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Welcome back! this is Fresh Vintage, the weekly blog post where we show you a selection of new listings from VFG sellers. For a complete look at everything posted this week, head to the VFG forum thread by clicking “HERE“https://forums.vintagefashionguild.org/threads/fresh-vintage-march-23-march-29.79726/ . For our highlights here, you can see details on any listing by clicking on it – you will be taken to the listing complete with shopping cart.

Antique 20s celluloid button from Poppy’s Vintage Clothing	80s skirt set by Glenn Williams from Catseye Vintage	a 30s patchwork coat from Vintage Runway
60s wiggle dress with fur trimmed wrap by Lilli Diamond from Black Lotus Vintage	a 60s mesh dog collar-style choker from Another Time Vintage Apparel	a deadstock 70s pantssuit by Roncelli from Denisebrain
a Victorian amethyst Rose of Sharon intaglio ring from MetroRetro Vintage	a 50s/60s full skirt shirtwaist dress from MagsRags Vintage	a 60s Equestrian Italian silk scarf from My Vintage Clothes Line
a 70s maxidress by California Poppy from Rachel WNPC	a 70s summer dress from Straylight Vintage	80s tee shirt by Marimekko from Noble Vintage Clothier

Enjoy exploring and shopping, and see you next week with more Fresh Vintage!

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The Countess Mara Company was founded in 1935 as a luxury men’s neckwear company. It expanded into all manner of men’s haberdashery , jewelry and clothing, except tailored suiting. Countess was purchased by brothers Samuel and Emanual Pulitzer of Wembley, Inc. the huge men’s neckwear manufacturer in 1963, eventually becoming part of the Wemco Corporation, along with labels such as Resilio and Oscar de la Renta. Countess Mara was sold again to Randa Accessories in March 1998.

Founder Lucilla Mara de Vescovi (1893–1971), was born to a wealthy family in Rome. De Vescovi married three-time American tennis singles champion Malcolm Douglas Whitman in 1926. After his death in 1932, Vescovi Whitman founded Countess Mara in 1935. She was often referred to with the title of Countess, but it was, as the NY Times noted in 1958, “a title earned not by birth but by copywrite“.

Countess Mara ties were famous for the C.M. initials de Vescovi had placed on the outside blade of every of tie. She also produced only limited runs of each exclusive design, a total 180 or so, and kept them expensive, enhancing the “collector” appeal. Her designs featured a wide variety of themes from Nature to Lady Godiva, Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics to torn love-letters, and even safety pins.

The first Countess Mara custom accessories store opened In NYC at 338 Park Ave in 1938. By 1946, the store was selling an expensive range of men’s wear including handprinted and solid ties, silk dressing gowns, imported French and Swiss handkerchiefs, scarfs, gloves, and socks.

The next retail venue opened at 110 East 57th in 1958 and carried luxury goods, with exclusive necktie designs, vicuna socks, jewelry in onyx, hematite, and smoky topaz in gold or silver, plus casual shirts, toiletries, and closet accessories. The NY Times reported that while all the goods were marked with the CM coronet, only the neckties carried the C.M. initials.

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Vintage Fashion Guild member, Barbara Schwartz of TruFaux Jewels will be a speaker at the Association for the Study of Jewelry & Related Arts (ASJRA) 18th annual conference, on May 6-7, 2023.

She will be joining other jewelry historians on a range of topics, under the theme “Iconic Jewelry Firms” and giving a talk on Coro & Rousselet: Two Costume Jewelry Makers You Need to Know More About.

All lectures are online, and there is an early bird discount if you register before March 30, as well as discounts for ASJRA members.

