent women.  Style, Substance, Fabulousness and a good dose of RARE vintage.  Take it Natalie...

Natalie Joos.  Tales of Endearment.  Thursday. 2 June 2011.

 Pierre Cardin from RARE vintage.  Photo courtesy of Tales of Endearment

Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, Galanos belt and Balenciaga sunglasses from RARE vintage.  

Photo courtesy of Tales of Endearment

Yves Saint Laurent 'Matisse' Print pants, Herve Leger cropped top and Chanel classic chain belt from RARE vintage.  Photo courtesy of Tales of Endearment

Stephen Sprouse neon orange mini dress and Stephen Sprouse shoes from RARE vintage.

Photo courtesy of Tales of Endearment

Thank you Natalie for such beautiful images!  And more (much more) at Tales of Endearment

An AMAZING Donald Brooks Ensemble!!

Let me just say that again: this is an AMAZING 1960s Donald Brooks ensemble!  And truthfully ladies - and gentleman (we have lots of male readers for the blog so don't want to forget the men!) this piece would never have seen the light of the day on the blog because it would have been comfortably squirreled away in my closet - if it fit.  Damn it! 

Now, did I say yesterday that we were having July in April?  What I meant to say was that we are having August in April here in New York!  And what better choice for August in April then this Donald Brooks ensemble with applied poppies.  The skirt can be worn on its own or with its original tiny top that is covered in poppies with an open back.  The top attaches to the skirt by little tabs on the side.  Very glamorous.  Very haute bohemian.  Very happy.  Very delightful!

You can see that the top is tiny - it will not close on our mannequin - butshe is sort of broad through the back.

Just a note of caution:  while wearing this amazing ensemble, you will be the focus of attention, girls will lust after it and men will lust after you.  If you are looking for something plain, that will blend in, this is definitely not the outfit for you.  But if you are looking for something incredible..!

1960s Donald Brooks ensemble.  Size 2.

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Gloria Guinness in 1966

1966 Harper's Bazaar asked Gloria Guinness if she always wear white sharkskin tousers and men's cotton tops in black or navy when she is on holiday in Acapulco.  (Her answer: Yes I do, is that wrong?)    They ask if she has anything special for the evenings.  (Her answer is: that she combs her hair.)  

1966 Bazaar is filled with images of 'The Blithe Sleep Dress', Francoise Dorleac in Pierre Cardin and Catherine Deneuve in Dior, the rage for redheads and Paris when it floats.  It also has a Donald Brooks gown.  

We have the jumpsuit in the same fab fabric.  It has a halterneck and would be perfect on a warm evening with a cocktail and a pair of flat sandals and well, combed hair!  After all, Gloria Guiness is an Icon!  

1966 Donald Brooks Jumpsuit.  Size 4.

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The Road to Recovery: Part One: Bird in Hand

Condition is always a consideration when buying vintage.  Sometimes pieces come to us absolutely pristine like our Marc Bohan for Christian Dior.  Othertimes, they require a little tender loving care.  It may be a rip in a seam - a rip in the fabric itself means RIP (rest in peace).  It may need a good cleaning.  Or it may mean restoration.  When the Donald Brooks came to me in delicate condition I knew I was buying a project, but definitely one I wanted to pursue.

It was photographed for a great Harper's Bazaar shoot with Sarah Jessica Parker styled as Diana Vreeland.   We ran around gathering the feathers as they flew.

Now it is time for it to be packed and shipped with its little care package of guinea hen feathers to The French Hand Laundry in Pasadena California.  The French Hand Laundry is RARE vintage's neighborhood dry cleaner.  It is just around the corner 3,000 miles away. 

That is how hard it is to find a good dry cleaners.  I was introduced to them by a client and when I was in LA for the Golden Globes last January, I went to pick up some pieces, drop off more, they gave me a tour of the laundry.  It was fascinating and as obsessed as I am by vintage, they are as obsessed with the cleaning process.  And I learn from them.  They are as knowledgeable as any museum textile conservationist so I send my pieces there without staying awake at night from nightmares of what the dry cleaner might be doing to my vintage.

Anouk Aimee in the Donald Brooks from Vincent Boucher's blog, Couturealist.

I thought that RARE vintage blog readers would enjoy seeing the Donald Brook's dress road to recovery.  Pam and Susan at the French Hand Laundry have kindly agreed to share the restoration process.  So we will periodically check in by photo to see the dress returned to its original state.  Stay tuned!

RARE vintage in Good Company

I love finding archival images of pieces that I have bought for RARE - especially when they look super cool, elegant or beautiful. 

I was catching up on some of my favorite blogs this morning (more on favorite blogs coming soon!) when I suddenly saw an image of Anouk Aimee.  Can I just say that again?  Anouk Aimee. Anouk.  I have two fish without names maybe I should call one Anouk?  Maybe I should call the other Cheri after Cheri from the Michelle Pfeiffer movie?  My!  How one's mind does wander!

How beautiful does Anouk Aimee look at the 1967 Golden Globes?!  Love the hair.  It is like refined bed head.  (My daughter who is seven and just cut her long locks - she donated her hair - has the most amazing bed head every morning.   She loves fashion and is going to be doing her own blog.  If I ever have a technical question, I ask the seven year old!)  And what would the so called fashion critics say today about the extravagant  bit at the shoulder of Anouk Aimee's dress?  Would and should Anouk have cared?  I don't think so.  It is impossible to please everyone and it is most important to please yourself.  Being safe can also be BORing!

Anyhoo, looking at stylist Vincent Boucher's blog, Couturealist, this morning lo and behold I saw the Donald Brooks feathered gown that I bought for RARE on Anouk Aimee.  She looks so beautiful and it is a perfect fit.   An incredible dress on an amazing actress!  Let's hope we see something as amazing on tonight's Golden Globes.    

1967 Donald Brooks guinea hen and ostrich feathered gown.  

PRICE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Full Plume

Elegance and sophistication. Words to live by. Sublimely unconventional. Also words to live by. If you would like a spectacular evening gown that is elegant, sophisticated and sublimely unconventional then this 1967 Donald Brooks is just the thing.

The bodice is covered with pheasant feathers in brown with an ivory polka dot covering them. The skirt is covered in a cascade of brown and cream ostrich feathers with polka dotted pheasant feathers disbursed throughout the skirt. The dress is belted with a wide, chocolate brown silk sash.

We know that it can sometimes be a bit of a chore getting dressed up but this gown puts all of the fun and glamour back into getting dressed up. You will not be able to wait to wear it!
Size 6.

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