Auction alert: Passion for Fashion, June 2022

This is the second time in recent months that we’re highlighting one of Kerry Taylor Auctions’ Passion for Fashion auction sales. The items that they’ll be selling are of such interest and quality, it deserves another visit.

There are lots that once belonged to Queen Victoria, the late Victoria, Lady de Rothschild; the late Countess Maya von Schönburg-Glauchau and Trinidadian actress, Nina Baden-Semper. Haute couture designers represented include Gucci, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli and Hermès. There isn’t just jewellery and clothing either – there’s a dog bed, shoe trunk, bundles of vintage fashion magazines and original illustrations of Diana, Princess of Wales outfits.

Lot: 1 to 230: Tue, 21st Jun 2022, 10am
Lot: 231 to 440: Tue, 21st Jun 2022, 2pm

There are 442 lots coming up in this sale. As usual, there’s a buyer’s premium of 25% (ex. VAT). If you bid live via the Invaluable website, the buyer’s premium is as follows:

up to £49,999: 28%
£50,000+: 23%

Lot 48: A Schiaparelli parure of faceted green glass stones, late 1950s-early 1960s
Signed, comprising necklace with droplets, approx 12-15.5in, 31-39cm long; cuff bracelet, 18cm, 7in long; and pair of clip-on earrings, 3cm, 1.2in diameter (4)
Estimate: £300 – £500

Lot 100: A pair of Gucci gold leather trainers with rainbow foam platform soles, Resort 2017 collection
Stamped, size 38.5, signature Gucci striped ribbon to uppers, 11.5cm, 4.5in platform soles, 25cm, 10in long; with a Gucci box (3)
Estimate: £200 – £300

Lot 108: A Balenciaga violet ponyskin and leather City bag, circa 2006
Stamped, with zip pocket to exterior and another to interior, 46cm, 18in long
Estimate: £200 – £300

Lot 115: A Louis Vuitton shoe trunk
Signed with blank number label, of monogrammed canvas and leather, the brushed-cotton lined interior with twelve compartments
Estimate: £800 – £1,00

Lot 131: An Hermès suede and leather belt-bag, 2000
Stamped and signed, blindstamp D, waist approx 63x83cm, 24.5×32.5in; together with a Marc Zanardelli leather triangular ‘Musi’ backpack with three pockets to interior, modern, stamped, approx 53cm, 21in (2)
The collection of the late Victoria, Lady de Rothschild
Estimate: £200 – £300

Lot 132: An Hermès canvas cushioned dog bed, modern
Labelled, in signature shades of orange and brown, handle to each side, interior cushion with a removable cover, approx 32in long; together with two Hermès canvas storage cubes (4)
The collection of the late Victoria, Lady de Rothschild
Estimate: £300 – £500

Lot 173: A Tom Ford patchwork denim skirt, Autumn-Winter 2015
Labelled, size 40, full-length, with jewel-toned velvet and satin insertions, waist 76cm, 30in; together with a patchwork Mongolian-sheepskin gilet, modern, unlabelled; Emporio Armani Ikat-grosgrain trousers, labelled, waist 71cm, 28in; Emporio Armani black velvet jacket/shirt, c. 2015, labelled, size 40, bust approx 86cm, 34in; and a Philip Treacy brown plush-felt hat with pheasant feather band, modern, labelled, circumference approx 53cm, 21in (5)
The collection of the late Victoria, Lady de Rothschild
Estimate: £250 – £400

Lot 191: A Thierry Mugler ‘rainbow’ wool-blend dress, ‘Été Hawaii’ collection, Spring-Summer 1990
Labelled, size 36, with curving neck and hemline and sheer mesh insertion, bust approx 81cm, 32in, waist 66cm, 26in
The collection of the late Countess Maya von Schönburg-Glauchau. Sale proceeds will be donated to Team Domenica, a charity for young adults with learning disabilities.
Estimate: £1,500 – £2,500

