I want – I got x Shrimpton Couture: The Anita Edit
On my birthday last week, I had the pleasure of dressing up in some amazing, amazing designer vintage finds from Shrimpton Couture. Cheri Federau, owner, invited me to her gorgeous Toronto condo to play dress up and take some photos. It was awesome! Biba Forever!!
I want – I got x Shrimpton Couture: The Anita Edit
The photoshoot wasn’t just for fun, it was part of my stint as a guest editor on Shrimpton Couture where I’ve chosen a selection of my favourite vintage items available on the site.
I want – I got x Shrimpton Couture: The Anita Edit
A few years ago I was researching the Hermès Scarves I bought at the sample sale. I wanted to know the artist and year produced. It was during that search that I found my a few of my go to Hermès Scarf reference sites. Over time I’ve added some more sites to that list and I’ve decided to share.
HSCI Hermès Scarf Photo Catalogue – Want to know more about your Hermes scarf, this is your first stop. The Hermès Scarf Photo Catalogue has an extensive archive of scarves dating all the way back to 1937. Scarves are cross referenced by name, artist, year of issue, material, etc. A community of Hermès fans contribute photos to the catalogue and it’s updated regularly.
Luxury-scarves.com – This is an online shop that sells new, used and vintage Hermès scarves. It also has a database that has a number of scarves from the Hermès archives. If you can’t find it at the HSCI this is your next stop.
Herm̬s Sub Forum at PurseForum.com РThis is where the hardcore Herm̬s fans hangout. They have sections dedicated to authentication, shopping and reference library. I lurk this site for research and to find out about upcoming scarf collections as PurseForum members have the inside scoop. Pretty much anything you want to know about Herm̬s will be found here.
The Official Hermès Pinterest page has a board called Hermès Silk which has images of the Spring Summer 2013 silk collection now but I hope they continue to add to it in the future.
MaiTai’s Picture Book – This is a look into the life of an Hermès super fan. It’s a personal style blog but she also has a number of scarf tying tutorials. The is searchable by knot. This woman is hardcore.
I was browsing the Valery Demure online shop and noticed this Fox brooch in the Rarities section. The designer is french artist, Lea Stein. She known as “the most notable and innovative designer of plastic jewelry of the 20th century”. She started working in textiles in the late 50s but eventually grew interested in plastics in the mid 60s. She married a chemist and together they created a new layering technique for plastic.
She worked with her husband, chemist Ferdinand Steinberger, to develop a process of layering very thin sheets of cellulose acetate (or rhodoid) and laminating them to form a “multi-coloured sandwich of plastic”.[3] Each ‘sandwich’ was baked for a long time, then cooled and cut into shapes. The process could take as long as six months. This technique allowed Stein to insert different fabrics (such as brocades and lace), colors and textures into the plastic.(source)
This is the part two of four in the I want – I got Gift Guide series. I have so many favourite things I wanted to include. This gift guide is very much I want – I got. You’ll see things I want, things I got and other obsessions. Some things are affordable and some aren’t but I’ve tried to mix it up. The list covers fashion, beauty, electronics, art, toys and booze. Basically, all the items on the gift guide are I want – I got approved.
So, join me the second part of this exploration of things I would love to see under my tree at Christmas.
Clover Canyon Printed crepe de chine tunic dress, L designed by Linda Lundstrom Indigo dyed red fox Shawl Collar, RIMOWA Salsa Deluxe 3 Suiter Multiwheeler, Smythe Warbler Tribute Jacket
RIMOWA Salsa Deluxe 3 Suiter Multiwheeler ($795) – RIMOWA’s flagship store, 101 Bloor Street West, Toronto
Smythe Warbler Tribute Jacket ($595) – eluxe.ca – The most perfect little jacket, must have in any closet
JdJ Studio collection Cushion-cut gemstone, Moonrox Treasure Bracelet, Dean Davidson Castle Ring
JdJ Studio collection Cushion-cut gemstone, sterling silver braided band in green amethyst, citrine or amethyst ($695) – 61 Bloor Street West, Suite 600, Toronto and Jewel Box at Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Lobby, 181 Wellington Street West, Toronto
Moonrox Treasure Bracelet ($95) – moonrox.ca, One of a Kind Show – This bracelet is made to order and you have a choice of colour schemes.
