vintage – modacarta

Fan Girl

June 9, 2016Posted in Vintage ThursdayTagged azzurri, europeancup2016, euros2016, fashion, football, italia, jacket, moda, soccer, style, the6ix, vintageLeave a comment

Soccer or Football mania is about to hit the6ix. The 2016 European Cup starts tomorrow. We’re ready to cheer for our or our parents’ homelands and show our cultural pride.

I love the feeling of rivalry and comradery in the city as the countries battle each other in epic match-ups. Everyone in Toronto gets into it and traffic can become challenging depending on where you’re going and who won the match!

Fashion during the Euros is all about showing off your cultural pride and cheering for your team. I’m ready to cheer on the Azzurri (Team Italy) with a retro Adidas jacket I picked up in New York during the 2010 World Cup.

Puma is the official brand of the Azzurri for 2016 Euros.

1st game for Italy is Monday August 13th against Belgium. I have my flag ready to wave. Forza Italia! Let’s have a victory party this year!

SOLD OUT!

April 18, 2016Posted in UncategorizedTagged Accessories, Fall, fashion, moda, pre-loved, shopping, style, vintageLeave a comment

My pre-loved bag sale over the past week was a huge success. I found new homes for almost all the bags in the sale with some very stylish ladies.

I gained some new customers and have bumped some existing clients up to VIP status.

I look forward to adding to my handbag collection!

Flat Lay Spring – Part 1

February 15, 2016Posted in Brands, Vintage ThursdayTagged Accessories, fashion, fashion photography, flat lay, handbag, moda, style, vintageLeave a comment

This week on modacarta I explore a fashion photography style called Flat Lay. There are many instagram superstars who specialize in this style so here is my contribution.

Part 1 – Accessories

The red small hobo bag, I purchased in Paris about 10 years ago. The brand is Mandarina Duck from Italy. The line includes handbags, messenger bags, laptop cases, and luggage. Select pieces are available at Taschen in Toronto. The statement necklace is Ann Taylor and I found it in the clearance bin. I always get compliments on it. The scarf is from Italy and I picked it up at Winners. I love the colours and the soft cotton wrinkles with wear for a boho look. The earrings are vintage Monet. Gold hoops are a classic so don’t get rid of them. If you have a pair, just move them to the back of your jewellery box. The bracelet is BCBG -another fab clearance find. I love the word Bella. Very Italian!

Stay tuned for Flat Lay shoes up next on modacarta!

Movie Wardrobe

January 21, 2016Posted in Trends, Vintage ThursdayTagged designers, dresses, fashion, film, moda, paper art, profile, style, trends, vintage, wardrobe2 Comments

Over the Fall season there were lots of references to Margot Tanenbaum from the movie The Royal Tanenbaums 2001. Her wardrobe or style was a jumping off point for many of the Pre-Fall and Fall 2015 collections. It wasn’t the content of her wardrobe as much as Margot’s style and look.

If I had to choose a movie wardrobe for content, I would pick Renee Russo’s wardrobe from The Thomas Crown Affair 1999 where she played Catherine Banning an art insurance investigator. Her entire wardrobe would still be relevant today. It is still classic and elegant almost 20 years after they were selected from Celine’s 1997 collection. That collection was designed by Michael Kors and has a lot of his signature style cues in it.

The wardrobe in this film was what Catherine took with her from Switzerland to New York. It leaves me wondering what her full wardrobe was like…

Paper Art

Catherine Banning wears a lot of shift dresses in the film. She has dinner with Thomas Crown several times and wears a different dress each time. She also has several of wool coats that match the dresses or suits. I chose this pale blue printed paper because I just completed the Resort Report and wanted to carry the feeling into something new. I also created a white coat to go over the dress.

What movie wardrobe would you choose? Are you Margot or Catherine?

Italian Edge

January 10, 2016Posted in Industry Profiles, UncategorizedTagged 80s, Accessories, designers, fashion, handbag, italiandesign, italianfashion, mariovalentino, moda, paper art, style, vintageLeave a comment

Recently I purchased a Valentino handbag. Not “the Valentino” of Rockstud shoes and dark floral boots fame but Mario Valentino.