For more information, visit the ASJRA at https://jewelryconference.com

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L.L. Bean is a reliable source of hunting, fishing and outdoor gear and clothing that has cycled in and out of fashion since 1911. Bean’s is still a family owned company and is still based in Freeport, Maine. They have had a full mail order catalogue since 1927, and the womenswear showroom opened in 1951.
Leon Leonwood Bean founded the business in 1911 with leather and rubber hunting boots. Additional apparel inaugurations were 1924’s field coat, first known as the Maine Duck Hunting Coat, 1928’s chamois shirt, 1944’s the canvas bag now known as the Boat and Tote and in 1965, the L.L. Bean version of the Norwegian sweater. The “Sunrise over Katahdin” logo dates from 1987. In 2020 L.L. Bean initiated partnerships with Zappos, Nordstrom, and SCHEELS, plus collaborations with designer Todd Snyder.
L.L. Bean was twice awarded a special Coty Award for sporting gear and clothing, first in 1976 (not 1975 as often reported), and in 1981. In 1976 the award was shared with Abercombie & Fitch, Gokey’s, Eddie Bauer and others.

These two quotes sum up the L.L Bean aesthetic:

Women’s Wear Daily, 12/12/2006: “In 1976, L.L. Bean won a Coty award, and an 11-minute appearance on NBC’s “Today” show followed for [Leon] Gorman. Asked how it felt to be “radical chic,” he replied that L.L. Bean had never been called “radical” to his knowledge, and he didn’t even know what “chic” meant.”
The Harvard Crimson in 4/21/1981: “Basically, we stay in the same place; we stick to basic, practical footwear and apparel,” Andrews insists. “All that happens is people get interested from time to time.” The Bean family remembers 1976 as an embarrassing year; that’s when it won a Coty award from the fashion industry. And then, “in 1979, the beginning of 1980, this preppy thing began to happen… It’s just one of those things. For a little while, people come in and touch where we are. We stay in the same place.” Another executive insists that Bean’s is “not on the leading edge of fashion — we’re not even near it. Sometimes these trends come in and we just get caught”.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans

Fresh Off the Press: The VFG News for Spring 2023!

Read up on one of our fine member’s experiences supplying (gasp!) 40-50 dresses for the movie Elvis, get a peek into the amazing Bullocks Wilshire, read about the purse-o-nality behind The Vintage Purse Museum, and more!

You can read the newsletter on Issuu: VFG News

Or open this PDF:

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We have lots of Fresh Vintage to show you this week! Fresh Vintage is a weekly forum thread in which VFG members show some of their latest listings. If you would like to see everything posted to this week’s thread,click HERE . Otherwise, enjoy the selection here. Clicking on a photo should take you to the listing, complete with checkout.

a set of 5 rhinestone buttons, c 1960s from The Spectrum	a 60s Hawaiian shift dress from Straylight Vintage	a 50s novelty print shirt by Penney’s from MetroRetro Vintage
a 50s sundress & bolero pattern from WillyNilly Arts	a 70s maxi skirt set from Noble Vintage Clothier	an 80s color block coat from Poppy’s Vintage Clothing
a 40s silk scarf with ships from Joyatri	a 60s silver elephant pin from My Vintage Clothes Line	a 60s knit beaded sheath dress by Gene Shelley from Rachel WNPC
a 30s/40s floral print day dress from MagsRags Vintage	a 70s plaid fedora from Alleycats Vintage	70s Vanity Fair jumpsuit from Vintage Runway
	New Old Stock milkglass & rhinestone pin from Blue Chanteuse

That wraps it up for this week. Check out the details, and we’ll see you soon!

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Vintage Fashion Guild member Kerry Taylor Auctions will be hosting its Vintage Fashion, Antique Costumes & Textiles sale, March 21, 2023.

There will be over 500 lots offered for sale, including the Lucinda Portobello Collection, Part 1, fashion items from Dame Vivienne Westwood, Karl Lagerfeld, Douglas Darnell, Ossie Clark, Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Gucci, Issey Miyake, Martin Margiela, Givenchy, to name only a few, as well antique costume and textiles from around the world.

Live bidding is now available on day of sale via their website. Pre-registration is required.

For more information, visit How to Buy.

