Party Piece

Last Thursday Vintage Academe toasted the start of summer with fabulous party in our new store on Ledbury Road.
Notting Hill based fine jeweller, Lauren Adriana ,whose historically inspired pieces are the perfect accompaniment to a VA dress co-hosted the event.
Fashion press, designers, friends and Notting Hill locals gathered on the hottest evening of the year so far to drink Camitz Sparkling Vodka cocktails, nibble on Sobo brownies and chat fashion.
The drinks were strong, the flowers were beautiful (with thanks to the genius Cemal of the Notting Hill florists Phillo Flowers), and the crowd was very well dressed.
We would love to thank all our sponsors who made our goody bag so full of goodies - Retrouvius, Miller Harris, Camitz Vodka, Space NK, Jeeves Dry Cleaners, Total Wardrobe Care, Raoul’s Cafe Notting Hill, Sobo Cookies and Brownies, Michaeljohn Hair and Beauty, The Escape Spa at The Chelsea Club.

Read the review on Wonderland's Blog.


The first guest arrives.


Founder Clare attends to the finishing touches.





The clothes.



The jewellery.



The flowers.



The canapes!

Party People

Sir Paul Smith browsing through the VA rails with Lauren Adriana in VA's vintage Jean Muir gown.



Lotte Andersen and Verity Pemberton, Temperly Online.



Clare in vintage haute couture Balenciaga and Jessica in an early 1960s prom dress.



Emily and Henry from Wolf and Badger boutique, Ledbury Road.



Jo Gowans, writer for Libery online and Clare Bickford-Smith, Selfridges PR.



Kessy Thorley in vintage Mugler jacket, and Dan Bradman.



Mary Fellows, Turkish Vogue puts on her sunnies for the camera flash.



Julia Dee and Anne-Marie Pumfrey, Designer Alterations.

Party People 2

Fashion Designer Anna Popovich strikes a pose in her one of her own designs.



Celia Weimstock, fine jeweller and Nick Briggs from The Mayer Gallery.



Photographer Carole Latimer and the girls from West London magazine Matchbox.



The Christies Crew.



VA Founder Clare Nicholls and Toby Mott.



Clare and Sophie Cobbold, PR for Lulu Guinness.



Clare Rose, V&A.



Cocktail Girls!



Coco De Mer ladies steal the show.



Cocktails and shopping!



Kate Worthington,Timeout Magazine, Jessica Hannan, Clare Nicholls.

Bring in the Clowns

This week at the VA shop, we have a circus themed window. The centre piece is a beautiful 1970s Bill Gibb kaftan, with a design based on a clown suit.



It's also the season for Hydrangeas!

Let's Talk About Sex

Yes thats right, VA makes it's Timeout debute in The SEX Issue... Grab a copy today, and turn to page 26 to see VA's new Notting Hill store described as an 'Old World Boutique', where 'the fashion is phenomenal'....

VA are having a Party!

Email - press@vintageacademe.com for details..

Im - Press - ed

VA are in the news this week...

Thanks to Queensofvintage.com for featuring VA's Jess, and her jewellery designer mate, Lauren Adriana, deciding what to wear to the incredible Grace Kelly Party last Thursday at the V&A.

Also... We Love Candy! - as in Daily Candy, the holy grail of fashion press, who reviewed our new store yesterday.
More on it's way.....

VA in WONDERLAND

Thankyou to the lovely people at Wonderland Magazine for putting the new VA store and shopgirl on their website this week....

http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?p=10279
http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?p=10279

http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?p=10279
http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?p=10279

http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?p=10279
http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/blog/?p=10279

Sign of The Times

We have signs! They are beautiful!

Our Love Affair with Elizabeth Taylor....

Whoops! Our florist at One.Two.Five Ledbury had misread this week's order. Blue hyacinths. Yes, flowers do come in colours other than white. Apparently... The colour immediately inspired us to create a humble hommage to one of the greatest Hollywood stars of all, Dame Elizabeth Taylor. The books are opened on pages with violet hues, our favourite jewels are on display and of course, our inspiration takes centre stage.

A lady who wore a diamond tiara while swimming, would let strangers come up and stroke the diamonds she was wearing and who said of Bush “I don't think President Bush is doing anything at all about Aids. In fact, I'm not sure he even knows how to spell Aids.”

Elizabeth Taylor, we love you.

Playing Shop

The disappointing spring weather will not dampen our enthusiasm here at VA. Especially as we have our beautiful new shop at 125 Ledbury Road in Notting Hill...

A Room of One's Own

Vintage Academe has spent the last eighteen months as fashion's most exquisite vagrant. We have inhabited sun-drenched warehouses in Battersea, sung for our supper at the V&A, liaised in anonymous hotel suites and private members clubs across the city.... After a tiresome but thrilling journey, we are pleased to announce that VA finally has A Room of One's Own.

That room, painted a chic shade of grey, is tucked away in Notting Hill at 125 Ledbury Road. ( Up the road from Matches if you must ask).

We have rails. We have our first bouquet of ‘good luck’ roses, and we have a promise of an opening date – Saturday the 27th of March.

Please keep an eye on the blog this week, as we might be able to open sooner, but at the moment, this is the date to save. Now please excuse us, we have furniture to shop for.

From Russia with Love

As one of the world's most powerful supermodels, Natalia Vodianova can wear any designer she wishes. So it is a testiment to her innate style and good taste, that for the 2009, British Fashion Awards, and The Met Ball she chose to showcase her exquisite collection of Fortuny gowns.
Another famous Fortuny fan was Clarisse Coudert - Mrs. Condé Nast, here is a beautful picure of her wearing one of the famous tea gowns, circa 1917.

VA Masterclasses at Topshop

We've just completed the second of the two Masterclasses at Topshop. Our curator Judith Watt came up trumps with her typically entertaining and hands-on style. Quite literally. To our amazement, our founder seemed surprisingly relaxed when Judith invited the audience to lean over the display barrier and feel the 1920s Chanel cocktail dress on display. Perhaps the shock set in later...

Big thanks to all the team at Topshop - you have been a dream to work with and your enthusiasm for VA has been fantastic!

For those who missed the talks, the display will continue throughout Fashion Week, at Topshop, Oxford Circus. But it is just for looking only now, sorry!

VA Private Collection Display at Topshop for LFW

Some of the pieces of our Private Collection on display in Topshop during London Fashion Week.

Display includes 1920s Patou and Chanel; 1930s Shciaparelli, Mainbocher and Pacquin; 1970s Paco Rabanne and Ossie Clark; 1980s Alaia.

Pop down to Topshop this week to see these fantastic pieces of fashion history in the flesh. You might even see Philip Green admiring them - we have it on good authority that he's a big fan!

Topshop, Oxford Circus, Lower Ground Floor.

VA now on Twitter

Stay up to date with all things VA, as we have now joined the cultural revolution that is Twitter.

Follow us at: http://twitter.com/vintageacademe