Jun 20
GUEST POST: Freelance Journalist Amy Golding
Ex-antique dealer Susan Caplan is putting her 25-years’ experience of sourcing collectables to good use through her vintage designer jewellery and accessory website Susancaplan.co.uk.
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May 18
Thought I’d flag up Rewind, an online vintage store which stocks rare items from designers such as Alaia, Balenciaga, Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. If you love your hard-to-find vintage finds, you’ll love this site! Read more
An opticians is not the first place I go for a gorgeous dress, but this is exactly where I stumbled on my new purchase for a birthday party I’m attending.
Heaven & Earth is a boutique specialising in one-off vintage-inspired pieces. The collection includes a range of patterned and embellished items including dresses, tailored jackets, leather bags and pretty accessories.
The boutique can be found on Tottenham Court Road inside the 2020 Optical Store.
Why is it located in an opticians? Heaven & Earth’s friendly chief executive, Sacha Isaacs, explained: “Why not? For most women in London glasses are a fashion accessory. From this point of view, a fashion boutique is a perfect fit inside an opticians.”
This logic works for me. I opted for a green and orange floral print dress and tan woven belt.
As she talked me though the range, Isaacs added that 2020 is a family business and therefore worked as a great platform for the launch of her brand.
She said the collection is updated around eight times a year. “As we only stock one of each piece it is important to keep the collection fresh.”
As well as Heaven & Earth, 2020 also contains a beauticians. “2020 is a unique opticians,” quipped Isaacs. “It is a one-stop fashion and beauty shop for women in the capital.”
20-20 is located at 216-217 Tottenham Court Road, why not pop in next time you’re in the area?
FashionBite reporter Amy Golding xx
My Sugarland, the online vintage and designer boutique, celebrated its 2nd Birthday in style last week with a party at its store near Angel, London.
The shop looks amazing, I love the attention to detail with vintage photographs stuck on the wall and clothes displayed in antique cabinets or spilling out of hat boxes and suitcases.
My friend Kate joined me and we were served fresh strawberry vodka cocktails and cupcakes.
A one-man band called Dollar Bill played live and models were positioned on raised platforms at the front of the store. I also spied a few other bloggers, such as the fabulous Susie Bubble snapping away.
The shop offers some amazing vintage pieces, but what I really loved were the antique wedding dresses- if you’re looking for that one-off piece it’s definitely worth a look- they also have stylists on hand in store to give you fashion tips and advice.
My Sugarland, 402 – 404
St Johns Street, London. EC1V 4NJ
Tel: 0207 8417131
Email: info@mysugarland.co.uk
FashionBite xx
As much as I’d love to spend my days wandering around Portobello or Spitalfields markets or rummaging through the stalls of Camden or Brick Lane…weather and work just don’t permit.
So…www.pretaportobello.com has the perfect answer!
If you haven’t come across the website before, it’s the online version of the world-famous London markets (listed above) and if you love your vintage finds it’s the ideal site for you.
You can browse the virtual market stalls and you even get to haggle in the ‘Lets Trade’ section, where you can barter with the market trader online to grab yourself a real bargain.
If you’ve got a wedding coming up and you’re looking for that dress with a difference, you can search the ‘Market Trends’ section for inspiration.
Pick up a denim skirt and striped t from young, new designer Glow or some fabulous catwalk-inspired costume jewellery at accessories brand Tallulah Tu.
I love the look of the site and it’s v.easy to navigate- take a look for yourself..
fashionbite xx
May 10
Selfridges has teamed up with Oxfam to open Britain’s biggest pop-up charity shop in its flagship London store this Friday.
Annie Lennox has led a selection of A-list stars to create, set-up, stock and staff the charity pop-up shop. Thousands of vintage, high-end and celebrity-donated items, plus the best accessories, homewares, music and books from Oxfam shops across the country, will be gathered together.
The pop-up shop will be located in the Selfridges’ Ultralounge (lower ground floor) for one week only from Friday 14th to Thursday 20th.
For lovers of all things vintage and high-end second hand- this is a brilliant chance to get your hands on some fabulous pieces!
British BAFTA award winning actress Carey Mulligan has also kindly donated her stunning BAFTA night dress (above) by French label Vionnet. The dress will be one of the pieces auctioned off online at a starting price of £50. The auction will take place on Thursday 13 May from 10am. See http://www.oxfam.org.uk/curiosityshop for more information.
Funds raised by the shop and auction will be supporting Oxfam’s women’s projects across the world including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Congo, West Africa and South Africa. These projects protect, support and empower vulnerable women: campaigning against violence, empowering them to fight HIV and AIDS and offering the poorest girls the chance of education.
Carey says: “I’m honoured to be able to donate my Bafta dress to support Oxfam’s work helping women living in extreme poverty across the world.”
fashionbite xx
Apr 8
I’m so excited…Oxfam is launching the UK’s first ever online vintage charity shop tomorrow and Fashionbite has had a sneak preview.