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Welcome back! Let’s jump in to checking out the latest new items for sale by VFG members, shall we? If you see something you want, best to move quickly. This is just a sampling – if you want to see more from each seller, click HERE to go to this week’s forum thread.

a 20s devore velvet dress from Ian Drummond Vintage	a mid century Yemeni Baltic amber necklace from MetroRetro Vintage	a 50s velveteen skirt suit from Denisebrain
a 30s/40s plastic malachite look necklace from DollsnTrolls	an 80s cocktail dress by Tadaschi Shoji from MagsRags Vintage	a 50s Maternity outfit pattern by Simplicity from Another Time Vintage Apparel
	an 80s silk scarf by Christian Dior from Poppy’s Vintage Clothing

Enjoy! And see you here next week, where the vintage is always Fresh.

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Welcome back to Fresh Vintage, where we share highlights from this week’s forum thread for the newest listings from members of the Vintage Fashion Guild. New listings sell quickly sometimes! If you would like to check out everything from this week’s thread, click HERE .

a 70s Vera blouse from Gail Brassard aka CuckooChenille	another Vera, a scarf this time, with a sunflower print from Denisebrain	a 60s party dress pattern, McCalls 7762, from WillyNilly Arts
a 60s straw box bag with gold strips from Poppy’s Vintage Clothing	a 50s Hawaiian print shirt by Artvogue from DollsnTrolls	a 30s satin & lace pajama set from MetroRetro Vintage
a 70s sundress by Malia Hawaii from Vintage Runway	a silk scarf in a print of leaping horses from My Vintage Clothes Line	a 70s flower power house coat from Straylight Vintage

Done for now. See you next week!

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Ann Lowe was the first African-American woman to become a notable fashion designer. She was popular among high society American women from the 1920s to the 1960s and is best known for creating Jacqueline Kennedy’s taffeta wedding dress. Born in rural Alabama, Ann’s mother and grandmother ran a dressmaking business. At age 16, her mother passed away and Lowe took over operations. She left her first husband because he opposed her having a career. Her second husband left her for the same reason.

Lowe enrolled in design school in 1918. The school was segregated, so she had to attend school in a room alone. She soon rose above the other students and was able to graduate after only six months. Lowe’s first dress salon, in Florida, quickly became a success.

In 1946, Lowe designed the dress that Olivia de Havilland wore to accept the Academy Award for Best Actress for To Each His Own, although the name on the dress was Sonia Rosenberg (the store) as Lowe was not getting credit for her work at the time.

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Ann Lowe (1898-1981) was the first African American woman to become a notable fashion designer. She was popular among high society American women from the 1920s to the 1960s and is best known for creating Jacqueline Kennedy’s taffeta wedding dress.

Born in rural Alabama, Ann’s mother and grandmother ran a dressmaking business. At age 16, her mother passed away and Lowe took over operations. Lowe enrolled in design school in 1918. The school was segregated, so she had to attend school in a room alone. She soon rose above the other students and was able to graduate after only six months. Lowe’s first dress salon, in Florida, quickly became a success.

In 1946, Lowe designed the dress that Olivia de Havilland wore to accept the Academy Award for Best Actress for To Each His Own, although the name on the dress was Sonia Rosenberg (the store) as Lowe was not getting credit for her work at the time.

She opened a second salon on Lexington Avenue in 1950 and was extremely selective about who wore her dresses. In 1953, Lowe created the wedding dress for Jackie Bouvier. The dress, which cost $500 (approximately $5,000 today), was described in detail in The New York Times’s coverage of the wedding. While the Bouvier-Kennedy wedding was a highly publicized event, Lowe did not receive public credit for her work on it until years later.

Lowe eventually gained recognition and received the Couturier of the Year award in 1961. Design elements for which she is known include fine handwork, signature flowers, and trapunto technique.

