November 8th Fashion Parade *Military Salute*

November 8th Fashion Parade *Military Salute*



In honor of Veteran's Day, we salute military style, from vintage uniforms to fashion details inspired by uniforms: Double-breasted peacoats, cargo pants, comfortable boots and aviator eyewear. The earthy palette of olive greens and neutrals to naval blues all reflect our military intelligence.


Find a great vintage selection among the VFG member's offerings!

Vintage Vintage 1944 Isenberg Calvary Twill Double Breasted Trench Coat from MARIAN'S VINTAGE VANITIES CLOTHING

Vintage Randolph Engineering Aviator Sunglasses from VIVA VINTAGE CLOTHING

Vintage Vintage 40s WWII Military Style Great Coat Norfolk Pleat from BIG YELLOW TAXI VINTAGE

You can find more fabulous vintage items from more sellers at the VINTAGE FASHION GUILD FASHION PARADE!

A Main Mainbocher

A Mainbocher is not something you see everyday. And when you've got one, bragging rights are most definitely something you're entitled to.

And pastperfectvintage.com has an exceptional one. A 1955 Mainbocher Striped Gazar Cocktail Dress with Provenance!

What a lovely one shoulder gown with the ivory and periwinkle striped fabric manipulated beautifully for visual interest. The bust is draped and darted, while the full skirt is suspended from a hip yoke and the waist is finished with a narrow attached belt. The construction is phenomenal, as one would expect from this designer. Handset zippers in both dress and silk petticoat, bust pads, boned bodice,and lots of hand sewing.

Provenance: Acquired from the estate auction of Taub Miller of Bloomington, IN. Miller was a Professor at IU, was also a diplomat with the State Department at the Federal level. His family in NY had connections in the Fashion Industry from the 30s to 60s. This dress was part of a 3 pc group, sent home to family, all in the same size and taste. One of the 3 was a Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon dress labeled 7-15-1955 for Mrs. E.F. Hutton. This was the 3rd Mrs. Hutton, Dorothy Dear Metzger, who married E.F. Hutton, (1875 - 1962) the well known stockbroker. She married him in February1936 in South Carolina at the age of 28. Dorothy Hutton was described as dark haired and slender.

MAINBOCHER

(1891-1976)Main Rousseau Bocher served in WWI as a Sgt. Major. He stayed in Europe after the war, and after a stint at Harper's became the fashion editor for French Vogue. Mainbocher founded his Paris house in 1930, becoming the only American to successfully run a couture house in Paris. He maintained the house until 1940, when he returned to New York. Mainbocher remained on 57th St. until his retirement in 1971. He died in 1976.

His beautifully made clothing with dressmaker details was always impeccable and proper, with a sense of decorum. His major coup was the Duchess of Windsor's wedding dress. He refined the beaded or embroidered cashmere sweater for evening. He liked to use materials in new ways, contrasting the formality of the garment with casual fabrics and occasionally the opposite. Mainbocher also designed uniforms for the WAVES, the Women Marines, and the American Red Cross. He designed costumes for Broadway as well -- including Blithe Spirit, Call Me Madam, and The Sound of Music. Mainbocher never licensed his name or work.

Alexander Julian

30 years of Alexander Julian
By Crystal Dempsey

McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

Alexander Julian, the award-winning Chapel Hill-born designer, is best known for his colorful menswear, sports uniforms with a twist, furniture/home furnishings, and his latest venture, wine.

He's celebrating his 30th year as a fashion designer. Here's a look back at his career:

BORN INTO THE BUSINESS: He's the son of the late Maurice Julian, owner of Julian's menswear shop in Chapel Hill, N.C. Julian's was a haven for men who preferred prep-school style and fine tailoring.

At age 12, during a game of touch football, Julian tore the collar on a blue oxford button-down shirt. He took the shirt to be fixed at his dad's store. In what became a defining moment, Julian put a yellow collar on the blue shirt.