Lot 197: A changeant green/purple silk-chiffon evening gown, 1990s
Unlabelled, the empire-line bodice pleated and gathered vertically, lightly boned and lined in satin, matching stole/sash, bust 86cm, 34in; together with a second example in printed silk, 2000s, unlabelled, customised with Lawrence Vrba flower brooch to hip, signed, busts approx 86cm, 34in (3)
The collection of the late Countess Maya von Schönburg-Glauchau. Sale proceeds will be donated to Team Domenica, a charity for young adults with learning disabilities.
Estimate: £300 – £500

Lot 214: Queen Victoria’s stockings and shoes, late 19th century
The stockings of black silk with ecru toes and tops, one stocking woven with VR 21 below imperial crowns, the other stocking woven with VR 10 below imperial crowns, embroidered black silk clocks; the black grosgrain silk shoes by Gundry & Sons, with original trade label to the insole ‘Gundry & Sons, Makers to the Queen, the Princess of Wales and Royal Family, 174 New Bond St, London’, flats with low heels, rounded toes, adorned with jet-beaded bows, 24.5cm, 9 3/4in (4)
Queen Victoria’s shoes were made by Richard Gundry from 1824 onwards. Gundry remained the Queen’s supplier and held the royal warrant as Boot and Shoemakers to the Queen until as late as 1898, although Gundry (‘Messrs. Gundry’) were only based at their premises of 1 Soho Square from 1831-1883.
Gundry probably made the shoes which the Queen wore at her coronation in 1838; the paper labels stuck inside the soles of Gundry shoes proudly read – beneath an engraving of the royal coat of arms: ‘Gundry & Son, Boot & Shoe Makers TO THE QUEEN, the Queen Dowager [Queen Adelaide], Their Royal Highnesses The Duchess of Kent & Princess Sophia, Soho Square, London’.
These black silk shoes are typical of those worn by the monarch towards the end of her life and bear the New Bond St address.
Estimate: £600 – £900

Lot 304: A Pierre Cardin choker necklace, 1969
signed to the inside collar ‘Pierre Cardin, Made in France’, the choker with platelet chain and circular medallion enclosing layered rectangles, 34cm, 13in long
British Vogue photographed a necklace with similar choker collar, September, 1969.
Estimate: £800 – £1,200

Lot 334: A Westwood/McLaren ‘Destroy’ T-shirt, circa 1976
Black Seditionaries label to left shoulder, of white cotton with screen-printed swastika roundel with inverted crucifix and a verse from the Sex Pistols’ ‘Anarchy in the U.K.’: ‘I am an Antichrist, I am an Anarchist, I don’t know what I want, But I know how to get it, I wanna destroy the passer by, I wanna be anarchy’; ‘Destroy’ in pink and black to the top, the fabric intentionally slashed from armhole to hem down both sides and with added holes front and back, chest 81cm, 32in; together with a model agency photograph of Martin Crowley (2)
Martin Crowley, drummer, guitarist and vocalist, born 1965 and died aged 49 in 2014. The proceeds of this lot will be donated to the charity Rock and Roll Rescue. Crowley performed in various groups including The Bevis Frond formed in Walthamstow (1986), The President’s Men, Underworlde (1991) with Dave Austin and Paul Barton, Raw Satellite (1994) with Dave Austin and Graham Childs. He also worked for a time during the 1980s as a roadie for the Clash.
Estimate: £600 – £900

What to do when buying clothing online

A 2020 Statista survey indicated that 60% of women purchased clothing from online stores. Indeed, there’s a freedom that comes with internet purchases. There’s no waiting in line or tapping your fingers at the till while the cashier calculates your items and bags them. You’re usually spared the agony of trying several items on, hoping that a few will be the right size for you. However, online shopping for clothes can be fraught with issues, which is why you need to know a few things before using these platforms. Here are some of them.

Select reliable shops

According to cybercrew.uk, clothing is the most common item bought online by the UK public. In other words, people find it more convenient to shop for apparel on online platforms than visit physical stores. Due to the interest in these shopping platforms, statistics indicate that between 2018 and 2020, over six thousand online clothing shops had commenced active business. Admittedly, this makes it difficult to choose from the vast selection. Moreover, with such fierce competition, people with purchasing power may be spoilt for choice.

