Tina Chow by Antonio Lopez

Antonio Lopez, the Puerto Rican born, wonderchild of 1960s, 70s and 80s fashion illustration and joie de vivre, discovered Tina Lutz, an aspiring model, and introduced Tina to her future husband, restaurateur, Michael Chow in 1971.

I have never been a huge fan of fashion illustration, I find it frustrating not to see the actual piece but when I acquired a collection of Joe Eula drawings for Halston (seen here) for RARE vintage, those images: a swish of color, a smudge of red for lip, changed my opinion on fashion illustration.  I still prefer a photograph to a drawing but I realize now that a drawing can capture its own mood and moment in fashion.

I love Antonio Lopez's fashion drawings - particularly the 1960s and 1970s - but I actually prefer his Polaroids.  They are sexy, intimate, playful and spontaneous.

Here is Tina Chow as captured by Antonio Lopez in Polaroid...

Tina in her gauzy Fortuny Delphos Dress:

Tina Chow by Antonio Lopez

Tina with Michael Chow.  I LOVE her dress!  Does anyone recognize the designer of the dress?  Chanel?  Maybe Chloe?

All images from Antonio Lopez: Fashion, Art, Sex & Disco by Roger and Mauricio Padilha

Weekend Reading 18: Style and Design Icon: Elsa Peretti

Weekend reading for you from RARE vintage.  Read on...

'She is a woman of almost awesome chic.  Looking as dazzling in a beat up men's fedora as she does in a ball gown." From the book, The Fashion Makers.

Photo by Jill Krementz

Read more by clicking on link below:

A Joe Eula Watercolor of Dayle Haddon

I have been incredibly fortunate to have had an incredible collection of Joe Eula fashion illustrations for Halston not so long ago at RARE vintage.  These were fairly small working illustrations so when in walked through my door these gorgeous, crazy beautiful, watercolors, I was super excited!

The first is a large scale portrait of Dayle Haddon, back in the day, in swirling lines of blue:

It's all about attitude!

Dayle Haddon on the cover of french Vogue 1976:

The Interior Life of RARE vintage

A truly fashionable life means a fashionable interior. 

Mona Bismarck in Balenciaga in her apartment on Avenue de New-York in Paris

Even without the fashion, it is still all about the style.

The living room in Yves Saint Laurent's Paris apartment

So that is why when I was originally shown a collection of Joe Eula fashion sketches, I knew I had to have them.  One of our clients, Julie Brown, was kind enough to share the framed drawings she purchased for a client's home.  The drawings are in hand painted frames, mounted on gilt edged linen and set behind museum quality glass.  That's the way you do it!  

Photo courtesy of Brownhouse Design

Brownhouse Design

662 Springer Terrace

Los Altos, California

Thank you Julie for sharing!  The drawings look amazing!!

Eulagizing!

Please stop by if you are in town next week!

The Importance of Being Eula

I found this great image of Joe Eula and Halston at work in the Phaidon Halston book by Patricia Mears and Steven Bluttal.  It really shows the wonderful and creative connection between Halston and Eula and the drawings.

Photograph by Harry Benson

Sense and Sensibility: Joe Eula fashion illustrations for Halston

When I was first shown these Joe Eula fashion illustrations for Halston, it was a moment of coup de foudre.  Not only because here was Liza!  Karen B!  Pat C!  but because here was also the sensibility of Halston.  Here were, not only the women who wore his clothes so well,  but here also was the man who with quick strokes of his brush and pen was able to capture not just the likeness of Halston's clothing but the spirit and movement of the clothing.  And here also was a moment in time preserved, pin hole pricks and all, of a glorious moment in American fashion.  

This is the time that American fashion designers stormed the revered halls of Versailles to go mano to mano (or dress to dress) with the giants of French couture, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Dior, Ungaro and Pierre Cardin. Josephine Baker performed for the French, and Liza Minelli, wearing Halston, performed for the Americans.  Joe Eula using black oven paint and a broom sketched the Eiffel Tower for the American sets (oh those crazy American kids!) and here began the coup de foudre for American fashion.  

I heard a story about Joe Eula and Halston:  Halston became enraged when a journalist started walking over Joe Eula's sketches of a collection.  Halston was furious yelling did he not realize that he was walking on the work of a great artist?!  Eula was a great artist and one of the most gifted fashion illustrators.   

I feel very fortunate to have been entrusted with a wonderful group of Joe Eula's fashion illustrations for Halston from the Chuck and Candy Pratts Price collection.  Enjoy! 

 Joe Eula fashion illustrations for Halston. Circa 1980.  Prices ranging from $660 to $800.

PURCHASE

INQUIRY

RARE vintage, Joe Eula and The New York Times!

I am so excited, I don't even know what I am most excited about:  a collection of Joe Eula fashion illustrations!  For Halston!!  The New York Times!!!  I think Eric Wilson, a wonderful writer for The Grey Lady, said it best for the Fashion and Style section of the New York Times: you can read the article here.

 

 Liza Minelli "Bananas' by Joe Eula

 

They will be on the blog and 1stdibs.com tomorrow!!!!