Category: Christian Dior

  • Introducing CAROLE TANENBAUM Vintage

    Introducing CAROLE TANENBAUM Vintage


    Carole Tanenbaum, The Coveteur

    We have big, big news! Sophie’s Closet is now carrying beautiful vintage pieces from the Carole Tanenbaum Collection. For those of you just tuning into the world of vintage, Toronto-based Carole Tanenbaum is the reigning queen of vintage costume jewellery. Having collected exquisite trinkets for almost three decades, Carole Tanenbaum’s collection has accumulated to over 20,000 pieces, about $3,000 which she keeps in her personal collection.


    Carole Tanenbaum, The Coveteur

    She provides jewellery for countless editorials for magazine like Vogue and Elle, for stylish TV shows like Sex and the City and Mad Men, and for red carpet celebrity appearances, from Sarah Jessica Parker (who owns over 400 pieces from the Carole Tanenbaum Collection), to Natalie Portman, and Michelle Obama.


    Carole Tanenbaum, The Coveteur

    One of our favourite websites, The Coveteur, recently did a profile on Carole’s jewellery closet, and it’s wow — just wow! So much so, that on her recent trip to Toronto, Sophie couldn’t resist picking up a few things.


    Vintage TRIFARI Bracelet

    First of which was this vintage Trifari bracelet, spotted on Olivia Palermo. Trifari, as you know, is one of our favourites for its art deco inspired designs.


    Olivia Palermo


    Vintage DIOR Earrings

    And, she also handpicked some gorgeous earrings from Carole’s extensive selection: Dior, Kenneth Jay Lane, Hattie Carnegie, Gripoix, and Larry Vrba.


    Vintage KENNETH JAY LANE

    Of course, Dior and Kenneth Jay Lane need no introduction. These two pieces are the both beautiful examples of the brands’ workmanship.


    Vintage HATTIE CARNEGIE Earrings

    And, being a big Hattie Carnegie fan, Sophie also selected these incredible red and blue cabochon earrings from 1960. So elegant!


    Vintage GRIPOIX Earrings

    These colourful green chandelier earrings are by Gripoix, the legendary jewellery house that started way back in 1869. Famous for its poured glass (pate de verre), over the decades Gripoix has created jewellery for Chanel, Balenciaga, Balmain, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent… you name it!


    Vintage LARRY VRBA Earrings

    Lastly, these sparkling darlings are by Larry Vrba, whose pieces are just exquisite. He began his career as a head designer for Miriam Haskell in the 70s, and in the 80s started his own line. Along with creating intricate baubles for his glamorous costumers, Vrba also creates custom pieces for the Broadway stage — jewels so striking that they stand out even from the back row.

    Exciting, right? Check out our entire vintage collection, including more pieces from Carole Tanenbaum, at sophiescloset.com.

  • FALL/WINTER BLUES… from runways to Sophie’s Closet

    FALL/WINTER BLUES… from runways to Sophie’s Closet


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    Gucci F/W11

    Blue is one of the predominant colours for the F/W season. Particularly the bright royal (or Klein) blue as seen on runways of DVF, Fendi, Jason Wu and Thakoon. It looks especially striking when paired with gold: one of our favourite colour combinations.

    THAKOON F/W 2011

    LEIVANKASH Feather Bracelet

    We are excited to be carrying more pieces from LEIVANKASH. This feather bracelet is a perfect companion to the ‘Olivia’ ring and a perfect little pop of blue for fall.


    KENNETH JAY LANE Double Lion Head Bracelet

    Okay, so we realize that we’ve been featuring this lion bracelet a lot! But, it’s just so irresistable with the little blue accent on top.


    DIOR Vintage Clip-on Earrings

    These vintage Dior earrings are absolute classics — such a beautiful bright blue.


    GUCCI F/W 2011

    Then there is teal, a way to bring the tropics into fall. Seen on the ruways of Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Alberta Ferretti, teal is one of the most glamorous colours this season showing up in luxe accessories like fur stoles.


    CHANEL Vintage Drop Earrings

    Glamour always needs some Chanel and you already know we are so in love with these earrings. Okay — there are turqoise but close enough!


    KENNETH JAY LANE Blue Zircon Jonquil Centre Earrings

    These gorgous yellow/blue combo earrings by Kenneth Jay Lane are Old Hollywood glamour. They would look amazing with that Gucci gown.


    DEEPA GURNANI Skinny Metallic Leaf

    A bit of teal for the hair comes in form of a pretty leaf headband. Daytime, nighttime — it’s just lovely.

  • SILVER SCREEN ICONS

    SILVER SCREEN ICONS

    These silver screen stars need no introduction. Half a century later, women, as well as designers, all over the world look to them for inspiration. As stunning as Sophia Loren, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn were, so were the jewels they wore. Often adorned in fine jewels by Cartier and Tiffany’s, most Hollywood stars also wore a lot of costume jewelry (first made popular by Coco Chanel in 1940s) by some, at the time popular, designers that we carry at Sophie’s Closet like Sherman, Hattie Carnegie and Dafri. Although we are not sure what these incredible stars are wearing in these photographs, we think they could be pretty close matches to some of our pieces.

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    Sophia Loren


    Vintage Extra Large Gold with Rhinestone Bow Brooch

    How incredible is this extra large vintage bow brooch? Take a note from Sophia Loren and decorate your little black dress with it. You know how much we love bows!


    Ava Gardner


    DAFRI Large Sparkling Vintage Brooch, Toronto 1950s

    If only we could get a hold of Ava Gardner’s two-tone jacket, then our look would be complete! Dafri’s vintage brooch is almost a dead ringer! Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Dafri was a very popular jewelry line in 1950s, worn by Toronto and New York socialites.


    Grace Kelly


    CHRISTIAN DIOR Vintage Button Earrings, circa 1980s

    Like Grace Kelly, Dior is timeless. Although, these earrings date from 1980s, the are very similar in shape to the ones worn by Grace Kelly. Round button earrings are the epitome of sophistication and understated elegance.


    Elizabeth Taylor


    SHERMAN Vintage Chandelier Earrings, collector pieces

    Everyone knows of Elizabeth Taylor’s love of jewelry: this woman owns the world’s biggest diamond! Taylor was sultry and playful: the type of woman that prefers chandelier earrings. We have acquired beautiful sparkly Sherman earrings that we are sure Ms Taylor would love. Also hailing from Canada, Gustave Sherman was one of the first jewelry makers to use Swarovski crystals in lieu of diamonds, making glamorous jewels accessible to everyday women in 1950s and 1960s.


    Audrey Hepburn


    HATTIE CARNEGIE Pearl Rhinestone Earrings, Circa 1950s

    We saved the best for last: the legendary style icon, Audrey Hepburn. Seen here wearing bubbly circle clip-ons with a large stone set in an intricate frame. We have recently sold these Hattie Carnegie vintage earrings from 1950s that resemble Audrey’s. Hattie Carnegie owned a successful shop in New York’s Upper East Side. She was trained a milliner, but quickly found a knack for clothing and jewelry design. Her store was patroned by many Hollywood stars and even the “most elegant woman in the world” at the time, Duchess of Windsor.


    Audrey Hepburn


    Extra Large Vintage Pearl Centre Earrings, 2×2 inches

    We have sold the Hattie Carnegie earrings but, thankfully, Audrey was a big fan of pearls. We have extra large pearl and gold earrings that would look great with one of Audrey’s famous chignons.

    Inspired? Visit www.sophiescloset.com to view our complete vintage selection.