FASHION
image courtesy of Christie's
Today I went to my very
first preview to an auction and WOW. What a one to start with.
The theme was a collection
of fashion items of exquisite quality, some were of historical importance while
others, fine pieces of couture from the finest designers of the 20th
Century, all up for sale by world renowned auctioneers Christie’s of
London.
Original statement pieces
from Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Azzedine Alaia and
Balenciaga.
Stunning statement pieces
were on show like the iconic Mondrian dress
from Yves Saint Laurent.
from Yves Saint Laurent.
I wish I were loaded so I
could have put in a bit and hopefully have walked with something to add to my
already overflowing collection. Sadly I’ just a being of humble means and I don’t
even play the lottery, I never remember to. If Christies could be so kind as to
gift me one of these fine items for a shoot one day I would be so happy. As
happy as I was to have cast my eyes upon these amazing items. You may smoke or even drink, but I choose
to collect vintage items if fashionable excellence and iconic beauty. Though I
did add to the collection this weekend, a 1940s dress with an unusual drop
waist, inspired by earlier late 20s style and a pair of 1930s peep toe shoes in
the most vivid shade of purple suede with snake skin detail, I came away from
Christies with nothing other than a smile.
For that I shall not
complain as the smile was well earned and worth more than I could ever afford.
The items I added to my
collection came from the lovely Rebecca Denholm of The Pocket Library, formally
of the Cats’ Meow. She has an amazing collection of dresses and shoes.
A wonder
around the interior of the Kensington Town Hall which hosted famed Vintage
Fashion Fair FROCK ME added more of a smile and contentment.
I can highly recommend this
particular event on the vintage fashion calendar as one of the finest.
The lovely Pat Frost
Director of Fashion and Textiles at Christie’s and her team were on hand to
help with my enquiries, assisting the photographer from Getty Images and were
so kind to me.
Oh.
What’s this got to do
with street fashion I hear one or two of you saying?
Well many moons ago back in
the 1940s or back to 1912, the oldest of the images here, women once walked the
streets of London, Paris or New York dressed in their finest.
These items mentioned would have been those very same items of fine clothing those women would have worn. Back in 1910 to the late 1920s, even the most stylish and westernised Japanese women form the upper echelons of society, would have been spotted in something like the pink Paquin Summer 1912 Opera coat that personally would call a dress, with its drop waist, exquisite beading and heavy tassels or the black silk beaded cocktail gown with its pretty pastel coloured bugle beads.
These items mentioned would have been those very same items of fine clothing those women would have worn. Back in 1910 to the late 1920s, even the most stylish and westernised Japanese women form the upper echelons of society, would have been spotted in something like the pink Paquin Summer 1912 Opera coat that personally would call a dress, with its drop waist, exquisite beading and heavy tassels or the black silk beaded cocktail gown with its pretty pastel coloured bugle beads.
If
I were around back in those glorious days of decadence,
I assure you I
would be pounding the sidewalks and streets, keen to bring you images of
those with style, especially the Japanese women with their exceptional
sense of style elegance and beauty.
Here are some of the Lots up for auction The E catalogue
A heavily embellished dress by Christobal Balenciaga
but in the detail lavished all done by hand, It's no wonder
Dior called Balenciaga the greatest couturier of them all.
(Right) A paisley patterned, gold lame, brocade ensemble by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior from 1963 as part of the Billy Boy vintage fashion collection up for auction at London's Christie's on December 1st 2011
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