Dean Davidson Castle Ring ($170) – deandavidson.com, Holt Renfrew
1920s Lame Brocade Velvet Flapper Coat, Greta Constantine Skin for Danier Dress
1920s Lame Brocade Velvet Flapper Coat ($2,400 USD) – ShrimptonCouture.com – I love browsing the 20s fashions on Shrimpton Couture dreaming of one day owning a piece
Krane Jonas Officer Coat, Jenny Bird Yin Spike Hoops, Holt Renfrew x Missioni Elephant, Moon Apparel Brocade Peplum Top
Krane Jonas Officer Coat ($1,175) – Kranedesign.com – Krane is a menswear company but I love his aesthetic and would love to get my androgyny on in his stuff.
Holt Renfrew x Missioni Elephant ($50) – Holt Renfrew in store and online – Adorable elephant for a great cause. The best offering of all the charity products over the years at Holts.
Moon Apparel Brocade Peplum Top ($69) – moonapparel.ca or 110 Bloor Street
North Star Fall Varsity Bomber, North Star Great White North Sweater, Givenchy Noir Couture Mascara
Givenchy Noir Couture Mascara ($35) – Sephora in store and online – I’m famously a fan of another brand of mascara but Givenchy won me over this summer with Noir Couture
Balmain red Suede Floral embroided Anita Ankle boots, Charlotte Olympia The Dolly suede platform pumps, Christian Louboutin Anita 85 buckled tartan pumps
I’m obsessed with everything that uses Anita in the style name. It’s total narcissism but it’s the easiest way to get my attention.
Charlotte Olympia The Dolly suede platform pumps ($945) – Net-a-Porter
Christian Louboutin Anita 85 buckled tartan pumps ($1,395) – Net-a-Porter
Chanel Malice, NARS x Andy Warhol New York Dolls, NARS x Andy Warhol Superstar, NARS x Andy Warhol TV Party, NARS x Andy Warhol Back Room, NARS x Andy Warhol 15 Minutes
Chanel Malice Nail Polish ($27) – Holt Renfrew, The Bay
NARS x Andy Warhol New York Dolls Nail Polish ($21 each) – narscosmetics.ca, Holt Renfrew, The Bay
NARS x Andy Warhol Superstar Nail Polish ($21 each) – narscosmetics.ca, Holt Renfrew, The Bay
NARS x Andy Warhol TV Party Nail Polish ($21 each) – narscosmetics.ca, Holt Renfrew, The Bay
NARS x Andy Warhol Back Room Nail Polish ($21 each) – narscosmetics.ca, Holt Renfrew, The Bay
NARS x Andy Warhol 15 Minutes Nail Polish ($21 each) – narscosmetics.ca, Holt Renfrew, The Bay
I’ve been trolling ShrimptonCouture.com recently and discovered this 1930s Fine Lace & Ruffle Wedding Gown. I never give Bridal a second thought but this wedding dress is just too beautiful not to share.
EDIT: The photo was missing for a little bit. It’s been replaced.
Shrimpton Couture has some lovely vintage Kimonos from the 1920s and 1930s up on the site now. Cheri helped a long time Kimono owner downsize the collection and some of those pieces are for sale. These two are my favourites.
1930s Deer & Rooster Silk Under Kimono is an absolute gem. I love the clash of organic and geometric images. The cute factor is always appreciated and I love the animals.
The 1920s Rare Hand Blocked Rayon Kimono reminds me of summer. The colours really pop out from the white background.
I love PR pitches that are for interesting companies like Erstwhile Jewelry Co. They specialize in rare, one of a kind jewellery items. There finds include antique and vintage engagement rings as well as jewellery from the 19th century Victorian, turn of the century Edwardian, french art nouveau, art deco, and retro 40’s eras. Rare jewellery from Cartier, Boucheron, Tiffany & Co., Bakelite, Chopard, Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari are some of the designers that Erstwhile Jewelry Co. seek out.
Jewellery from Erstwhile Jewelry Co. isn’t cheap as you can imagine. The three pieces pictured (Victorian Gold & Turquoise Bangle, Gold Kieselstein-Cord Crocodile Ring and Gold and Diamond Ibex Ring) range from $2,400 – $4,900.
V by 69 VINTAGE is a new shop brought to you by Toronto Vintage mogul, Kealan Sullivan. Â Kealan’s empire includes 69 Vintage and 69 Vintage Collective/Buy The Pound. Â V by 69 Vintage will feature all the prized vintage finds Kealan doesn’t sell in the other shops. Everything in the store is for sale and that includes fixtures, books and gardening supplies. This is a high-end vintage shop because of the rarity of the pieces and all clothing is restored and repaired.
