Raid my closet... round 2
I am sick with a disease called…Collector-itis, and as much as I try, it seems to be incurable.
Last year, I did a massive vintage sale with Arcade Vintage when I officially let go of Los Angeles. However, I still have a climate controlled storage space full of a clothing collection that I told Richard, the owner of Arcade, he would have to pry out of my cold dead hands.
During a visit to my unit last Fall, Richard tried convincing me to let him have several of the pieces hanging on two full garment racks dedicated solely to “vintage coats, 1920s-2010s” because “you’ll never wear that 1920s Art Deco suede coat or a 1970s pink Mongolian lamb Yves Saint Laurent in Hawaii, c’mon Liz!” But I know deep in my heart that I am not quite ready to let go of the dream of wearing them again on a winter day in… one never knows…Berlin or Stockholm?
Somehow, the pressure he’s applied over the last six months has worn me down to the point where I’ve agreed to let go of roughly 160 more treasured items.
We are talking MAJOR MAJOR pieces that I can’t reveal just yet, but to give you an idea of the level of what I am parting with… yesterday I told Richard he could have a version of an coat Catherine Deneuve wore in Luis Buñuel’s 1967 film classic Belle de Jour, where her costumes were designed by Yves Saint Laurent, himself.
One of my first jobs in Hollywood, when I was a teenager on summer break from high school, was as an assistant to the costume department on Black Sheep starring Chris Farley and David Spade, directed by Penelope Spheeris. We were working out of the Edith Head building on the Paramount lot, and I would have dreams of the way they organized the wardrobe, then kept in the studio archive.* Imagine rows and rows of clear plastic boxes labeled 1910 black button up Ladies boots, size 7, size 8, size 8 1/2… and so on. My archive isn’t quite at that level of labeling perfection, but I have done a good job of keeping things well preserved, what with all the training I did at Sotheby’s back in the day.
*Aaron Spelling, father of Tori would later purchase most of the wardrobe from the Edith Head building for his own productions. Hollywood did a terrible job of archiving costumes outside of individual efforts like the late, great Debbie Reynolds, and more recently, The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Even my own grandfather, who brought Coco Chanel to Hollywood to make wardrobe for his stars back in the 1930s, didn’t hold onto the pieces she designed!
So, possibly against my better judgement, (but also, because I am collecting even MORE for my preppy eccentric anti-fascist Summer/Fall 2025 look and need to balance the karma of acquiring,) I am having a ROUND 2 archive sale LIVE in Los Angeles next week! It will be held at Arcade Vintage Downtown LA at the ROW. We will also offer a selection of items online. Lest you fear that prices will be sky high— while there are indeed rarities, we have a number of pieces under $100.
STARF⭐️CKER subscribers get access to an invite only/ in person preview on May 22 from 7-9 pm and first dibs to shop the sale.
AND….I will be doing a LIVE conversation with the fabulous Chelsea Fairless and Lauren Garroni of Every Outfit Podcast onsite at 6:30 pm, May 22nd. RSVP is required as space is limited. If you want to attend, use this link »»»»
Ps. Last time the vintage lingerie went FAST, so if you’re looking to score in that department, get there early.
See you soon!
xoxo Liz
It's All About Timing
My grandad was responsible for the first appearance of haute couture in cinema and was the only mogul put a famous fashion designer, Coco Chanel, under contract. But like many of my grandfather’s expensive tastes for “high brow” fashion, literature and art, it was a bit ahead of the curve. Grandpa Sam was always surrounding himself with artistic and int…
On The Lot At Paramount
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Speaking of coats— the red/green trench coat that was your mom’s?? 😍😍love! Can I just send you my address? 😊
Yes! We loved the last sale. While I didn’t leave with anything, it was a pleasure viewing your fabulous collection. I pray there is a nonsensical coat for me to get my paws on.