Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The Header
Somebody asked me about the picture in the header to my blog. Yes those are shoes. Handmade shoes in soft leather. There was a whole box full of them. The picture was taken in Dubai where I was travelling on a press trip way back in 2006. I noticed the vendor at the side of a street sitting in the shade of a wall and just couldn't resist taking a picture of this lot of shoes lying in a heap in this box. I tend to like taking pictures which show the textures, colours, close-ups that really give you a feel of what can get lost in a general picture. Here is the picture in its entirety:
Sunday, October 25, 2009
My Thrift Find - An Original Jacques Fath
It's amazing what pops up during estate thrifting. I unearthed this lovely all silk scarf, signed and with a label saying Jacques Fath Paris. It wasn't exactly my colour, but it seemed too handsome to let pass & I love silk so picked it up anyway.
Then I researched some and found out this Mr Fath was an incredibly important
French designer who was somehow forgotten.
I found this information on the web......
"Born: Lafitte, France, 12 September 1912. Studied bookkeeping and law, Commercial Institute, Vincennes, France. Married Geneviéve Boucher de la Bruyére, 1939; Had one son: Philippe. Completed required military service and served again in the artillery during World War II. First was a Book-keeper, then a trader at the Paris Bourse, 1930-32.
He showed his first collection in Paris, 1937; reopened salon, 1940; designed ready-to-wear collection for the American manufacturer Joseph Halpert, 1948; formed own company in the U.S., 1951; developed ready-to-wear collection in Paris, 1954, including Fath scarves and hosiery; business sold, 1957; fragrance license bought back from L'Oreal, 1992; Tom Van Lingen hired as designer, 1992; relaunched several fragrances, from 1993; company bought by Groupe Emanuelle Khanh, 1997; Elena Nazarhoff replaced Van Lingen as artistic director, 1997; Nazarhoff fired and Octavio Pizarro hired, 1998; fragrances include: Green Water, reissued 1993; Fath de Fath, 1957 and 1995; Yin and Yang, 2000. Exhibitions: Jacques Fath Création-Couture des Années 50 (retrospective), Palais Galleria, Paris, 1993. Awards: Neiman Marcus award, Dallas, 1949. Died: 13 November 1954, in Paris."
(Read more on http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/Es-Fo/Fath-Jacques.html)
Check out my Fath scarf and see what you think:
Then I researched some and found out this Mr Fath was an incredibly important
French designer who was somehow forgotten.
I found this information on the web......
"Born: Lafitte, France, 12 September 1912. Studied bookkeeping and law, Commercial Institute, Vincennes, France. Married Geneviéve Boucher de la Bruyére, 1939; Had one son: Philippe. Completed required military service and served again in the artillery during World War II. First was a Book-keeper, then a trader at the Paris Bourse, 1930-32.
He showed his first collection in Paris, 1937; reopened salon, 1940; designed ready-to-wear collection for the American manufacturer Joseph Halpert, 1948; formed own company in the U.S., 1951; developed ready-to-wear collection in Paris, 1954, including Fath scarves and hosiery; business sold, 1957; fragrance license bought back from L'Oreal, 1992; Tom Van Lingen hired as designer, 1992; relaunched several fragrances, from 1993; company bought by Groupe Emanuelle Khanh, 1997; Elena Nazarhoff replaced Van Lingen as artistic director, 1997; Nazarhoff fired and Octavio Pizarro hired, 1998; fragrances include: Green Water, reissued 1993; Fath de Fath, 1957 and 1995; Yin and Yang, 2000. Exhibitions: Jacques Fath Création-Couture des Années 50 (retrospective), Palais Galleria, Paris, 1993. Awards: Neiman Marcus award, Dallas, 1949. Died: 13 November 1954, in Paris."
(Read more on http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/Es-Fo/Fath-Jacques.html)
Check out my Fath scarf and see what you think:
For more images of my Fath scarf check out...
Here is a Fath hat which is found at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London:
A 1950s suit by Fath:
And here is a dress to die for... the kind of frothy vintage beauty Dita von Teese would dream of wearing for her next promo....
