Archive for the ‘Vintage’ Category
Old family trunks are always full of wonders. While going through our Irish family trunks, I came across this knitting notebook which belonged to our children’s great-paternal grandmother, Peggy Butler (born Guthrie and sister of the great theater director, Tyrone Guthrie). Peggy deserves more than one post. She was vibrant, colorful character and an incredible […]
Filed under: Craft, Fashion, knitting, Vintage | 3 Comments
Tags: handmade, Ireland, Kilkenny, knitting noebook, peggy butler, Vintage
Here is a beautiful 1960s vintage wallpaper from an Irish cousin’s house in rural Ireland. Thought the birds would be a perfect way to prepare Spring’s arrival!
Filed under: Colors, Design, Interiors, Vintage, Wallpaper | Leave a Comment
Tags: birds, Ireland, Vintage, wallpaper
Good craftsmanship lasts generations. Our son received his first family inheritance this Christmas: a pair of baby leather shoes and a pair of children’s leather gloves, once owned by his American paternal great-grand father (born in 1901). The leather shoes are soft, with a few wrinkles – perhaps from the first steps made by our […]
Filed under: children, Heirloom, Vintage | Leave a Comment
Tags: baby shoes, Early 20th, leather, Vintage
Proust In A Drinking Glass
Iconic childhood designs mark you for life. This summer, I realized how much French school cutlery left an imprint on me. By chance, I came across the Duralex drinking glasses we used in our primary school canteen. A friend hosting us for lunch in Normandy saw my interest and proudly showed me a large collection of school canteen […]
Filed under: children, Design, Vintage | Leave a Comment
Irish Tailoring: Worth Will Tell
Fine tailoring lasts for generations, as shown at a recent wedding I attended outside Dublin. To complement his morning dress, this gentleman wore a top hat made for an ancestor in the late 1800s. Inside the hat, a signed tailor’s label shows his great-grandfather’s name. Equally stylish, his wife wore a striking hat with veil. […]
Filed under: Hats, Vintage | Leave a Comment
Couture: 60s Polka Dot
An indulgent moment with another 60s-inspired dress. I made the pattern and sewed it by hand. I like simply elegant dresses: Slight boat neck; two sets of darts in front and back; a strong macha green polka dot silk print. Originally I planned to add draping over the dress in homage to 60s (and so […]
Filed under: Design, Fashion, My designs, Vintage | 4 Comments
Vogue: Zara of 1950s fashion
Vogue readers today want to know where to buy the latest Dior or Lanvin, but a previous generation wanted to sew them. Before the Zara-era, the only way for most women to access haute couture was making it themselves. Reading an October 1951 British Vogue given by a cousin, I was struck by the detailed […]
Filed under: Fashion, luxury, Vintage | Leave a Comment
Qi Pao And In The Mood For Love
Traditional qi pao in Hong Kong received a revamp in the 1960s that included high hemlines and textile patterns imported from the west, trends echoed at the departure party for our friend Amy Wood. Hosted on the roof of our 1957 building and themed In The Mood For Love, guests made laudable efforts at recreating […]
Filed under: Fashion, Textile, Vintage | 3 Comments
Tags: 60's Fashion, Amy Wood, Hong Kong, In The Mood For Love, in the mood for love dresses, Jonathan Crockett, Qi Pao, qipao, Shanghai Tang
Having learned to sew from ready-made patterns, I am now developing my pattern-making skills to create clothing from my own designs. I feel a great creative liberation! This photo is my latest handmade creation, inspired by the 1960s and photographed in the staircase of a Hong Kong building built in 1957. The dress has a […]
Filed under: Design, Fashion, My designs, Vintage | Leave a Comment
Tags: 1960s Fashion, 60's Fashion, Betty Draper, Betty Draper Dresses, Vintage
Vintage obi belts from old kimonos now have a second life. Long passionate about Japanese textiles, my friend Michelle Lai amassed an impressive collection of vintage kimono obi sashes. Experimental sewing of obis led Michelle to create MISCHA, a stunning line of evening clutches. Obi belts, the sashes that go with kimonos, come in different […]
Filed under: Design, Japan, Textile Design, Vintage | Leave a Comment
Tags: "Tokyo Vintage", kimono, obi, obi belts