Unfortunately, in such environments, scammers find fertile ground in which to operate. Aside from that, some online shops may see it as an opportunity to sell substandard clothing. Indeed, there are several issues about which you may want to be wary. This is why it pays to select a reliable shop like the Japanese store or others with whom to transact business. One way to find a reliable online shop that sells quality clothing is to research social media. The internet holds a wealth of information, and you’d be thankful to use it to make your final choice(s).

Check the size charts

Because you won’t be trying the clothes on physically before purchasing, it’s recommended to check the size charts first. Usually, online buyers are lured by the attractiveness of these clothes and fail to pay attention to the size charts. In the UK, size charts tend to be different from the ones in the US and other countries. Because of this, it’s important to first know your size and compare it to the item(s) of clothing you intend to purchase online.

To get it right the first time, it’s necessary to measure your bust, waist, hips and torso. If your values fall within a range, you can then compare them to the standard UK size chart. The trick with self-measurements is to avoid tying the tape too tightly around your body. Doing that could give you the wrong size. Moreover, different clothing brands have slight variations in their size charts. However, the values may not be too much to alter your correct size.

Research clothing materials

Have you ever felt drawn to an online clothing item only to be disappointed when it’s finally delivered? Some clothes may look like the best item you ever saw, but the material could be wrong or uncomfortable on your skin. This is one of the reasons you should look into on materials from which these clothes are made. For instance, while some people’s skin reacts to wool, others are irritated by latex. Again, due to technological advancement, some manufacturers make use of experimental fabrics. Indeed, an item of6ty clothing may not be 100% experimental fabric. However, a mixture with regular fabric like polyester could be problematic.

Therefore, to avoid any discomfort, disappointment or inconvenience, it helps to read about the fabric to learn the pros and cons. Moreover, if you’re into being environmentally aware, you may be more interested in sustainable fabrics than those that ‘hurt’ the planet.

Read about their return policy

One of the most disappointing moments is to buy a clothing item from an online store only to realise that it’s unreturnable. In other words, you spent good money on something you’ll never wear. However, you can avoid this if you ensure you read the online store’s return policy. Some businesses may have a seven-day return policy, while others allow just three days.

As long as you fall within that range, you can take advantage of the return policy. Even with that, it may come with conditions. For example, the item has to be returned with all its labels and packaging intact. With certain policies, what you get is a replacement rather than a money-back guarantee. If you’re comfortable with the online store’s return policy, you can proceed to transact business with them.

[disclosure*]

Auction alert: Passion for Fashion

I have a passion for vintage fashion, so the Passion for Fashion sale at Kerry Taylor Auctions is always a highlight of the year. This one takes place on Tuesday 7^th December 2021 from 1pm. There are 265 lots of quality apparel from around the world, dating from the mid-1800s through to the 21^st century.

Many of the lots are museum quality, for both craftsmanship and provenance. There’s such exquisite workmanship in the beading, braiding, sequins and embroidery in many of the pieces. There are hundreds of man hours in there! The are a few of the dresses that I think would make spectacular wedding dresses and despite the fact that they’re ‘couture’, they’d probably be less pricey than one from a bridal shop today.

Buyer’s premium is 25% (ex. VAT). If bidding live via Invaluable, the buyer’s premium is as follows: £0 – 49,999: 28% / £50,000+: 23%

Lot 54: An ivory chiffon couture dinner dress, attributed to Gabrielle Chanel, circa 1925
With simple V-neck, with double layered chiffon sash-like waistband with ties to one side, the tiered skirt with asymmetric point to one side, the whole finished with picot edging, the back with floating panel with centre-split, bust 102cm, 40in.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds a similar chiffon Chanel dress with floating back panel and waist sash with side ties. Their dress is labelled in the slip which is missing from this example, see accession Number: 1995.468.1a–c
Estimate: £1,500 – £2,500

Lot 61: A beaded black chiffon flapper dress, circa 1926
With stylised floral motif to waistband, embellished with cut beads in shades of silver, spangled with sequins, bust approx 86-92cm, 34-36in, waist 92cm, 36in; together with a later-made associated slip; together with two lengths of devoré velvet and floral chiffon, probably 1920s-30s (4)
Estimate: £200 – £300

