Vintage About Town?

TORONTO (Herald de Paris) – Life at the Shrimpton Couture studios has been a little bit of a jet-set whirlwind lately. Since my last column I have jetted off to New York for a week, attended an invitation only opening of the new Burberry shop in Toronto, sat on a panel discussion at The Textile Museum, on re-working vintage, and brought in three new lines to the shop.

It’s funny where vintage has taken me. What started off as a hobby years ago has quickly blossomed into an almost 24 hour a day full time (and then some) gig. And it seems to be evolving into more on daily basis too (potential big news to come soon). Some parts don’t change though. Like, I still feel like an awkward teenager at most big events even though I think (hope) I hide it well.

At the Burberry party, I wore a vintage one-shoulder jumpsuit paired with a Burberry coat that looks like it is made of feathers – tres Bianca Jagger 70s chic. As the night progressed and the heat rose from the packed crowd, bit of “feathers” started wafting up into the air, coming to rest (of course) on my lipstick, leaving me to discreetly attempt to pull these feathery tufts off my face whilst looking cool, collected, and somewhat fashionable.

I attended the event with Toronto socialite and girl about town – Ainsley Kerr – who is the perfect person to go to that type of event with. Ainsley is sometimes a model for Shrimpton Couture and has been my cover girl a few times on the site. She is one of those rare girls who is drop dead gorgeous, but maintains a sweet disposition and hasn’t an ounce of nasty girl in her. She also knows 9 out of 10 people in a room so it’s easy to just put oneself in her socially capable hands and be towed in her wake in soiree bliss – sans the pulling of feathers from one’s make-up of course.

I am severely lacking in my motivation to do the required socializing that fashion requires. I often laugh at the cast of characters at any given event; fashion folk tend to be more interesting than one gives them credit for. It always amazes me that the path many of us take to end up in fashion has its beginnings in just about every other career on the planet. This means a lot of personalities end up in the mix.

There is a sort of fashion hierarchy that becomes apparent if you look for it. You can spot the people who are cruising a room with the intentions of meeting people that can further their careers. You can see the people who only speak with other people whom they deem to be at their level and there are the very few who speak to no one as they are clearly above us all. Oddly there is no correlation between how far one has risen with deciding that you are one of those solitary, chosen, special ones.

I met Jeanne Beker that evening, the host of Fashion Television since 1985! By longevity alone, she’s pretty close to the top of any fashion pile, yet she was the nicest person I have met in a long time — interesting, smart and charming. That encounter was followed almost immediately by an outright, blatant snubbing from a girl who apparently is the co-owner of a top Toronto PR firm. The snub was so bad that my plus one, Ainsley, turned to me in horror as this girl turned her back on me, and apologized on the girl’s behalf.

Maybe it was the feathers?

Feathers aside, you can bet that as my business continues to grow and I look at a firm to handle the PR side, the short list got one firm shorter. And should Jeanne ever need to borrow a vintage frock or two – the racks are hers to browse. I have my own hierarchy you see.

This was followed by a whirlwind weekend in NYC where Shrimpton Couture hosted an event celebrating the launch of GlamourWraps – a line of repurposed, re-made vintage kimonos by The Glamourai’s beautiful designer, Kelly Framel. It was a champagne fueled soiree held at the W Hotel’s The Wet Bar. The city’s most fashionable bloggers attended and there was no drama to report other then an extremely great time had by all. When one throws the party no one snubs you, after all they know you are footing the champagne bill. No feathers where involved in this event though I did have a few mishaps as I sorted out standing up and trying not to catch my heel on my floor-length 1970s Janice Wainwright dress. Even as hostess, I still am the same klutzy girl inside.

New York was beautiful, it was exceedingly warm and the entire trip a smashing success. It was a bit quieter in New York these days than it has been in the past; the effects of the economy are still apparent. I saw more empty storefronts than I ever have before, which was sad. Nevertheless, that means some young entrepreneur will get their chance at a choice storefront location or two as things pick up again. Already, the mood of the city seemed up. I love Toronto, but New York is a special magical place whether fashion is your thing or not. It will be nice to see it at full speed again.

Vintage is taking me further than I ever thought I would go and some days are entirely taken up in a rush of newness. Which is ironic considering I deal in the old. And for that I am thankful. No matter what new things happen or where this all goes, vintage will remain the constant theme underlying it all. My frocks and I are friends for life. They give me a link to the past that girls who only look forward are missing. There is nothing wrong with trying to climb the social ladder, or with wanting to wear the newest and latest. But for a girl who tends to trip over her skirt and pull feathers off her lipstick, vintage reminds me, that – like the dress I am wearing – I am one of a kind, flaws and all.

Next week I am off to London so will report on my adventures when I return, xoxox

Yours in vintage,

Cherie

SHRIMPTONCOUTURE.COM

SHRIMPON COUTURE ARCHIVE

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