Fashion Collectables

Probably many of us when thinking of buying on eBay think of more traditional items. An article in the excellent Inside Source magazine today highlights the opportunities there are for buying vintage fashion items on eBay.

Lauren Moffatt launched  her first collection ten years ago, back when she was sewing each piece by hand in her 31-foot houseboat docked in New York City’s Hudson River. The line has grown a lot since then, and though Moffatt has long since outsourced production, each collection is every bit as cool, feminine, and one-of-a-kind as the first we fell in love with. Recently. If you go HERE there's more on how to buy vintage on eBay, it's a fascinating subject.

Men should look a away. This is for the ladies! It is the complete opposite of the little black dress. This was the black dress worn by Princess Diana shortly before her engagement to Prince Charles and the one that got her really noticed when she attended a charity event at Goldsmith's Hall in 1981. Designed by Elizabeth & David Emanuel, who later designed Diana's wedding dress, it epitomises elegance. It was worn at her first public appearence with Prince Charles, and she chose this romantic ball gown in black silk taffeta with a boned bodice and a full flounced skirt.

Yesterday it sold for £192,000, more than 4 times the estimate. Princess Diana's iconic status certainly continues to drive up the price of anything with which she was closely associated. The dress was sold at an auction of items from the Emanuels' archive by specialist vintage fashion auctioneers Kerry Taylor Auctions. It was bought by the Museo de la Moda.

Is it just me or do more people seem to be wearing glasses? Perhaps it's because all of us spend more time staring at computer screens or perhaps it's just because we are all getting better at having regular eye tests and realising the benefits of looking after what is one of our most precious assets.

When I was growing up there was an almost mortal dread of the need to have 'National Health spectacles' yet today many people are very keen on buying retro styles of glasses rather than the designer fare offered by every high street optician. They are on the look out for a stylish pair to fit their own prescriptions in.

Among the most popular frames are colourful ones from the 1950s and just like with all collectables it's down to makers name, condition and with glasses it's also important as to what they are made with. Glasses turn up at boot fairs and if you are on the look out for a stylish retro pair be sure to check their condition thoroughly. iI's not the lenses that are the issue as you will obviously be changing those. Watch for burn marks, scratches and cracks. It's not just spectacles from the 1950s and earlier that are attracting buyers, even frames from 20 or 30 years ago have a value. Of course some people just collect glasses with no intention of actually having their own prescription put in the frames.

Above is a pair of 1960s clear plastic spectacles with reflective metallic green stripes that will cost around £25. There are a number of pairs in our on line database to have a look at. If you have not already joined Millers just sign up and start browsing. . .it’s all free!

The Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent and the Petit Palais (City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts) are showcasing an Yves Saint-Laurent exhibition, the first since the death of the fashion designer. On show will be 307 haute couture and prêt-à-porter designs including Saint Laurent's designs for Dior in 1958 – the famous “Trapèze” collection – as well as his glamorous evening dresses. It includes photographs and films providing historical background on the development of the designer's iconic style during a career that lasted over 40 years, Yves Saint-Laurent revolutionized women’s clothing, and much more, by taking attributes of men's clothes and crossing them over to women's fashion.

Saint-Laurent  claimed influence from Russia, China, India, Spain, Japan, and Morocco as well as great artists that included Modrian, Picasso, Matisse, and Van Gogh. So if you are planning a trip to Paris don't miss visiting the Petit Palais on the Avenue Winston Churchill and the nearest Metro stations are Champs-Elysées-Clémenceau or Concorde. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday: 10am to 6pm – Late-night opening: Thursday until 8pm, but closed on Mondays and public holidays. The exhibition is there until 29 August.

 

Sue from South Wales has emailed me to tell me about her interest in collecting embroidery transfers.  She attached these images.

The first one showing the two cats is by a company called Weldons and dates February 1912.  The second shows 2 transfer booklets and a page from a womans magazine plus a transfer.  These were often given away free with magazines. The third picture shows a vintage transfer of a crinoline lady which are still very popular with collectors  today.  This transfer is dated 1931 and given away with Good Needlework Magazine.

The transfers were used to decorate clothes, pillow cases sheets and to make pictures and as Sue said in her email, "The transfers are all on very fine tissue paper so its amazing that they have survived so long.  I used to pick them up in charity shops but now they are getting very hard to find.' Sue also sent this link to Deighton Needleworks which has more information.

It's yet another one of those fascinating collecing area that certainly seems to be attracting more aand more interest. I had a quick look on eBay and found over 350 items being offered for sale.