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Kaufman’s was a fine Louisville, KY department store carrying women’s clothing, furs, linens and menswear, founded by Henry Kaufman in 1879 on Jefferson St. between 7th and 8th. In 1883 Benjamin Straus became a partner and the name was changed to Kaufman-Straus Dry Goods. In 1887, Kaufman-Straus moved to 4th St. Their six story downtown Louisville location at 427-437 South 4th St. was built in 1903 by local Louisville architect Mason Maury on the site of the original public library. They occupied this store until 1971. By 1901, Kaufman-Straus & Co. also had a location in Lexington, Ky. Kaufman-Straus was bought in 1924 by the City Stores Buying Group.

In addition to clothing, they also sold dry goods, lace, embroideries, millinery, shoes, draperies, corsets, hosiery, china, cut glass, pictures, books, jewelry, stationary, men’s wear and house furnishings. The name was shortened in advertising to Kaufman’s by 1946, but both names continued to be used into the 1950s. Kaufman’s of Kentuckiana was occasionally used in advertising. In 1960, Kaufman-Straus officially became Kaufman’s of Kentucky. However, this was still often shortened to Kaufman’s in ads and on labels. The Dixie Manor store opened in 1958. An anchor store in The Mall St. Matthews called Kaufman’s of Kentucky opened in 1962. In December of 1969, Kaufman’s was sold to Ayres and the name changed yet again. The 4th St. building is now part of 4th Street Live.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans

Levy Bros. was a long lived Louisville, KY department store carrying a full line of men’s and women’s wear including hats, caps, shoes, furnishings, military uniforms, tennis, golf and sporting goods and even a men’s and children’s barber shop. German immigrant brothers Henry and Moses Levy started before the Civil War, opening their store in 1861 at the NE corner of Third St. and Market in a corner room of a 4 story building. They prospered during the Civil War as suppliers.

In 1889, they purchased the land and started construction in 1892 of the landmark Levy Bros. Bldg., which they completed in 1893. The building still features the ca. 1908 electric lights outlining the exterior, leading to a local phrase “Lit up like Levy’s”. The business also used the phrase “Look for the Bright Spot” in their advertising. By the late 1920s, the company was run by Fred, Arnold, Stuart H., James H. and Frederick Levy. They added a branch location in Lexington, Ky. in the 1920s.

Levy’s carried womenswear as of the 1940s. In 1955, Levy’s added a suburban store in the Shelbyville Road Plaza. The Levy family closed the Third and Market store on Oct. 10, 1980, ending 119 years in downtown Louisville. The Shelbyville Road Plaza, Bashford Manor Mall and Dixie Manor stores were sold in September 1979. In 1984 they closed their Greentree Mall, Jefferson Mall and Southland Terrace branches. Bashford Manor was the last store and closed in 1987. The last family president was Henry Levy. The downtown building, now on the National Register, still stands, housing a restaurant and loft apartments. They carried Hart Schaffner Marx, Palm Beach, Clippercraft, Johnny Carson, Botany, Harris Tweeds, Eagle Tweeds, Donegal Tweeds, and Phoenix labels, Dobbs hats, the MacGregor line, Florsheim Shoes, Enro, Arrow and Manhattan shirts, Bass shoes, Fashion Park Clothes, Charter House, Robert Surrey and Varsity. Specialties included military uniforms, and they were a local supplier for Selva dance shoes.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans

Rodes-Rapier is a fine men’s clothing store originally located in the Starks Building on 4th St in Louisville KY. Founded in 1914 by John Price Starks, William Rapier and John Starks Rodes as the Starks Company, they had to change the name to Rodes-Rapier due to legal complications and a lawsuit by the existing menswear business Crutcher & Starks. Rodes-Rapier occupied two floors downtown in the Starks Building, with an extensive choice of business, sport and dress attire. The name was changed on some store advertising to Rodes upon the retirement of William Rapier. As late as 1951, the company used both Rodes and Rodes-Rapier in an ad for Swank cufflinks. Local ownership continued until 1983. Rodes added women’s wear by the 1990s. Additional Rodes locations included Oxmoor Mall in St. Matthews which closed in 2003 and stores in Tennessee and Indiana. The main location moved in 2003 from 4th St. to Brownsboro Rd. in Louisville. Vintage lines carried, among many others: Hickey-Freeman, Hart Schaffner & Marx, Palm Beach, Burberrys, After Six. Now known as Rodes For Him / For Her and still in business in 2023 at the Rodes Building, Brownsboro Road, Louisville, KY.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans

Located in St. Matthew’s, KY, Hytken’s was a suburban Louisville ladies clothing store. They opened on Wallace Ave in St. Matthews in 1952 and moved to Shelbyville Rd. Plaza in 1955. Hytken’s was an exclusive boutique ladies apparel shop. Hytken’s advertised in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar and presented a full season of trunk shows including Bill Blass Couture, Albert Capraro, St. John Knits, Geoffrey Beene, Count Romi, Halston, Hanae Mori, Alper Schwartz, Albert Nipon, Adele Simpson, Albert Nipon, Helga, Michael Novarese, William Pearson, Rodier of Paris, Adele Simpson, St. John, Mary McFadden, Michaele Volbracht and Louis Feraud. Also Christian Dior jewelry and in the early 1950s, they carried Lilli Ann. The Hytken family closed the business in 1998.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans

I have some amazing new listings to share with you this week! But Fresh Vintage works like that, doesn’t it? Every week, VFG members post some of their latest vintage fashion listings to the new week’s Fresh Vintage thread in the forums. And every week, I highlight a selection of those items here, complete with links that take you directly to the listing by clicking on the photo. Remember, if you want to see everything in this week’s thread, click HERE to go to the forums.

a 40s silver seahorse pin by Brookraft from Joyatri	a 60s Italian mohair cardigan from Noble Vintage Clothier	a 90s silk scarf by Emilio Pucci from My Vintage Clothes Line
a 50s sweater dress set by Gloria Knitwear from Dolls n Trolls	a 30s metallic smoking jacket from Poppy’s Vintage Clothing	an 80s/90s party dress by Jessica McClintock for Gunne Sax from Black Lotus Vintage
a 70s men’s suit pattern from Willy Nilly Arts	a 90s Navajo Cowboy Coyote pin by Allison Snowhawk Lee from MetroRetro Vintage	a 40s/50s skirt suit from Viva Vintage
a 50s wool flannel skirt suit from Denisebrain	a 60s maxi skirt from Straylight Vintage	a 60s Mod coat by Frank Russell from Catseye Vintage

And that’s all for now! See you next week for more Fresh Vintage

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Gloria Vanderbilt (1924-2019) was born into the storied Vanderbilt family, and became arguably the most famous of the them all.

She started out as a fashion model and actress. Vanderbilt studied art, which she exhibited throughout her life. Paired with many notable men, Vanderbilt’s fourth and last marriage (1963) was to Wyatt Emory Cooper. CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper is their son.

In the 1970s, Vanderbilt ventured into the fashion business by licensing her name and a collection of her paintings for a line of scarves. In 1976, she teamed up with Murjani to launch a line of tight-fitting (“like the skin on a grape”!) dark blue jeans with her signature embroidered on the back pocket. The jeans also featured a swan logo—a reference to her first acting role in The Swan and also to her membership in Truman Capote’s group of ‘swans’. Vanderbilt was the first person to exploit a famous family name for denim—effectively creating designer jeans. She promoted them in memorable ad campaigns that set new trends in marketing. They were an immediate success. 150,000 pairs of jeans sold out the first day the initial commercial aired on TV. She went on national in-store promotional tours akin to movie star appearances. The jeans were sexy, flattering, comfortable and had inclusive sizing. They are touted as the first skinny jean. It was the best selling denim line in America and became a $100 million a year business.

From this success, a host of other designers began to use their names to sell the allure of their own glamour, from Carolina Herrera in the 1970s to Nicole Ritchie in the 2000s. Vanderbilt went on to launch dresses, blouses, sheets, shoes, leather goods, fragrances and accessories. Other designer labels increased in the late 1980s, and her fashion success faded. Jeans with Gloria Vanderbilt’s label are made to this day.

