Vintage shopping- as aficionados and casual treasure-seekers alike can attest- is about the thrill of the hunt, the search for that elusive piece of clothing or furniture or objet d'art that can inspire a longing theretofore unknown, lying dormant, waiting to be discovered. Poring through piles of stuff to find that diamond in the rough is part of the pleasure,
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Lauren Hutton circa 1970s
Vintage mavericks What Goes Around Comes Around kicked off NYFW with a ready-to-wear presentation inspired by legendary model Lauren Hutton. The icon's breezy elegance was captured in looks that fused elements inspired by the exuberance of Buenos Aires, colonial safaris in Africa and the glamour of Long Island's Gold Coast. To wit, jet-set friendly separates in
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All images courtesy of the Zina de Plagny site.
The Vault recently stumbled upon the exquisite mid-century work of textile designer Zina de Plagny, a Russian expatriate who moved to Paris as a young girl following the revolution. In 1932 she married a fellow ex-pat, Leon Koudine, who was working as a textile designer at the time; it was this union
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Home to Europe's largest flea market, the now-famous Braderie de Lille takes place near the Belgian border in the charming Franco-Flemish town of Lille, welcoming hordes of visitors numbering as many as 1 million from all over Europe and elsewhere. The city center's streets are closed to cars for the 2-day event, which hosts a wide variety of sellers ranging
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Cruise/Resort 12, L to R: Givenchy, Peter Pilotto, Preen, Stella McCartney, Thakoon
Amongst the trends to emerge during the Resort/Cruise 12 collections, mirrored prints are probably amongst the Vault's favorites. Everyone from Givenchy to Stella McCartney incorporated mirrored images into their collections, conjuring visions of 70s-era baroque prints, scarf dresses, tropical florals, and many a Pucci reverie. Below, a small visual
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For the sewing inclined, a new soon-to-be-released book provides the patterns and instructions for 20 iconic dresses from throughout the 20th century. Famous Frocks, by Sara Alm & Hannah McDevitt, promises detailed instructions with original photographs, precise patterns and exacting advice for those looking to re-create Audrey Hepburn's Givenchy dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's, Marilyn's borderline-kitsch white pleated halter
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Python has been slithering its way back into fashion of late, both as a material for accessories and so we naturally turned to Stylesight's excellent vintage library- and our recent photographic conquests at the Brimfield Antique Show- for a little inspiration.
Below, a trio of our favorite footwear, all dating back to the 1940s.
Pair no. 1: Suzies
Pair no. 2: Johansen
Pair
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New York City-based archive and retailer Amarcord Vintage is throwing an unprecedented 50% sale this weekend, Friday August 26 - Monday August 29th at their Williamsburg location. And it's not just 50% off a select rack hidden in the back of the store-- EVERYTHING is on sale, so for those looking to plan their labor day weekend outfits be
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A recent trip to the Vintage at Southbank Festival in London yielded not one, but two sightings of Mad Men character Don Draper's real-life doppelgänger-- if he was into tattoos and rockabilly style, that is! This Londoner's distinct look was noteworthy for its authentic late-40s-50s shirts, solid denim and 100% vintage eyewear.
Well done.
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The rouge renaissance continues to gain ground as red lipstick-- particularly in tomato-orange tones-- evokes timeless retro beauty. Below, a handful of our favorite ladies from London's Vintage at Southbank festival.
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