Mila Schon's Swan Song

One of my absolute favorite new finds for RARE vintage is this delightful and whimsical Mila Schon romper.  

When acquiring pieces for the store I am always on the hunt for the unusual  so when I saw this romper that ties with a bow at the shoulders and has flowing scarves and, most amazingly and unexpectedly, is banded at the legs and embroidered with swans, I knew its destiny was to swan into RARE vintage.  

Back:

 Detail:

Mila Schon Swan embroidered romper.  Size 6.  Only available at RARE vintage.  

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

or phone 212.581.7273

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day!  I plan to take full advantage of the day and I hope you do too whether you are celebrating your own mother and/or are a mother yourself.  

But I thought I would leave you with this mother/daughter story that was recently featured on Into The Gloss.  The great Jerry Hall and her beautiful daughter Georgia May Jagger...

Jerry Hall is wearing vintage Thierry Mugler, I am assuming pulled from her own closet - who said you can't revisit your own vintage??  I think you most certainly can!

Georgia: She doesn't do plastic surgery or chemical peels or things like that, so she can spurge on expensive creams.

Jerry: I think those things ruin your skin and open it up and let microbes get in.  Aging is great - you just don't give a shit anymore; it's nice.  That's a bonus.

You can read the full article here.

Gianni Versace's Velvet Wonderland

One of my favorite recent new finds for RARE vintage is this outrageous Gianni Versace Couture velvet bodysuit and leggings - feetie leggings that is.

Versace loved a baroque legging:

Photo by Irving Penn

Detail:

Back:

How crazy chic would this be with high, high heels?!  Not for wallflowers but a brave girl who wants to stand out...

Gianni Versace Couture velvet bodysuit and leggings.  Size 4.

Only available at RARE vintage.  

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

or phone 212.581.7273

F*%k You, F*%k You Very Much! PUNK: Chaos to Couture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

So we supported one of my favorite institutions, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, on Monday night at the 'Party of the Year' PUNK: Chaos to Couture.  The curator, Andrew Bolton, installed one of the most unlikely period rooms ever before imagined at the Met: the loo at the famous and infamous CBGBs!  And just when I thought to complain about the too little graffiti adorning those who-knows-what stained walls, it was revealed that it was CBGBs circa 1975 and Richard Hell - who recently wrote a must read autobiography, I Dreamed I Was A Very Clean Tramp: An Autobiography, totally nailed the appropriately graffitied era walls.  So there!  What do I know - I was just a babe in 1975 more interested in Star Wars (1977) then Vivienne Westwood's SEX shop.

The show is brilliant: straddling two continents, and three different types of punks - the grungier/beatnik type of punk that originated in New York and the grittier and frankly more glamorously attired London punks - who really knew how to put a DIY ensemble together - albeit with a little help from their friends, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McClaren at their 430 Kings Road boutique.  And then of course the later appropriation of punk by designers like Gianni Versace, Karl Lagerfeld, Franco Moschino, Martin Margiela - each making their own whimsical or glamorous or subversive or couture version of the iconic language of punk: the safety pins to cover a tear in your pants so your "arse would not hang out" (Johnny Rotten), the torn clothes which originated from poverty, the graffiti of the streets, the desire to shock.

A job well done at the Met and if you are so inclined feel free to release your own inner anarchist and a scratch a little graffiti into the white 'classical' styrofoam walls of the D.I.Y. Hardware gallery, don't be afraid of the guard who is keeping an eye on you - I already saw an A for Anarchy.  I just wish I could remember what I wrote in the bathroom at CBGBs...

The last mannequin in the exhibit...  Flippin' the bird!

and by the way, the mannequin is wearing early 1990s Martin Margiela "shoes".  I remember these shoes because a friend of mine bought them - and by them I mean pair of soles - no actual shoe to slip the foot into.  My friend calmly and quite rationally explained that you simply needed to duck tape them to your foot.  My husband has never quite gotten over that!

PUNK: Chaos to Couture
Metropolitan Museum of Art
May 9 - August 14, 2013

The Ice Queen and her PUNK Rock Court: Alexander McQueen Fall 2011

From Sarah Burton's for Alexander McQueen fall 2011 'the Ice Queen and her court' collection is this punk rock inspired minaudière with a mohawked and jeweled skull.  The bag is heavily studded on velvet and lined in black leather.

This bag obviously goes with our previously posted McQueen dress but can definitely be worn on its own with a black sheath, leather pants, jeans, pajamas - well maybe not pjs : )

Just the thing to carry when you go see PUNK: Chaos to Couture at the Metropolitan Museum of Art!

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

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

The Morning After the Met Gala

A cupcake from last night's fabulous and fun PUNK: Chaos to Couture at the Met gala.  My son said the cigarette was delicious!

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

What the Punk?!

What does one wear to this year's Met gala?  Vintage Gianni Versace seems an obvious choice.  Our uber stylish client, Giovanna Battaglia, rocked a leather Versace couture bondage bra she bought at RARE vintage awhile back and made it look very punk chaos to couture at Cannes:

But I wonder if we are going to see a lot of vintage Versace at the gala?  Hmmm... so do you break open a box of safety pins and DIY a dress like Franco Moschino did back in the 1980s?

But I think we may see a lot of safety pins too... so what to wear?  I was thinking about wearing a Sprouse mini dress a la Debbie Harry from back in the punk days but it was so short but my bottom would be exposed as I was leaning over the bar to get a drink so I had to scratch that idea because this is definitely not the punk look I am going for:

I am feeling inspired by this:

More glam punk rock then Ramones punk rock.  