Saturday, October 24, 2009
London Calling
Just back from a whizz visit to London. High up on my list of to-dos was a visit to a number of charity shops and a stop at Portobello to visit all the vintage and second hand shops I could find. From Portobello I went off to Sloane Street and basked in the beauty of the windows of the likes of Missoni, YSL, Dolce Gabbana, Chanel and the likes. I loved the windows at Selfridges with its anniversary spread.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Charming Charm Bracelets
If you follow fashion assiduously you will know that the charm bracelet has come back in vogue and making a great noise about it too. The younger jewellery afficionados will unfailingly believe that charm bracelets are an invention of our times. Truth is that they started off in a most inconspicuous manner way back in the days of Victoriana. Back then it was the chain off a gentleman's fob watch which gave vent to the idea of dangling any unlikely object onto it and showing it off for posterity. Then came the locket on a chain, and Victorian belles could keep a lock off their beaux's head whilst he went traipsing off across continents with flag and bayonet whilst beseeching God to keep saving the Queen.
It was a fashion born in the simplest of manners until it landed in the land of plenty and took America by storm, reaching those far flung shores just in time to see the emergence of the Hollywood babes. These wore the charm bracelet as a fashion statement only until they discovered they could make a personal statement of it as well. Legend has it that one famous film star had a charm added onto her gold chain bracelet for each new boyfriend she had in tow and apparently ended with a too-heavy-to-wear bracelet after all her troubles.
Then the charm bracelet turned Lucky' and a fad started off whereby each college girl had to have her very own. The single or double strand chain would have a new charm added on for each new occasion worth a mention or remembrance. Then came the themed bracelets holding uniquely charms associated with the wearer's favourite pastimes, whether it was a collection of cats, holiday souvenirs, lovehearts, flowers, or musical instruments.
But why do vintage charm bracelets fetch such high prices? There is a marked difference between the vintage costume jewel and the fine jewel, between the sterling and gold. A lot depends on the bracelet's charm characters and weight. A bracelet holding three charms will be less likely to attract a collector's attention than one holding 40. Then again, some bracelets are virtual leaps into a girl's life, literally documenting a period in her existence which is unique to her and her only.
There is a special feeling to handling a bracelet keeping a charm marked 1967, a flag showing Texas, a remembrance for a first anniversary, an 18th birthday charm, a locket with a piece of hair/cloth/miniature picture, a dollar charm from a win at Vegas, an I Luv You' charm.. The all added one at a time, over weeks, months and probably years. The bracelet was once the diary keepsake of one special and unique lady. The reasons behind her parting with it may be many and varied - the more reasons to cherish it with care for the heirloom that it most certainly is.
It was a fashion born in the simplest of manners until it landed in the land of plenty and took America by storm, reaching those far flung shores just in time to see the emergence of the Hollywood babes. These wore the charm bracelet as a fashion statement only until they discovered they could make a personal statement of it as well. Legend has it that one famous film star had a charm added onto her gold chain bracelet for each new boyfriend she had in tow and apparently ended with a too-heavy-to-wear bracelet after all her troubles.
Then the charm bracelet turned Lucky' and a fad started off whereby each college girl had to have her very own. The single or double strand chain would have a new charm added on for each new occasion worth a mention or remembrance. Then came the themed bracelets holding uniquely charms associated with the wearer's favourite pastimes, whether it was a collection of cats, holiday souvenirs, lovehearts, flowers, or musical instruments.
But why do vintage charm bracelets fetch such high prices? There is a marked difference between the vintage costume jewel and the fine jewel, between the sterling and gold. A lot depends on the bracelet's charm characters and weight. A bracelet holding three charms will be less likely to attract a collector's attention than one holding 40. Then again, some bracelets are virtual leaps into a girl's life, literally documenting a period in her existence which is unique to her and her only.
There is a special feeling to handling a bracelet keeping a charm marked 1967, a flag showing Texas, a remembrance for a first anniversary, an 18th birthday charm, a locket with a piece of hair/cloth/miniature picture, a dollar charm from a win at Vegas, an I Luv You' charm.. The all added one at a time, over weeks, months and probably years. The bracelet was once the diary keepsake of one special and unique lady. The reasons behind her parting with it may be many and varied - the more reasons to cherish it with care for the heirloom that it most certainly is.
Maltese Filigree
If you've ever heard of filigree, then you know how beautiful it can be. Maltese filigree is especially special. Find out more about it from this website:
http://www.islandfiligree.com/home/
http://www.islandfiligree.com/home/
Sunday, October 18, 2009
I've decided....
I've decided to start a blog. Too many interests, too little time, but perhaps this blog thing will help me organise it all. What about me? Eccentric? Perhaps, but most certainly a professional freelance writer/journalist, History of Art graduate & a lover of all things beautiful, antique jewellery, Maltese filigree, art, vintage clothes, shoes, bags.... MMmmmmm!
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