Lot 64: A fine and rare Paul Poiret purple sequinned evening dress, 1928
Large woven satin Paul Poiret à Paris label with Iribe rose, the purple chiffon ground applied with a shimmer of sequins to the bodice, the V-neck edged in seed pearls and silver bugle beads, revealing pink satin petticoat, the pink cotton overlaid with purple and silver lace, the dropped waistline defined by demi-lunes filled with brilliants, silver ovoid, seed pearl beads and glass bugles, the skirt formed from gladiator-like similarly-worked sequinned floating panels interspersed with chiffon godets to produce an irregular handkerchief hem, the integral black chiffon underskirt with sequinned gold to purple dégradé sequinned bands which are visible through the chiffon over-skirt, bust 97cm, 38in; with matching chiffon stole (3)

Exhibited at the Melbourne Art Festival ‘L’Époque d’Élégance’, 1991. The Sandy Schreier Collection
Estimate: £6,000 – £10,000

Lot 68: A Mainbocher couture ivory satin court presentation gown, early 1930s
Labelled, with handwritten bolduc: ‘232 Kiefe 33 69-388’, the belt to front waist with decorative oversized metal buckle inset with cut brilliants, integral silk petticoat with knife-pleated hem; together with a pair of ivory leather opera-length gloves and Ostrich feather fan (4)

Provenance: Margaret ‘Peggy’ Winifred Fass. Peggy was presented at court twice: first as a debutante in the late 1920s, and then c.1931 as a married woman – ‘Mrs Logan’, when she wore this gown for the occasion. Her father was Sir Ernest Fass, who at the time of his daughter’s wedding was financial advisor to the Sudanese government. He was knighted for his services to the British government and had a very distinguished career, which culminated in his appointment as Public Trustee.
Estimate: £400 – £600

Lot 79: Audrey Hepburn’s Givenchy couture white point d’esprit ball gown worn in the opera scene of ‘Love in the Afternoon‘, 1956
Paris labelled but not numbered, the boned, fitted bodice lined in rayon, the bodice and skirt completely overlaid with double-layer of white tulle, the upper bodice edged with scalloped lace embroidered in silver thread with vermicular trails and florets centred with turquoise, silver tinsel strip florets with clear and turquoise rhinestone brilliants overall, full skirt, three integral tulle petticoats, the two upper layers of organza underskirts, bust approx.76cm, 30in, waist 52cm, 20 1/2in; together with a photograph of Audrey with the dress; together with a letter of authenticity from the Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund, signed by Sean Ferrer, 12.01.2009 (3)

Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Tanja Star-Busmann.
Tanja and Audrey were friends from childhood. Whenever commissioning gowns from Hubert de Givenchy, Audrey always requested he made extra-large seam returns so that she could pass the dresses on to others. Having been brought up with the privations and shortages of WWII, she held a ‘waste not, want not’ attitude that she retained throughout her life.

Audrey gifted this dress when Tanja gave birth to her daughter in 1958. It arrived in a large cardboard box with a note attached from Audrey, stating that she thought it might remind Tanja what it was like to have a waistline again. In 1961 Tanja lent the gown to her then nanny who wore it and adapted it, removing most of the lace trim, removing the bow from the front and making three smaller bows on the back to help conceal the panel that had been inserted to make it larger. These later alterations have been painstakingly reversed and the dress is now returned to its original size and shape.

It is extremely rare to find a screen-worn Audrey Hepburn garment – doubly so when the piece is also haute couture, designed by her close friend Hubert de Givenchy.
Audrey wears this gown in the Opera Scene of ‘Love in the Afternoon’. She plays the role of ingenue Ariane who captures the heart of a libertine American playboy played by Gary Cooper (who at the time was old enough to be Audrey’s father). Renowned French cinema veteran Maurice Chevalier plays the role of Ariane’s protective father, whose profession is a private detective, specialising in adulterous affairs. The film was directed by Billy Wilder and released in 1957. It is a light-hearted romance with an unlikely plot – and Audrey, with clipped English vowels, seemingly an unlikely daughter to French Maurice Chevalier. However, Audrey’s performance, her beauty and Givenchy’s fashions light up every scene in which she appears.
Estimate: £30,000 – £50,000