Mario Valentino was a leather craftsman from Napoli and his fame as a fashion designer peaked in the 80s with edgy leather clothing, and sky high shoes and boots. Helmut Newton shot a lot of the brand’s iconic ads. I took inspiration from these 2 ads for my paper design in this post.

Since the founder’s passing in 1991 the brand has focused on handbags. I purchased this one at the Saks Off 5th. It’s great size for going out because it will carry a full size wallet and a larger sized phone.

Paper Art

This black outfit was inspired by the halter style on some of Valentino’s leather outfits. I love tight skirt with over-skirt and billowy pockets. I added some printed black paper to take away the starkness of the outfit.

Fashion ARTographer

November 6, 2015Posted in Industry Profiles, Vintage ThursdayTagged art, blumenfeld, fashion, fashion photographer, fashion photography, graphic, moda, photo, photographer, profile, vintage, VogueLeave a comment

Recently I watched the documentary “The Man who Shot Beautiful Women” about Erwin Blumenfeld. He was a fashion photographer for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar starting in the 1940s and 50s in New York. His approach to fashion photography was artistic, graphic and original. His influence can be seen in contemporary fashion photographs.

This cover for Vogue 1950 tells the viewer straight away that this issue is about beauty. The use of white space and over exposure of the face create a mystery about the model and pace the emphasis on the lipstick and eye make-up. Another great Vogue cover is also a beauty issue, from May 1945. This time Blumenfeld used a visor shadow to create visual interest and make the model’s lips pop. Again we see the use of white space. This graphic approach can be also be seen in Blumenfeld’s self portraits like this one.

My favourite Blumenfeld image was one he shot in Paris when he lived there before World War 2 and before immigrating to the U.S. The model dangerously swings off the Eiffel tower in her full skirt. There is so much energy and life in this photograph. It has been copied many times.

Carrying Style

October 22, 2015October 22, 2015Posted in Vintage ThursdayTagged carry all, classics, fashion, Fendi, handbag, moda, style, style guide, vintageLeave a comment

After visiting the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show and seeing the selection of vintage bags available I thought I would blog about them. A vintage bag adds originality to any outfit. If you’re dressing on trend or classic, carrying a vintage bag will set you apart.

Here are some examples of vintage bags and styling ideas for them.

When Miuccia Prada took over Fratelli Prada she began its’ transformation into a global brand by designing a line of nylon handbags, briefcases and backpacks. She decided to work with Procone nylon which Prada used to line their luggage. The fabric was difficult to work with but worth it in the end as the line took off and demonstrated Miuccia Prada’s talent for merging the industrial with high fashion. These sporty, casual bags elevate everyday looks.
Up your interview or work style with a vintage portfolio. This example by Fendi holds a tablet to review your resume or presentation, as well as, a pochette with all your personal items. Think of it as a sleek and sophisticated carry-all.

This Fendi round bag compliments both casual and work wear. It holds a lot and has a great strap feature along the inside edge to keep small items from swimming around.

A great modern version of this design is by 3 Lily pads. Fiorella Di Lorenzo creates functional yet stylish bags. This line is a modacarta favourite!

Here are 2 vintage options for evening. I use this Gucci bag for most events because it holds everything I need without restriction. For a more formal occasion I have this lovely 1920s version of a wristlet. It has elegant beadwork and is held by delicate strap on the back.

Photo Credits

All by Lori Tonizzo except

Prada Bag – from The Little Book of Prada by Laia Farran Graves

Canteen Bag – from 3 Lily Pads website

I hope you enjoyed this exploration of vintage handbags and styling. As always, I’d love to hear from you!

Vintage Show Report

October 8, 2015October 8, 2015Posted in Vintage ThursdayTagged Accessories, fashion, Fendi, handbag, jewellery, moda, shows, style, vintage4 Comments

On Sunday I attended the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show at the Queen Elizabeth Building at the CNE. There were tons of vendors with really great finds.

I found that jewellery and handbags had a large share of the show floor. One booth in particular had an large selection of brooches. The vendor mentioned it took her 6 hours to set up the display. Vintage pins are a huge trend for Fall.

This vendor also had a huge selection of necklaces, bracelets and rings. They also had $5 craft bags jammed full with stuff.

My favourite piece was this Moschino dress. Perfect for a holiday party or date night.

Handbags were definitely the find of the day. My friend and I both got great deals on vintage bags. We spoke to one vendor who had very fine leather and skin bags from Italy. She cleans all bags inside and out and makes any repairs before they are part of the collection for sale. The selection of Gucci, Fendi, Prada was wide and hard to choose a favourite. Prices ranged from $150-350. Most styles were from the 1980s and 1990s.

THE HAUL

Cognac embossed leather Salvatore Ferragamo handbag. 70s style and in perfect condition. $50

Black suede with gold detailed Paloma Picasso small handbag. This bag was a great buy at $30 and it was also in perfect condition.

Black Fendi mini Knapsack. The straps of this bag identify it as 1990s when Fendi used this logo. $45.

The next Vintage Clothing Show is coming up in Spring March 4,5, 2016.

Coming up on Vintage Thursday we’ll look at other vintage bags.

Schiap!

October 3, 2015Posted in Industry Profiles, Vintage ThursdayTagged art, designers, fashion, modern, prada, profile, schiap, schiaparelli, shows, style, vintageLeave a comment

Elsa Schiaparelli had a name no one could pronounce but it was a name everyone knew. They simply referred to her as SCHIAP! and her modern, avant garde designs continue to influence and inspire designers today.

When Elsa designed dresses she felt she was creating art not just clothes. She along with Coco Chanel offered women modern, less constricting clothing in the 1920s and 30s. She drew inspiration from sports uniforms and took them into everyday apparel.

When Elsa began designing evening wear her creativity knew no bounds. Gowns and dress jackets were heavily embellished with palettes, mirrors, pearls and gold embroidery. Opposite to this was the minimalist skeleton dress that used trapunto quilting to create bones on a stark black plain. The skeleton motif has been reincarnated many times on the runway.

In 2012, the Costume Institute at the MET in New York held an exhibit where Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli had a conversation about fashion and design. It was favourite show to date! The show juxaposed Prada and Schiaparelli designs so visitors could see the parallels and influence. There was also a film by Baz Luhrmann that played in the background showing the 2 designers having dinner and conversing. Elsa Schiaparelli was played by English actress Julie Christie. One topic the designers explored was Waist Up/Waist Down. Elsa designed for a cafe society where women were seated and on display so waist up was important. Prada focuses her attention waist down to the organic, earth bound female. Evidence for this is Schiaparelli embellished jackets, Prada embellishes skirts.

Here are two images from the show catalogue that represent this idea:

I chose to do an embellished jacket for the doll. I used different papers to create a parrot which is a nod to a costume Elsa wore to a party in 1952.

REFERENCES

The Little Book of Schiaparelli by Emma Baker Wright

Schiaparelli & Prada Impossible Conversations

PHOTO CREDITS

Lead Image, Parrot costume, dresses – from The Little Book of Schiaparelli by Emma Baker Wright

Schiaparelli Suit, Prada Skirt – Schiaparelli & Prada Impossible Conversations

Doll – Lori Tonizzo

Shoe Collector

September 24, 2015Posted in Vintage ThursdayTagged fashion, footwear, moda, pumps, shoes, style, vintage2 Comments

Vintage shoes are always great to have in your footwear wardrobe. They add interest to simple or classic outfits in a unique way – without even trying. Toronto used to have a fantastic vintage store called Strange by the Grange and I bought several pairs of vintage shoes there.

In the lead image, I am showing a vintage, black patent shoe with a modern, burgandy Kate Spade version to show the similarity in style but also the unique point on the shoe. The curve of the heel identifies them as 1950s.

A great place to look at vintage shoes is the Bata Shoe Museum. It presents the history of the shoe and all the modern favourites. Recently, Toronto showed the Christian Louboutin Exhibition. It provided a window into his creativity and no one walked away without picking a favourite red soled shoe from the collection. Too bad we couldn’t take home a souvenir.

Here’s 2 views of how I wear my vintage and modern pumps.

LEFT: I like to wear my black patent leather vintage pumps with black slim trousers. The add some shine to my evening looks. I pair them with Michael Kors patent bag with gold accents.

RIGHT: My Kate Spade burgandy pumps really dress up dark denim. Navy and burgandy are such a great combination. I have this great burgandy Longchamp tote that I picked up in New York.