Designer Desire: Malcolm Starr

Malcolm Starr was born to be a somebody in fashion. His mother, Claire was a costume designer. His father, Frank Starr, was a well-known figure in the New York textile industry who, in the 1940s, founded the Malcolm Starr clothing company located at 530 Seventh Avenue in Manhattan’s garment district. When Starr senior died in 1969, Malcolm took over the business.

Some of the designer names associated with the Starr label include Bill Tice, Youssef Rizkallah, Elinor (Rizkallah) Simmons, Gino Charles and Carol Horn.

Elinor Simmons was a designer at the company from the early 1960s up to 1972. Youssef Rizkallah joined Starr in 1969, working there until 1975. Carol Horn was at the label during the early years of the 70s.

Those aren’t the only branches in the Starr fashion family tree. In 1966, Starr partnered with Teal Traina to form Gino Charles (a combination of the two men’s middle names). This line was designed by Alan Phillips.

There’s an iconic photograph of the model, Veruschka in 1965 wearing an eye-catching lime green Malcolm Starr maxi dress.

The fashion house continued to operate until 1976 when Starr sold it for a reported 7 million dollars.

In March 2008, Starr passed away following a fall at his Connecticut home; he was 84.

Vintage Malcolm Starr pieces are readily available online and at auction, especially in the USA. Try 1stDibs, eBay and Etsy.

Image credits:
1stDibs | Live Auctioneers

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

Designer Desire: Yinka Ilori

Here’s an uplifting riot of colour to brighten your mood! It’s all brought to you courtesy of the British Nigerian artist and designer, Yinka Ilori.

He has collaborated widely – on outdoor public art, indoor décor, fashion, sport and homeware projects; working with numerous partners including Meta, The Conran Shop, Selfridges the V&A, the Red Cross and Lick. He’s been very busy of late.

Ilori is currently the official Artist in Residence for Heart of Hale, a new mixed use property project in London. During his residency, he’ll create a range of designs from permanent street furniture to temporary wall art. He has an upcoming exhibition at the Design Museum in summer 2022. A range of Fitflop footwear decorated with his signature designs is being launched in the summer. He received an MBE in 2021.

Shop his work on his web shop and check out more of his eye-popping work on his Insta.

(Nigeria) influences my work through my colour palette, my love of patterns and traditional Nigerian embellishments. It also influences my work through my use of traditional Nigerian folklore, which turns into words of wisdom that’s embedded within my design. My British heritage is also mixed in with my use of minimalistic lines and silhouettes, which is then mixed with my very loud and expressive use of colour, which comes from my Nigerian heritage. There’s a mixture of different influences that shaped me and made me the designer I am today. _{via Luxury London}

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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.

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Tag: fashion