Lot 89: A Felisa Irigoyen couture embellished cocktail dress, 1968-69
Unlabelled, the ivory wool crêpe shift entirely covered with coiling bands of pearlised, domed discs, centred by rhinestones, and infilled with silver sequins, seed and faceted beads, leaf and floret shaped pearlised paillettes, lined in ivory silk, bust 86cm, 34in

Felisa Irigoyen worked as an embroideress for Cristobal Balenciaga in his Eisa couture ateliers in Spain. She was responsible for all the major embroidery including bridal gowns for Queen Fabiola of Belgium and Carmen Martinez Bordiú (the daughter of General Franco). After Balenciaga retired in 1968 she joined forces with Jose-Luis Molina Zumel, a famous Spanish fur designer, whose wife had been a major Balenciaga client under the company name ‘Felicia-Jose Luis’. They produced Balenciaga-inspired designs or near-identical Balenciaga copies, catering for a mainly Spanish clientèle, who had felt bereft at the loss of ‘the Master’.
Estimate: £800 – £1,200

Lot 125: A rare pair of Biba two-tone suede wedge-heeled shoes, 1970s
Faintly stamped to interior, together with a pair of Biba blue cotton-twill knee-high boots and three pairs of shoes with ankle straps, 1970s, stamped to interiors, various sizes (qty)
Estimate: £200 – £300

Lot 241: A Rei Kawakubo/ Comme des Garçons 2D collection ensemble, Autumn-Winter 2012-13
labelled and size S, the red felted wool ‘cloud’ top with matching angular shorts, size M (2)

The Sandy Schreier Collection
Estimate: £500 – £800

Price Points: Ethical underwear

I read somewhere that the British wear their underwear the longest. Not that it doesn’t get washed between each time it’s put on, just that they don’t throw them away for brand-new ones as often as other nationalities.

In many ways, that’s a good thing; wear it until it’s worn out… make do and mend and all that. It’s been recommended that you throw away underwear after a year – I think that’s excessive and downright wasteful! So long as they’re washed properly – a hot cycle where possible and with the recommended amount of detergent – there should be a lot more life left in them than that.

When they’re actually coming to the end of their useful lifespan, consider replacing them with ethical underwear. They may be dearer than that bulk pack that costs a couple of quid for half a dozen, but a clear conscience is as important as clean bra & knickers.

There are a growing number of manufacturers and retailers that are putting sustainability, the environment and workers’ rights at the forefront of their business. We’ve picked three of them for this week’s Price Points feature.

As well as their green credentials, I also admire the fact that their models come in all shapes, sizes and complexions. And the photos aren’t airbrushed to remove cellulite, stretch marks and other ‘imperfections’. They’re ‘real’ women!

Lara hipster briefs (sizes 6-16): £20 & Ava non-wired bra (sizes A-GG): £48, Lara Intimates
Every Lara Bra is made in London by our team of 7 sewing machinists. Our fabrics are deadstock, and we recycle 100% of our fabric waste.
SilverTech™ Active Sports Bra and a pair of SilverTech™ Active Hipsters (sizes XS-XXL): £63.00, Organic Basics
…we put sustainable thinking at the center of everything – that means we only choose fabrics that care for our environment and we only ever partner with factories that care about their impact, too. When we say sustainability is our core mission we don’t mean that sustainability is nice to have – we mean that it’s the only way we act.
The High-Rise Bikini (sizes XXS-XL): £11.00 & The Bralette (sizes XXS-XL): £24.00, Everlane
Exceptional quality. Ethical factories. Radical transparency.
We believe our customers have a right to know how much their clothes cost to make. We reveal the true costs behind all of our products – from materials to labor to transportation – then offer  them to you, minus the traditional retail markup.

shop ethical underwear

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Prices & links correct at time of publication.

SilverTech™ Active Starter Pack
£63.00

Everlane high-rise bikini & bralette
£35.00