REAL, GENUINE, HONEST, AUTHENTIC, VINTAGE VINTAGE!
Hello Fashion Diggers,
 When perusing the huge Fall
fashion magazines it's impossible to ignore that they are full of vintage
clothing and accessories - FAUX VINTAGE that is! Why do they claim the vintage
pedigree? -- more on that later.
Webster's defines "vintage" as a) of choice vintage, b)
representative of the best, and c) a particular year or or period.
Even big box retailers are calling their lines "Vintage Varsity",
thousands if not millions of online retailers call their brand-new merchandise
"vintage" to the chagrin of buyers searching for authentic vintage
and chain jeans stores call their line "1969" etc. They can call it
anything they want, it's still mass produced, ill fitting, poorly finished,
cheaply priced (with good reason), wear-it-once-and-throw-it-away disposable
clothing produced by unhappy workers and shipped across the ocean polluting all
the way! What happened to our world renowned Great American Sportswear? It got
outsourced! Great American sportswear and apparel from the Golden Age of
American manufacturing resides at the Vintage Fashion Expo and in the
closets and the shops of the vintage dealers and vintage lovers who make up the
Vintage Expo. These quality items have stood the test of time. Past
owners have been the caretakers of these unique pieces and these loved items
live again when a new owner wears, shares or collects them.
Why do mass producers wish to call their items "vintage"? They want
to imply that their clothing has original styling, quality workmanship, hipness
and good value--several things they do not have. To them "vintage" is
just a buzzword diluted by their overuse. So, what is the antidote to all this
disingenuousness? Why a trip to the Vintage Fashion Expo of course! You
will not find fifty of the same garments on the racks, but you will find
thousands of one-of a-kind items and vendors knowledgeable about their
merchandise and happy to share that knowledge with you.
A ripple of excitement ran through the Vintage Expo when attendees
realized that Hamish Bowles (photo right), Editor-at-large for European Vogue
was "in the house". Mr. Bowles (www.vogue.com) was in S. F. for
the gala opening of "Balenciaga and Spain" at the De Young Museum (www.famsf.org) that he curated
and to lecture on the subject. He and
Ricky Serbin, designer vintage superstar (photo left),
shopped all day.
Check out our photo of Amanda Suter, flame-tressed, internet fashion icon,
checking out the VFE. Amanda is a sweet and vibrant "Ambassadress of
Vintage" (www.butchwaxvintage.etsy.com). Come to this fabulous large
show and shop all weekend. Wear something comfortable so you can try things on.
Friendly vintage lovers will share their finds with you and you'll definitely
have a fun-filled trip through the decades-honestly!
Remember Fashion Diggers; you can
download a discount coupon
from the Vintage Fashion Expo website to your iPhone or Blackberry.
THE SANTA MONICA VINTAGE FASHION EXPO
Regular Hours: Saturday, 10:30 am - 6 pm; Sunday, 11:00 am - 5 pm; Tickets
$10.00
Early Buying Saturday from 9:00 - 10:30 am; Tickets $20.00
**STUDENTS FREE ON SUNDAY with STUDENT I.D.**
For more information, visit the Vintage Expo website
www.vintageexpo.com
or call (415) 468-7482 or (707) 793-0773.
Photo Gallery
Photo Credit: Elisabeth Normoyle
2011 Show Schedule:
October 15 & 16 - Santa Monica
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