The VFG believes that informed selling and buying communities are good for the vintage-fashion industry as a whole, and all visitors to the website have access to the VFG resources. These are continually updated and constantly evolving, thanks to a dedicated volunteer staff.
Our blog features our picks of the freshest vintage items, member news and articles. We have also created a growing series of articles on some classic designers.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of vintage fashion.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international community of people with expertise in vintage fashion. VFG members enjoy a wealth of resources, avenues for promoting their shops and specialties, and camaraderie with others who share a common interest and passion.
Walter Florell was a custom milliner who rose to his greatest fame in the 1940s and 1950s. Born in Germany, he moved America as a young man and landed a job designing hats at the millinery salon of Lilly Daché in 1936. In 1939 he left to open his own salon where he was immediately successful. He made hats for famous woman including many Hollywood actresses such as Great Garbo, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Alexis Smith, and more. He also designed hats for The Duchess of Windsor. His film millinery design work includes the movies “Easter Parade” and “Sunset Boulevard” and he also did work for several Broadway plays. During WWII he volunteered as a mechanic for the American war effort. Aside from hats, he branched out into clothing and wigs before closing his salon in 1963. He died at his home in 1986.
Written by Rue de la Paix
from a 1940s hat