Either way it won't really be punk - it's more funk the punk.  Funk it up a bit and have fun and please no spitting on the red carpet.

Dolce & Gabbana Spring Summer 1998: Stromboli Collection

My two absolute favorite Dolce & Gabbana collections are the Spring Summer 1997 China collection:

"This is one of our favorite collections.  It was Chinese with lots of brocades, but of course mixed with  our corsets, leopard-spot chiffon, leopard-spot lingerie.  Madonna wore all of this collection." 

Dolce & Gabaana

and the Spring Summer 1998 Stromboli collection:

"an important part of the collection was the mix: red and yellow plastic corset dresses, the mix of old and new: pinstripes, tulle and little butterflies as decoration." Dolce & Gabbana

and so when this 1998 corset gown with a long chiffon train and adorned with butterflies came to me, well dear RARE vintage readers, Mamma Mia!  I had to sit down and take a whiff of some imaginary smelling salts and loosen my Dolce & Gabbana corset!  Sadly!  It was too small for me and so with a heavy heart I sold it to a client... (you don't think everything I buy for RARE vintage, ends up in RARE vintage do you : )

Oh, did I mention I love the Fall Winter 98/99 Dior and Balenciaga collection too...

Monday's RARE vintage Photo of the Week #2: The Duchess of Devonshire and Her Chickens

My absolute favorite photos of Debo, the Duchess of Devonshire, who created a farm on a country pile, and counted her chickens...

My Heroine:  The Duchess of Devonshire and her Ladies...  

You're from the 70s But I'm a 90s Bitch: Icona Pop

My favorite new song: I Love It by Icona Pop.  I love it!

What Would Daisy Wear?

I am really looking forward to The Great Gatsby, although I am still not convinced that Carey Mulligan was the right casting for the dazzling Daisy created by F Scott Fitzgerald but the trailer looks thrilling so I am excited to see the film.   

I was fortunate to recently hear the costume designer for the film, Catherine Martin, speak about researching and creating the costumes and it was fascinating how much thought was put into the costumes - particularly the men's costumes.  (And keep an eye out for the monogrammed buttons on the servants uniforms in the houses of Gatsby (JG) and the Buchanans (TB) - Martin said no one would notice but she wanted that level of detail.  My kind of woman!)  Martin also said she wanted everything to feel crisp, fresh and new - not vintage-y.  Exactly right don't you think?  

So what will Daisy wear?  Prada in the party scene and Catherine Martin designed costumes for the rest of the film.

Daisy will wear pearls like Marion Davies (and a special thank you to our dear RARE vintage blog reader who sent me this wonderful photo!)

Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan photographed for Vogue

And what would Daisy wear from RARE vintage?  I think she might choose this white jersey dress draped with pearls from Holly's Harp...

Holly's Harp white jersey and pearl dress.  Only available at RARE vintage.  

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

"In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars." 
F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Icon: A Fine and Extraordinary Spring Summer 1967 Valentino Haute Couture Dress

Jacqueline Kennedy loved the Valentino 1967 haute couture collection so much, she ordered twelve dresses.  Lucky woman!  And I considered myself very lucky when this extraordinary and rare from the Valentino Spring Summer 1967 collection dress came to RARE vintage.

It is edged with a gold metal thread and embroidered with coral stones and has jeweled buttons adorning the front.

"Gloria Guiness, the most elegant woman in the world, remarks about Valentino: You see I don't just wear his clothes: I love them." Epoca 1967

'As Jacqueline Kennedy was packing to leave for Rome on Saturday...  WWD peeked into her luggage and learned that she has not switched from her favorite designer.  Valentino of course is shrouding her fashion choices in secrecy but  WWD learned that some of the Valentinos Jackie recently bought she now plans to wear on her trip at private dinner parties.'  

WWD October 3, 1967

Drawing inscribed "Possible design especially for J.K.O. Spring-Summer 1967"

Now, I am OBSESSED with finding this Valentino bag below - so if anyone out there has one they would like to part with, please email info@rarevintage.com or phone 212.581.7273  Grazie!!

"Jacqueline Kennedy has ordered seven bags.  The big favorite is the alligator soft box.  It's the thin gold bracelet handle that makes it especially new looking.  The former first lady also ordered it in fabric.  This bag is also on order for Lady Astor, Mrs. Samuel Reed, one of the du Ponts, Countess Volpe, Marella Agnelli and Duchess de Rochambeau." WWL 1967

Monday's RARE Vintage Photo of the Week #1: Monica Vitti

I thought it would be fun to look forward to the start of a new week with a look back at vintage photos on the RARE vintage blog.

Monday's RARE Vintage Photo of the Week: The beautiful Monica Vitti in a Paco Rabanne metal dress.  Love her tousled hair, the face bare except for eyeliner and I even love the cigarette.  Looks to me like she spent the night at her lover's apartment and she has put on her dress from the night before and she is thinking about the man...

Boho Beauties: YSL rive gauche and Ungaro for Coachella and Beyond

So while this is the final weekend of the Coachella festival in the Palm Springs desert, your wardrobe can continue to rock 70s boho style with these classic bags from Yves Saint Laurent and Emanuel Ungaro.

The staple of the boho girl: a 1970s Emanuel Ungaro Parallele fringed and studded bag:

A patchwork 1970s Emanuel Ungaro bag with fringe and a touch of glamour in gold:

A violet colored 1970s Yves Saint Laurent rive gauche bag with violet cording and faux fur trim:

Sweet and bohemian: little 1970s Emanuel Ungaro canvas bags with rainbowed hued trim: