Category: Vintage

NEW ARRIVALS: Vintage CHANEL

A couple of new vintage Chanel jewels have just arrived at Sophie’s Closet HQ: so lovely and very Coco Chanel herself.

Vintage Chanel CC Turquoise Drop Earrings

This very unique set of chandelier earrings are very much inspired by Coco’s famous birdcage. Remember that famous Coco perfume ad with Vanessa Paradis as a bird? Well, these earrings are in the exact gold and turquoise combination — one of Coco’s favourites — as the famous cage. Irresistible!

Vintage Chanel Large Lapis Lazuli CC Logo Flower Earrings

And, of course, we got a new pair of Coco Chanel button earrings — the shape always worn by Coco herself. This particular pair is ideal for summer with a bright purple centre surrounded by flower pedals made from interlocking Cs. It doesn’t get more classic than this!

Just lovely.

June 22, 2011
ANIMAL JEWELS: Duchess of Windsor

CARTIER ‘Panther’ Bracelet (sold for £4.52 million)

We can credit the late Duchess of Windsor for popularising animal-themed jewels. Hew opulent panther bracelet, designed by Cartier for their “Great Cat” series and gifted to her by Prince Edward, caused quite a fashion stir in 1952. Needless to say, every woman wanted the bracelet (and her own Prince too). Soon after, designers like Kenneth Jay Lane began making pieces inspired by the famous cat. Her Cartier panther was recently sold at an auction for £4.52 million and rumor has it that it was purchased by Madonna.

Duchess of Windsor (early 80s); photo at the auction of her jewels

Our Kenneth Jay Lane’s Leopard and Lion Head bracelet was worn by Leighton Meester in L’Officiel’s March issue and his other animal cuffs have many celebrity fans like Rhianna, Jennifer Lopez and Hilary Duff.

In Sophie’s Closet: KENNETH JAY LANE Leopard Bracelet

Leighton Meester wearing the KENNETH JAY LANE Pearl Double Lion Head Bracelet

In Sophie’s Closet: KENNETH JAY LANE Double Lion Head Bracelet

Adding to the cat craze is the ‘Panthere’ ring, also designed by Cartier. First introduced in 1912, it’s been having a major comeback in the recent years. As seen on style mavens like Lady Gaga, Rhianna, Eva Mendes, Diane Kruger, Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway and stylist Rachel Zoe, this little guy may just be the most coveted jewel in Hollywood. We loved its casual styling on Kirsten Stewart in Vanity Fair.

CARTIER ‘Panthere’ Ring ($15,000)

Kirsten Stewart wearing Cartier “Panthere’ ring in Vanity Fair

Of course, not everyone has $15,000 to spend on a giant panther head! No worries, Noir has its own affordable version and a selection of other animal friends to choose from, like pigs, hippos (worn by Katie Perry) and elephants (did you know that Cartier has an ‘Elephant’ watch?).

In Sophie’s Closet: NOIR ‘Panther’ Ring

Kenneth Jay Lane Lion Head Ring

Thanks Duchess of Windsor and Cartier for making our animal friends so fashionable!

May 21, 2011
LULU FROST’s Modern Vintage

While many designers take inspiration from vintage, Lulu Frost designer Lisa Salzer actually uses vintage pieces to create contemporary looks. She grew up in a family whose business is in estate jewellery so she has a very sophisticated eye when it comes to vintage. Her work is very much a collage of old and new. All the pieces stay true to their glamours past.

LULU FROST Tassel Necklace

Dolores Del Rio in 1930s

The tassel met the height of popularity during the jazz age of the 1920s and 30s. Many women also wore the necklaces backwards to accent their backs. Lulu Frost’s tassel necklace is a flawless mixture of antiquity and modernity.

LULU FROST Art Deco Earrings

These Art Deco earrings are very Old Hollywood. A style that began in 1920s and 30s became extremely popular again in 1950 due to its crisp lines. Chandelier earrings are one of those eternally glamourous and timeless pieces. We think Grace Kelly would agree.

Grace Kelly in 1950s

LULU FROST Pearl Turquoise Concho Earrings

While the other earrings are very Old Hollywood, these feel very 1960s bohemian. It’s problably because of the use of turquoise and antique gold — it was something that became very popular after the release of Cleopatra in the early 1960. Plus, it really complimented the free-spirited feel of that decade. We just adore these butterfly-like drop earrings — really reminds us of the iconic Vogue cover.

Vogue (March 1966)

LULU FROST Triple Concho Bracelet

Of course, there is the matching bracelet too. It was worn by a vintage collector, and Sophie’s Closet favourite, Olivia Palermo.

Olivia Palermo

LULU FROST Crystal Brooch Bracelet

We also love this crystal brooch bracelet. It’s such a beautiful composition of sparkles and chain. When it comes to jewellery this glamorous, it’s almost begging to be layered. That’s why we think Lulu Frost’s lookbook styling is kind of brilliant. Reminds us of glamorous socialites like the vintage style icon Millicent Rogers.

LULU FROST Lookbook

Millicent Rogers in 1950s

Love Lulu Frost? We have more! Visit Sophie’s Closet.

April 12, 2011
Sophie’s Closet Style Icon: OLIVIA PALERMO

Her legitimacy in the magazine industry may be debatable (did she really work for Elle or was it all fake?), but Olivia Palermo can definitely put together an outfit to die for. We admit that we fast forward through most of The City except, of course, when Olivia was on.

Olivia’s closet

We can watch her do just about anything for half an hour as long as she looks fabulous. Someone give this girl her own show!

Olivia’s apartment

She shops anywhere and everywhere, from Zara and Topshop to Chanel and Hermes to New York City’s eclectic vintage shops. Every serious fashionista collects vintage. And, this is what separated Olivia Palermo from all the other characters on The City (and The Hills). While everyone else seemed very pedestrian fashion-wise, Olivia was always refined and well-accessorized. This is not due to her superior financial situation, but rather to her incredible knowledge of costume jewelry and a willingness to shop everywhere. “My aunt [Linda Donahue] is a costume jewelry expert, so I understand that it’s just as valuable as real jewelry,” she told Page Six.

Olivia wearing a mix of vintage and contemporary

Olivia shopping for vintage and wearing the CC SKYE’s Pave Stud Bracelet

She frequently visits stores like Topshop and Banana Republic for costume jewelry that resembles vintage. “When I have a replica of a vintage costume piece, I put it in the sun and let it age for a month, just to have it tarnish,” Olivia told Time Out New York. She also frequents New York City’s vintage spots in search of statement pieces. Olivia masterfully mixes vintage with contemporary pieces. We love how she combined her CC Skye (her favorite!) “Starburst” bracelet with a vintage Trifari. Known for bright and colorful gems, Trifari dates back to 1918 and is highly coveted by vintage collectors like Olivia.

Olivia wearing vintage dress clips

Vintage Ruby Crystal Clip-on Earrings

We love Olivia’s attention to detail and how she utilizes every single opportunity to make a statement. The way she styled her dress collar with two twin vintage brooches is beyond brilliant. We have gorgeous vintage Trifari pieces that resemble Olivia’s: a gorgeous bright gem gold bracelet and an incredible butterfly brooch and earring set.

Olivia wearing vintage TRIFARI and CC Skye Starburst Bangles

Vintage TRIFARI bracelet

Vintage TRIFARI Butterfly Set

Other pieces sought by vintage hunters are by Ciner and Hattie Carnegie. Ciner dates back to 1892, with pieces so intricately made that it is often mistaken for fine jewelry. For most fashion enthusiasts, Hattie Carnegie needs no introduction. This legendary fashion entrepreneur started out as a milliner and soon expanded her business to clothing and jewelry, garnering a loyal following by many style icons including the Duchess of Windsor. We just received an incredible Hattie Carnegie bracelet with green and red glass surrounded by rhinestones and faux pearls and matching earrings and the stunning green gem and rhinestone necklace and earring set by Ciner.

Vintage HATTIE CARNEGIE Cabochon Bracelet

Vintage HATTIE CARNEGIE Pearl and Rhinestone Earrings

Vintage CINER Marbled Emerald Set

But there are also beautiful vintage pieces to be found by ‘no name’ designers or simply designers that didn’t put their names to their work. Olivia often visits Pippin Vintage Jewelry in New York City where she rummages through drawers full of glittering vintage baubles. She has perfected the fine art of mixing vintage with current, a girl after our own heart. And that is why Olivia Palermo is our style icon.

PS. We love her so much that we are going to have to do a Part 2!

March 19, 2011
GIRLS WITH PEARLS

We have been so into classics lately, and it doesn’t get more classic than pearls. Some of fashion’s most iconic images involve pearl accessories, like the elegant Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Her character Holly Golightly refused to wear diamonds, deeming them too old (although now, it’s maybe considered the opposite). Then there is also the iconic Coco Chanel, a woman that preferred pearls to any other jewelry.

Far from old-fashioned, pearls are essentially timeless: a beautiful heirloom to pass from generation to generation. Stars today embrace them just as much as in the past, from edgy Rihanna to elegant Sarah Jessica Parker to hip Olivia Palermo and Anne Hathaway to classic Angelina Jolie. Pearls are ‘in’ for everyone.

Rihanna and Sarah Jessica Parker

Two extremely different women, two extremely different pearl necklaces. For Rihanna’s look, try the layered look with Siman Tu’s pearl choker (and if that’s not enough, layer every single pearl necklace you own over it!). For elegant simplicity like Sarah Jessica Parker’s, go with one strand only with David Aubrey’s stunning necklace (it comes with a brooch too for extra POW!). Of course, one could never go wrong with adding a little pearl to our wrists too – we suggest Miram Haskell’s pearl flower bracelet.

SIMAN TU Five Strand Pearl Choker with Coral and Pearl Flower

DAVID AUBREY 32″ Pearl Necklace with Vintage Crystal Brooch

Miriam Haskell Pearl Bracelet

Olivia Palermo, Anne Hathaway

These two young trendsetters both rock pearl earrings, but in very different ways. Olivia Palermo plays it up casual with her pearl studs, her hair down and minimal make-up. For Olivia’s look, we suggest Kenneth Jay Lane pearl earrings with gold rim (it makes them a little more special). At last year’s Oscars, Anne Hathaway worked it Old Hollywood style with a combination of pearls and diamonds. For a similar (but more affordable) effect, we look to glamorous earrings by Jaques Fath.

KENNETH JAY LANE Pearl Cabochon Earrings

JACQUES FATH Bal à Versailles Pearl Earrings

JACQUES FATH Bal à Versailles Long Pearl Drop Earrings

Angelina Jolie

And then there is Angelina Jolie, a woman that seems to adore pearls, seen wearing her Mikimoto earrings and ring on several occasions. We are all for pearl rings: they make such a great visual statement. We especially love them really chunky and preferably surrounded by Swarovski crystals like Jacques Fath’s and Vita Fede’s.

JACQUES FATH Bal à Versailles Large Pearl Ring

VITA FEDE Principe Ring with Pearl and Swarovski Crystals

Loving pearls? We have many more! Visit www.sophiescloset.com to view our complete selection.

September 29, 2010
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.

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.

September 22, 2010