The Ice Queen and Her Court: Alexander McQueen Fall 2011

After Alexander McQueen died and before Sarah Burton designed Kate Middleton's wedding dress, Burton designed her first full collection for Alexander McQueen.  The theme was the 'Ice Queen and her Court'.  And the setting was the La Conciergerie - which was Marie Antoinette's prison and also the site of an earlier Alexander McQueen show with live wolves.  This show had a tough, icy feeling with lots of fur edged pieces but always with an underlying feeling of romance - a darker romance with Alexander McQueen and a more optimistic sense of romance with Sarah Burton.

This dress from the Ice Queen and her Court collection is heavily studded and also spectacularly studded on black pony skin, lined in black silk and leather laced over the decollate and with two high slits on the skirt.  

Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen Fall 2011.  Only available at RARE vintage.  Size 4.

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

Shades of Casati at Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2011

The original flame haired superstar was not Rihanna but the Marchesa Casati.  La Casati wore necklaces of live snakes, walked a cheetah on a diamond studded leash and put droplets of the poisonous belladonna in her kohl lined green eyes so they would glitter like emeralds.  

The Marchesa Casati was painted by Boldini

Photographed by Man Ray

And portrayed with her cheetahs

When I saw the Chanel haute couture Fall 2011 show, I was getting a very Casati vibe.  The Place Vendome was recreated under the darkened dome of the Grand Palais in neon lines with Coco Chanel instead of Napolean on a column.  

Fun Fact: When the Marchesa Casati was twenty five million dollars in debt and her possessions were confiscated and sold at auction in 1932, Coco Chanel was among the bidders.

Papery black taffeta was wrapped around the body, with a peplum that had a peek of noir feathers underneath it.  

The colors were of the midnight sky, under a full moon, under the clouds.

There were leopard prints on sheer silk done in tiny beads with long frock coats worn over.

There was an art deco gilet worn over a satin skirt.

There was black lace on the body and over the eyes.  There were long sheer fingerless gloves and Chanel's Blue Satin nailpolish (one of my favorite nail colors!).  

There were feathery chiffon dresses beaded and hemmed to just above the ankle worn with a patent toe tipped sheer boot (all too fabulous don't you think?!)

And there was a jacket in a new shape in white satin, begonia pink and in grey and black tweeds: cropped, three quarter length sleeves that were relaxed and not tight against the arm.

There has been an embarrassment of riches at the couture shows this week.  There has been so much creativity, so much beautiful handwork, it was a stellar season of real clothes under the Parisian sky which is why the poor showing by Dior was even more glaring.   But I know they will recover and  the House of Dior will be back: sixty five years old and better then ever.   Vive le couture!  A job well done!

But what was the real essence of this creature?  Was she aware of her continuous metamorphosis, or was she impenetrable to herself, excluded from her own mystery? Gabriele D'Annunzio

"Tears of an Angel" Givenchy Haute Couture

The photos that I would like to show here, I can not because for some reason no one has published detail photos as of yet.  And the ten pieces Ricardo Tisci showed for Givenchy are all about the details.  Here is a recap from Hamish Bowles:

"Crystal drops with a techno reflective treatment (whose scattered pattern over the fragile tulle dress was based on a "map" of the nodules of ostrich skin) subtly transformed in different lights; Tisci likened the effect to "tears of angels".  Excuse me whilst I go weep because it sounds so beautiful I wish I could order the dress right now but I know I can not.

"The ankle straps to accompany this piece were fashioned from the pale wax flowers garlanding nineteenth century devotional pictures that Tisci sourced from antique examples (each pair will be unique."  Excuse me while I go weep some more...

And his beloved fringe fell in a golden waterfall of fine chains, each less than a millimeter wide; even the clutch purses were fringed to the floor."  weeping has officially turned to sobs...

Fun Fact:  What is the difference between American Vogue and French Vogue?  Nipples!

Givenchy Fall 2011 haute couture in American Vogue

Givenchy Fall 2011 haute couture in French Vogue

You've Been a Bad, Bad Girl

So you might as well wear this:

Style.com

Wonder what is inside her bag?

Maybe these?

Twitpic posted by Bryanboy

What Jane Eyre Would Wear in the Fall of 2011

A brilliantly dark, romantic and gothic collection from Ann Demeulemeester for Fall 2011.  I can imagine Jane Eyre wearing this at Thornfield Hall:

Images from Vogue.com

She's Like a Parfum...

I have been thinking a lot about inspiration this week at RARE vintage.  Our clients often have their own personal inspiration boards.  Only it is not an actual board but a state of being or a thought or an idea.  And this idea will make them want to track down a Balenciaga from the 1960s, a Saint Laurent from the 1970s, an Alaia from the 1980s or a Stephen Sprouse from the 1990s.   And when we vintage people are on the scent, we don't let go!  We are relentless!  It takes one to know one.  And I am one.

Designers too always have an inspiration board.  This week American Designers have been inspired by the dusty prairie's of North Dakota (Corn Cob Palace anyone?  Or is that in South Dakota??) (Rodarte), the American West (Proenza Schouler), a Robert Polidori book on the restoration of the Palace of Versailles (Jason Wu) and the faded Mrs. Haversham who hermited herself away in her decaying mansion in Great Expectations (Prabal Gurung).  

But the inspiration that I think is most like mine, which is most close to my philosophy for RARE vintage is what John Galliano said in the Spring Fashion 2011 issue of New York Magazine:  

NYMagazine: So who is the muse this time?

John Galliano: She is always elusive.  I'm always chasing her.  She's an essence, a spirit.  Like a parfum.

The RARE vintage muse is also like a parfum.

Who is the woman who inspired this 1980s Valentino haute couture cocktail dress?  

Maybe it was not a woman but a place.  Maybe in the way Degas, Monet, Van Gogh and Bonnard were inspired by Japonisme,

William Merrit Chase.  Peonies.  1897

Valentino was inspired to create this exotic scene from the "floating world".  The "floating world" or Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings from the 17th to the 20th centuries that were inspired by the landscape, historic tales and beautiful courtesans.

Ando Hiroshige (one of the most famous Ukiyo-e artists)

The bodice of this leopard printed silk gazar cocktail dress is surely inspired by a painting of Japanese cherry blossoms and a temple at the foot of perhaps the Kamiji mountains.  

Valentino has said,  "Art is an inexhaustible source of wealth and joy."

Or maybe Valentino was inspired by the art of handcraft.  He has also said that to do embroidery like this now, "you would have to sell an Italian bank."

It is really something fantastic.  It is like a painting in silk, thread and sequins.  A work of art done by a master embroiderer of haute couture.  Now the question is do you wear it or gaze at it?  Perhaps both?  Green tea anyone?  Or perhaps a snow cold sake?  Decisions, decisions...

1980s Valentino haute couture finely embroidered cocktail dress.  Size 6/8.

PURCHASE