At 19, the prodigy with the preppy pedigree opened a boutique, Alexander's Ambition, across from his dad's store, and stocked it with his own more contemporary designs.

CHASING THE DREAM: In the mid-`70s, Julian moved to New York to pursue fashion design full time. His designs featured a bold use of color and playful twists on traditional fabrics (a trompe l'oeil tweed) and details such as buttons and stitching in bright hues.

In 1981, the Colours collection made him a household name. The clothes echoed his sense of fun but were priced for the masses. He briefly delved into women's wear.

He moved to Italy and designed his own fabrics (a first for a designer). "It was the most fertile period of my career," Julian told the Raleigh News & Observer. "I could dream of a fabric I wanted and they would spin it for me. It was the freest I could be."

UNIFORM DECISION: However, by the mid-`80s, Julian's company went bust because of bad management decisions.

But he didn't stay out of the spotlight for long. George Shinn, owner of Charlotte's new NBA team, asked him to design the uniforms for the Hornets.

The teal/purple and white uniforms featured pin stripes and pleated shorts, which was not quite what the rest of the NBA was wearing at the time. Shinn paid him with monthly shipments of barbecue.

Julian has since designed uniforms for the Tar Heels basketball team (twice), the Charlotte Knights (the seats at the baseball stadium echo the design), the Charlotte Checkers and racing drivers such as Mario and Michael Andretti.

THE LOW POINT: Julian got another investor in the late `80s and opened two retail stores and three outlets.

The key investor pulled out, and the stores closed after only a few years.

It was a low point for the Carolinas' best-known designer. "With the exception of the passing of my parents, this was the most horrible point in my life," he told the N&O.

BOUNCING BACK: In the mid-`90s, Julian designed a collection of furniture. It was a hit. He was back.

Next came bedding, wallpaper, lamps and more. "The only difference between designing home furnishings and fashions is that there are fewer sizes," he says. "You're dealing with the same kind of decision-making process for consumers."

In 2001, Julian, who loves wine almost as much as barbecue, developed an eponymous line of wine.

Yet, Julian missed designing menswear.

Four years ago, he unveiled the Private Reserve collection, which features Julian's design sensibilities and his wine line.

Julian's next project? Heeding the success of Colours, he wants to produce a lower-price version of the Private Reserve clothing for a younger audience.

REFLECTIONS: This year, a Connecticut museum and a New York gallery featured "Uncommon Threads," a retrospective of Julian's career.

When Julian, 58, first walked through it, he said the effect shook him.

"I remember the process of every damn yarn, every thread, all the seasonal showing, the press showings, the celebrities who wore them," he says. "They were all there, all speaking to me at once."

He says he left the room and opened a bottle of wine.

LESSONS LEARNED: Julian, who is a charmer and great storyteller, is never at a loss for words. When asked what he's learned, his answer was in three parts:

ABOUT HIMSELF: "I learned to stick with it. And to be happy with my space and my place. I have a particular handwriting that works in a lot of different places and a lot of different mediums. And I've learned not to be afraid of any challenge."

ABOUT THE PUBLIC: "(They have) been underrated in their level of sophistication and taste. They have greater appreciation of things when they are good."

ABOUT THE INDUSTRY: "The old axiom is lead a horse to water, but you've got to hold his head under. Change is a hard thing to effect when it involves unknowns that can't be proven in advance."

Take to the Skies

They’re the most highly anticipated designer clothes to hit the runway today... the airport runway that is. The latest creations from renowned designer Richard Tyler - couture airline uniforms - are taking flight today as worldwide employees of Delta Air Lines don a new look.

Uniforms of days gone by have always been a hot collectible in the vintage clothing world. Whether it be the infamous late 60's Pucci designed uniforms for Branniff Airlines or maybe the late 70's ones from Halston? Or TWA's Valentino designs from 1971-74? Either way there are many vintage and current airline uniforms to see at uniformfreak.com!