Condensed from Featured Designer article Gloria Vanderbilt by Ian Drummond

Blum’s-Vogue was a Chicago area department store specializing in women’s high-end apparel founded by Harry and Becky Blum in Chicago in 1910. Blum’s Inc. was incorporated July of 1919 in Illinois. By 1924, they had 2 stores: The Vogue (custom made) and Blum’s (ready to wear). Both were located in the Congress Hotel on Michigan Avenue. In 1920, Harry and Becky Blum purchased the 7 story building at 624-630 S. Michigan Ave. To this they added 7 more stories to make a 14 story retail and office structure. Sales figures: 1918: $1,124,761 rising to $3,204, 901 in 1923. Harry H. Blum was President and Treasurer while Becky Blum was Vice-President.

In 1930, the stores were merged as Blum’s-Vogue and moved to the new location at 624 S. Michigan Ave. Blum’s-North opened 2 miles north at 920 Michigan Ave. in 1931, and was there until 1964, when Blum’s-Vogue moved north to that address. The Blums retired in 1961, and in 1983 the business closed.
According to Harry Blum’s 1966 obituary in the NY Times, there were a total of 4 Chicago area locations in addition to to the original Blum’s-Vogue.

Harry Blum advertised that his stores gave women the choice to customize their clothing. Blum’s offered a variety of designer lines, such as Chanel, Balenciaga, Dior, Galanos, Oscar de la Renta, Sarmi, and Yves Saint Laurent, and in shoes had an exclusive for the Chicago area with Delman.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans

Nanty Frocks, Inc. was a manufacturer of high–priced dresses and dance frocks as well as authorized copies of French and British couture gowns. They reproduced copies and adaptations of gowns and dresses by Christian Dior, Norman Hartnell, Jean Desses, Lanvin-Castillo and others. According to one source: “Charles William Rendigs, head of Nanty Frocks …specialized in producing copies of ball gowns and cocktail dresses designed by French couturiers, apparently Christian Dior used to call Charles Rendigs ‘the best copyist in America’.” Rendigs seems to have become head of Nanty in the later 1920s or early 1930s and was still head in 1951.

Nanty Frocks, Inc. at 491 7th Ave. NY, is mentioned in a Jan, 1909 in trade journals with additional mentions in 1931 and 1940. In the 1930s , their dresses retailed for $150 – $550.

By 1945, references in ads and some labels use Nanty Originals as well as Nanty Frocks. One price example for 1948 was $170. In 1948, Nanty was at 37 West 47 St and in that summer announced that they were reproducing a gown by London designer to the Queen, Noman Hartnell, which was also purchased by from the regular Hartnell collection by Princess Margaret Rose.

Nanty Frocks was still producing as of 1955.

Written by Hollis Jenkins-Evans

Ready for the freshest Fresh Vintage? Each week, VFG members post some of their newest listings in the public forums Fresh Vintage section – to see all of this week’s offerings, click HERE . But if you’d like to see some of my favorites, stick with me. Clicking on a photo will take you to the selling site where you can get more details, and put the item in your shopping cart, unless it has already sold. Which does happen!

a 60s bathing cap with 3-D roses from Vintage Runway – SOLD!	a 50s pattern for party dress with shelf bust from WillyNilly Arts	a 30s crushed velvet belted jacket from Denisebrain
an 80s silk dress by Diane Fries from Noble Vintage Clothier	40s Coro tutti frutti moonstone earrings from MetroRetro Vintage	a 50s floral print dress from Rachel WNPC
a 60s hippie purse with tooled mushrooms from Poppy’s Vintage Clothing	a 70s psychedelic print jumpsuit from Amanda in Vermont	an 80s silk blouse by Escada from Dolls n Trolls – SOLD!
a 60s gold brocade dress from Straylight Vintage		a 30s evening dress with fringed sleeves from My Vintage Clothes Line

…….. Hope you enjoyed it. And hope to see you in the VFG forums for even more Fresh Vintage! ………

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