V by 69 VINTAGE is a new creative vintage retail space which will showcase a series of changing monthly thematic concepts.
Through art direction and careful product selection, the space, contents and merchandise for sale will transform entirely each month to reflect a new theme, ultimately creating an exciting retail experience. This new store is an opportunity for us to share our love and appreciation of vintage and to present our treasures in an innovative way in the form of distinctive curated collections.
Our first theme is titled “THE VICTORY GARDENS” and runs from May 12th to June 1st.
This collection will feature a lovely mix of fine women’s garments, including cotton, silk and lace from the Victorian era, the 40s and 50s, paired with straw hats, antique shovels, books, buckets and ephemera.
I attended the opening launch party for V by 69 Vintage. It’s a small 400 square foot shop that is decorated perfectly to The Victory Gardens theme. I snapped some photos of what you can expect.
See all my photos from the opening launch party for V by 69 Vintage.
Shereen de Rousseau is a Vancouver based designer that reworks vintage and antique items into here jewellery. I’m like the way she’s incorporated coins and trinkets like keys to give her designs an antique but modern feel.
I love hearing about new Canadian brands. Rocaille is a Vancouver based and was started in 2010 by Amanda He when she decided to explore a creative career instead of the investment banking world she occupied. Amanda sources antique items and turns them into one of a kind pieces.
ROCAILLE is modern by design and inspired by classical periods. We scour the globe for unique vintage pieces and delight in the unabashed sense of adventure and discovery as each item of jewellery is deconstructed and then transformed. The antiquity of each resurrected find is enhanced through reinterpretation and reinvention. Simply put, every ROCAILLE jewellery is one of a kind.
Rocaille is beautiful and I love that each piece is unique. I like the clash of antique with a modern style. They would be perfect for black tie events. Currently you can purchase Rocaille online at www.rocaille-design.com.
Yves Saint Laurent Jacket, $2,250, Shirt, $1,490, Bustier, $850, and Pants, $850. Available at Yves Saint Laurent New York, call (212) 980-2970.
I love the idea of Yves Saint Laurent New Vintage line. This is the third collection. It’s pretty expensive though.
New Vintage, initiated by YSL’s creative director, Stefano Pilati, and Julie Gilhart, is having another go. New Vintage III’s moxie is quite simple: reclaim, recycle and sustain. “The collection is materially comprised of garments made from recycled fabric and from existing patterns instead of new ones, to start a dialogue with the market using known codes and a common language that are reassuring and familiar,†says Pilati about the 180 pieces that will be available this week. Metallic wide leg trousers, velvet tuxedo suiting jackets and leopard-print wrap dresses with a hint of disco pay a refreshing nod to Saint Laurent’s iconic 1970s designs.(source)
Pilati adds, “New Vintage is meant to be part of a process, a general attempt to give a sensibility and an education to our public so that it can act consciously toward its environment.â€(source)
Through twitter I discovered a locally based online vintage store called Shrimpton Couture. They focus on luxury items and but there are many beautiful dresses and accessories that start at $125. In addition to vintage pieces Shrimpton Couture sells reworked vintage and one of a kind jewellery. Expedited shipping is free in Canada! Shrimpton Couture also writes a vintage column for Herald de Paris.
Here are some of my i wants from Shrimpton Couture, seriously drool worthy stuff.
This is a truly stunning couture level 1920s dress that has been fully restored. All the seams and beading have been re-inforced and the collar has been refinished with a silver silk satin ribbon edging. The main body of the dress is the original fabric but each panel was meticulously replaced and the fabric matched exactly.
2006 McQueen Dress – need I say more. Check out the embroidery on the back of the dress.
1950s Lace Illusion Dress – I love 50s style skirts. I’m currently obsessed with getting myself a crinoline and New Looking myself.
Jet Neck Collar – The jewellery on the site is quite fantastic, this is one of my favourite pieces.
Coral Fringe Cuff – There are a few cuffs on the site and they are so much fun.
This was one of my purchases in Montreal as I was told to hit up the vintage shops. I’ve been looking for a small, clutch like bag that can fit my Smartphone (Blackberry now) and my camera. This does both and is pretty, yay! This was purchased at Friperie St-Laurent, 3976, boulevard Saint-Laurent.
