Fresh Vintage May 19 - 25, 2011

Last week, we did a double deluxe edition of Fresh Vintage. Hope you're ready for some more Fresh eye candy from VFG's trade members.

Bijou Vintage recently listed this pretty 1940s Trifari rhinestone butterfly hair clip

This op art 60s halter top maxidress is new at Big Yellow Taxi aka TheMerchantsofVintage

And check out this fab 80s skirt suit by Thierry Mugler, a new addition at Catseye Vintage

There's more Fresh Vintage where this came from, just click the title of this post to go into the thread. Or visit the VFG forums any day of the week - there's always something amazing to look at. See you next week!

May 23 Fashion Parade: Summer Jewelry






Summer's the time for casual style, and vintage summer jewelry takes a casual turn toward plastics, natural materials and fun seasonal motifs.



See the vintage creations in store for you courtesy of the VFG.





Vintage Sky Blue Moonglow Hearts & Rhinestones with Enamel Flowers Bracelet by BSK from AARALYN'S VELVET DRAGONFLY

Photobucket

Vintage 50s Signed Kramer Pastel Art Glass Enameled White Leaves Earrings from JOULES VINTAGE

Photobucket

Vintage Florenza Milkglass and Pastel Floral Earrings from LINN'S COLLECTION

Photobucket


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

WHAT A WEEK FOR BRITISH DESIGN!

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Earlier in the week, we noticed two of our London based designers had been making an impact on the red carpets of international celebrity soirĂ©es, but little did we know that that was just a precursor to a brilliant week for British designers!
When Mr and Mrs Obama touched down on British soil on Tuesday, they kicked off a celebration of some of the our brightest and best fashion talent. Indeed, from the second Michelle O stepped off Air Force One in this dazzling (next season) Preen number, we knew this was the start of something big. (Have we mentioned how much we love her? Whether shaking her thang in a school hall to get kids dancing, or being the coolest First Lady in the history of time, Michelle Obama officially rocks our world.)

Michelle Obama in Preen AW11, looking sensational.
The original catwalk look Preen AW11
 Next up, SamCam continued to wave the flag for British fashion as she welcomed the Obamas to Number 10 in a beautiful - and borrowed - Peter Pilotto SS11 number (some of you will remember Paula Reed carrying out her royal fashion correspondent duty for the Beeb in this very same style). It's a fabulous dress, managing to be unusual and elegant at the same time.
Samantha Cameron in Peter Pilotto SS11
Peter Pilotto SS11
Of course, it wouldn't be a British fashion parade without the now uber-tanned K-Mid, freshly returned from her royal honeymoon and creating yet another high street mania in the 'Shola' dress from Reiss. No doubt the £175 number has already sold out, it looked great on her, with her waist still waspish post-wedding and the neutral colour set off her tan wonderfully.
K-Mid - Sorry, the Duchess of Cambridge, in the Reiss 'Shola' bandage dress. She's creating her own trend bubble. 
Back at Number 10, SamCam showed that you can accessorise Jonathan Saunders with salad tongs as she served up potato salad at a barbecue for servicemen. The dress was the perfect choice for an almost-summer sunny afternoon.
That's one garden party we would have liked to have been at. Pass the ketchup!
Jonathan Saunders SS11

Finally, it was only a matter of time before one of the First Ladies busted out some McQueen, and Michelle Obama chose the suitably dramatic setting of Oxford University to wear her Sarah Burton-designed outfit. 
















All in all, British designers did us proud this week, and it was fantastic to see their incredible designs being worn by suitably inspiring people.
Images: Daily Mail, Catwalking, Style.com, Getty

UNIQLO’S CHARI-TEES SAVE JAPAN!

Posted by Bethan Holt and Fashion Junior at Large

Charity t-shirts are not always the coolest – harsh but true. However, everybody knows the place to go for cool t-shirts is Japanese wonderbrand Uniqlo. So it makes perfect sense that Uniqlo have teamed up with Vogue Nippon to help Save Japan. Unveiled at the brand’s AW11 press day yesterday, this latest t-shirt project is one we feel is worth investing in, not only for the cause but because they are very good T-shirts. The creatives behind the T-shirts include Queen Gaga and everyone’s favourite Uncle Karl. The 10 tee designs will be available in store from 25th June, and Uniqlo have pledged a donation of 100 million yen (approx £750,000) towards relief efforts in the areas most affected by March’s earthquake and Tsunami.


We were really impressed by the unique designs, the common thread in all the designs is the message of love, solidarity and hope. Some are more fashion-y others are more conservative. Weirdly, one of the coolest is by 80s icon Cyndi Lauper (LOVE her). It’s bright and cheery, embodying her inimitable personal style. It is perhaps a little known fact that Ms. Lauper is a huge fan of all things Japanese and visited Japan in the wake of the recent disaster. 


Karl Lagerfeld’s design is somewhat of a departure from the formal Chanel aesthetic; he has fused the Japanese flag design with a sunny, happy landscape, and written the simple message ‘Love’. Meanwhile, Alber Elbaz has added a little Lanvin fun to proceedings with a his sweet personal message decorated with cute hearts.



UN goodwill ambassador Nicole Kidman’s expressed her inner Picasso with a beautiful design featuring an outreached hand offering love and support to Japan.

Blake Lively, Charlize Theron, and Orlando Bloom also leant their scribbles to the project, along with Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow. Nicola Formichetti (who worked with Uniqlo pre-Gaga, and still styles their seasonal lookbook) posted a picture of himself wearing his customised Gaga for Uniqlo design.



The tees will be on sale from 25th June 2011 at £12.99 each.

Images: Uniqlo/Nicola Formichetti