The new store will stock the biggest selection of vintage clothing anywhere online, with thousands of items sourced from Oxfam shops and boutiques across the country, such as a 1950′s leather clasp handbag or a floral 1970′s maxi dress.
It will allow you to rummage for those fab vintage finds from the comfort of your own home…perfect.
Featuring as a new area on Oxfam’s homepage, under the heading vintage, you’ll be able to access the site at www.oxfam.org.uk/vintage from tomorrow.
What I love about the new site is you can also shop by decade, ranging from the ’50′s to the ’80′s. When you click on the decade you are taken to an introduction page about the era, including key looks and styles. It’s also great that the Oxfam team will scour the country for the best vintage pieces to put up online. It can sometimes be a bit hit and miss with stores, depending on which one you go to.
The new vintage site will also feature regular blogs, advice and inspiration from Oxfam’s guest style gurus. The panel of experts includes Whistles CEO, Jane Shepherdson; BBC vintage expert, Katherine Higgins; fashion author, Christa Weil; ethical stylist, Lupe Castro; Trendstop CEO, Jaana Jatyri and stylist to the stars, Fee Doran.
From insider tips on identifying valuable items to advice on customising or caring for vintage finds, the site will be the essential go-to for anyone that loves vintage fashion.
Oxfam’s head of retail Sarah Farquhar says: “Oxfam has been the face of vintage style on Britain’s high streets for over 60 years. We’ve seen enthusiasm for unique second-hand and retro fashion boom over the last few years, and now it’s not unusual for A-list stars to walk the red carpet in vintage Oxfam gowns instead of the latest designer items.
“The beauty of fashion is that it can be recycled and reused again and again.”
This is a brilliant idea by Oxfam and building on the strengths it is known for.
Also, great for vintage lovers out there who can now shop with a conscience by donating to charity at the same time..!
fashionbite xx
Mar 26
Maybe I’m getting old, but my new love du jour is beautiful furniture for the home -ok, well buying a few bits and lusting after the rest!
I’ve just bought a beautiful, hand-crafted solid mahogany desk from Furniture Emporium- it’s gorgeous and I’m saving up for a wardrobe, dressing table, bedside table…..ahh..the list goes on..
I find myself poring over the pages of Grazia, Style magazine or Vogue when there’s an article delving into someone’s fabulously stylish home. And I’m intrigued and genuinely interested when someone tells me about their new Vivien Westwood wallpaper for the hallway…unfortunately, not something I can afford just yet!
This is a new found desire, normally it’s the fashion pages I’m lusting over, as I said..I think it’s a sign of age..
Anyway, I found this great little boutique the other day in Islington, called Decorexi- you can also buy their stuff online. It’s actually a wholesaler (which keeps prices very low!) but you can still buy direct from them. It has a gorgeous range of antique and vintage furniture pieces (above), all at really low prices..perfect! I bought a stunning antique jewellery stand for just £18. If you’re into your character pieces, it’s definitely worth a look!
I was suprised by how much antique furniture is also available to buy on Ebay , there are some really great deals out there…so maybe the dressing table, wardrobe, bedside table… are not so far away!
fashionbite xx
Make a statement this spring with oversized headwear, as seen on the catwalks at Luella and Marc by Marc Jacobs (above).
To get the look- Rock ‘n Rose, the online store which sells gorgeous re-worked vintage pieces, has launched its first range of handcrafted hairwear for spring/summer.
The price points are fantastic, ranging from £15 to £30.
So, if you’re strapped for cash post-Christmas, a statement headband will update your wardrobe without breaking the bank.
fashionbite xx
Jan 12
The fashion world is bored of shoulder pads and leg warmers, so cast aside your stonewashed jeans and embrace a new decade…the ’90s.
Selfridges launched a pop-up shop ‘The Nineties are Vintage’ in its London store this week, which celebrates all things 90′s, from fabulous vintage Vivien Westwood to iconic films such as Pulp Fiction.
London-based vintage stores Rellik and Beyond Retro gave a helping hand to the concept store, which stays open until the end of January…so get your skates on if you fancy delving into the culture of the last decade.
Blur v Oasis, Spice Girls v All Saints (above), mobile phones became mainstream, the internet revolution, sports inspired clothing, grungewear, the decade of the supermodel…just a few reminders..
Selfridges head of creative told Grazia: “The ’90s feel so relevant for 2010. From minimalism to grunge to sportwear, the decade’s influence is a key reference.
“We decided 10 years is the perfect time for a retrospective – our ’90s shop will celebrate the best bit of the decade’s trends as well as all the albumns, books and films that made 1990-1999 unique.”
Spring/summer 2010 catwalks gave a definite nod to the nineties, from bumbags at Louis Vuitton to grunge at Charlotte Ronson. Sportswear as a fashion trend is huge for spring/summer-team your sweatpants with killer heels- see fashionbite’s post Jog On.
So dust off your denim shirt, dig out your Doc Martens (Fashionbite’s Snow bunny: keep stylish in the snow) and get ready for the comeback….
fashionbite xx
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