I fell in love immediately when I saw this dress. It has a bit of a cocoon shape which you can’t see in the photos. The back detail is interesting too. Oh and it’s linen, perfect for summer. That’s my cat Sagan there. 🙂
Edit: For all of you wondering what the buttons look like.
There are some shopping secrets that I will never give up. This story is about one of them.
The Saturday after New York I was wandering downtown with my friend MJ. Usually when we are out he takes me to his favourite consignment shop to troll for designer duds. We hit the motherload on this visit. MJ is the best person to go shopping with. He has this uncanny ability to identify the crap and zoom in on the good just from looking at the rack. What really baffles me with him is that 99.9% of his choices are so spot on. This guy knows what works and what doesn’t.
The most perfect skirt black knife pleated skirt with yoke by Chanel.
It’s unfortunate that my picture is really shitty. You can’t see any of the pleat details, quite a shame. I fell in love after I twirled around. It fits and drapes like a dream. It’s easily the best skirt I’ve ever owned.
Hand painted shoes by NDEUR
Parisian artist Mathieu Missiaen hand paints vintage leather shoes using oil based paints and varnished for protection. You can get them made in various heel heights.
I had no idea Amelia Earhart was so cool. I love this look. The jacket and boots, sigh. I need to reproduce it somehow. I don’t own a leather jacket and really had no interest in one until now. I will have to troll the vintage stores to find something perfect. Style.com has Amelia Earhart as their style icon.
James Applegath, owner of Defunkd emailed me about a great charity auction he is hosting for Africa Aid. Defunked is an online vintage t-shirt boutique specializing in the sale of rare and collectible concert t-shirts. Africa Aid, a non-profit organization which provides financial assistance to underprivileged African communities through a range of initiatives, from AIDS-related issues to education and sustainable development. It started with 20 original Live Aid concert tshirts he found at one of his supply outlets.
“It is without a doubt my best discovery,” he says. “I have never come across one of these shirts, let alone twenty of them in pristine condition. I felt a little like Geraldo Rivera did, searching through Al Capone’s vaults – except I actually found something.” Having been involved in other community and charitable efforts, Applegath realized the value of these shirts extended beyond their monetary worth. “After doing some research, I learned that hunger issues in Africa have long been overshadowed by the rise in prominence over AIDS. I figured that my partnership with Africa Aid and this auction would be a great way to raise funds for a cause that needs renewed awareness,” he added. Applegath says that in the past, some Live Aid shirts have fetched up to $500 in online auctions.
In an effort to pay homage to the aims of the original Live Aid concert, Africa Aid has chosen their School Lunch Program to be the recipient of the proceeds. This program provides a nutritious lunch daily to hundreds of refugee children in Ghana.
I was walking by Black Market on Tuesday and spotted a beautiful grey wool coat on the racks outside. I can spot a military jacket from 10 paces and blindfolded. It was my lucky day, I discovered a stash of RCAF Air Cadet overcoats. They are also referred to as Greatcoats The jacket also includes RCAF gold buttons, sweet.
Price, you ready for this. 10 bucks. $11.50 with tax. SCORE!
The best thing about this coat is the fit. The were made for adolescent boys, which translates to correct sizing for an adult woman with a military fetish. It’s not easy to find authentic military gear for a size 4.
It’s a shame that this pictures make the coat so dark. The closest picture from the Internet I could find was this
Picture taken from eBay
If you are in the area you should take a look for yourself. There were about 10 more and in perfect condition. It’s just too bad it’s getting warm. Great find for next winter though.
Kim White Handbags are the perfect bag: functional, stylish and comfortable, made in the most amazing fabrics known to man.
Why are Kim White Handbags so special? Made from vintage automotive fabrics, Kim White uses dead stock never-used textiles intended for use in American automobiles: cars, trucks and vans. She fortuitously unearthed an entire warehouse of automotive fabric, which may be the last existing stock anywhere in the US, and she is the sole owner of these amazing textiles. Each Kim White Handbag is tagged with the year and make of the fabric, so you know exactly what car your bag comes from (i.e.: 1983 Camaro or a 1978 Ford Mustang). Kim White Handbags specializes in automotive fabrics from the 1970’s and 1980’s, when color was de rigueur in the automotive industry. (source)
It’s not easy to find authentic military gear for a size 4.
