Mark Shaw Extraordinary Photographer of Fashion and Celebrities

Jackie Kennedy by Mark Shaw c:1961 The name Mark Shaw may not be familiar to you, but I'm sure his work is, especially the famous photograph above. Mr. Shaw was one of the most amazing photographers ever. I discovered him about 10 years ago while researching Vanity Fair and immediately became an avid collector of his advertising for their line, which ran for 10 years begining in the 1950s. His work decorates my office walls and brings peace and beauty to where I work. He portrayed lingerie as elegant and beautiful, rarely showing the model's face, focusing instead on the glamorous lingerie and adding to the mystic of it. Vanity Fair Ad Designers adored Mark Shaw, and he was in high demand from them as he could portray their fashions like no other. He was one of the rare photographers allowed back stage before run way shows. Givency c:1955 Celebrities trusted him. He photographed many Hollywood stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Princess Grace Kelly, and became the photographer for Audrey Hepburn on the set of the movie Sabrina. He brought out the beauty in all of his subjects, be it a fabulous couture gown, Audrey sitting on a sofa or Bridgitte sitting on stone stairs: Bridgitte Bardot c:1958 Please click
Mark Shaw blog by VintagePretties here to read the entire blog and see more of Mr.Shaw's amazing work. There are also several books published as well by the family of Mark Shaw for you to enjoy. Resources: my personal collection of prints, ads and books wiki http://www.markshawphoto.com/

An Unassuming Little Black Dress

Vintage fashion is interesting by nature because there's always something new to learn. It's a never ending cycle and so much fun. As an example, one of the first things I do with a new vintage purchase is to research the label. My first 'port of call' is always the VFG Label Resource. It's constantly updated, holds a wealth of information and saves lots of time.

However, I'd recently purchased this unassuming little black dress dating from the early 1980's. Labelled Akris of Switzerland, I couldn't find any information so got to doing a little of my own research. Here's what I discovered:

Akris was founded in Switzerland in 1922 by Alice Kriemler-Schoch. The company initially made simple, dotted aprons that were crafted by Kriemler-Schoch on a single sewing machine. In 1944, her son, Max Kriemler, took over the business. The company grew significantly and under Max Kriemler, Akris produced clothing lines for French designers Givenchy and Ted Lapidus.

In 1980, Max Kriemler’s right-hand man died so his son, Albert, was asked to postpone his fashion studies in Paris along with an apprenticeship at Givenchy, in order to help with the transition. As a result, Albert would never complete his fashion education but within that two year absence, he had already begun to take over the company.

Peter Kriemler, Albert’s brother, joined Akris in 1987 to head its financial side. Peter is now Akris’s global president, handling management and manufacturing. Under Albert Kriemler’s creative direction, Akris became increasingly conscious of the quality of its design. Albert is known for his creative flair and demand for uncompromising quality. In 1995, Akris also introduced a less expensive, younger-looking line called Akris Punto.

Akris was admitted to the French ‘Chambre Syndicale‘, the governing body of the French fashion industry, in 2000. Unusually, the company delayed participating in Paris Fashion Week until 2004, when it was able to secure a spot on one of the event’s most important days. In the 2000's, the company was one of the world’s fastest-growing designer brands, becoming the top seller at stores such as Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.

Akris’s success is largely due to word of mouth. The company does very little advertising and its success differs considerably from that of other luxury brands as it doesn’t rely on production of signature fragrances or handbags and doesn’t license its name.

As an example of their uncompromising quality, a seamstress is required to train for two years before they can master the hand-finishing of Akris’s double-faced cashmere jackets, each of which requires two and a half days to complete.

Celebrity devotees of the Akran label include Condoleezza Rice, Nicole Kidman, Susan Sarondon and Angelina Jolie.

So, my unassuming little black dress is not quite so unassuming after all!

c/o Catwalk Creative Vintage

Information credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akris

VFG Fashion Parade: Audrey

"In film after film, Audrey (Hepburn) wore clothes with such talent and flair that she created a style, which in turn had a major impact on fashion. Her chic, her youth, her bearing and her silhouette grew ever more celebrated, enveloping me in a kind of aura or radiance that I could never have hoped for."

- Hubert de Givenchy

Let's see some Audrey style!

Pattern & Photo from fuzzylizzie.com

Vintage 60's Elinor Gay Little Black Cocktail Dress from Born Too Late Vintage

Amazing 60's coat dress from Kasper from tastyvintage.com

50's White Lampshade Hat with Feathers from Couture Allure Vintage

See more delightful Audrey styles here!

Sew Away the Winter Blues

Brrrrrr! I know here on the east coast it's freezing and just the thought of going outside is frightening. But looking on the bright side, it's not very far from Spring and with that comes cute flirty skirts, summer shifts and perhaps even the occasional formal Summer wedding.

So for you talented seamstresses out there, now is the time to get busy on your work. Vintage patterns make for excellent projects and produce unique looks you can't find at the local mall.

Vintage sewing patterns open up a whole new world of collecting for someone interested in vintage fashion. Some collect vintage patterns because they want to reproduce the styles of days gone by for their wardrobes. Others collect them because these slim envelopes filled with tissue give a glimpse into a lifestyle that many of us no longer have the luxury to live. They are, in, and of themselves, a documentation of fashion sewing of the past. The artwork on the envelopes can also be a thing of beauty to behold all by itself.

Read more at VFG on Vintage Patterns
Contributed By: FuzzyLizzie and Karen Gray

Be sure to also check out VFG member vintagefashionlibrary's workshop all about Vintage Sewing Patterns. You can then stop by her eBay Store and pick up a few patterns for your next project!