The Vintage Showroom

LIFE SAVING WAISTCOAT

Posted on May 31, 2016

James Watson Gieve took over the already flourishing Portsmouth based tailoring business in 1888 following the death of his father James Gieve. Over the next ten years the company became the primary supplier to Royal Navy officers of uniforms and accoutrements. One of the most interesting items we have come across in a while is this seemingly simple at first glance Royal Navy officers waistcoat. However J.W. Gieve infact first patented the design for this innovative invention in 1915. May we present “The Life Saving Waistcoat”.

SWEETHEART BRACELET

Posted on May 25, 2016

in ARCHIVE

by Douglas Gunn

This is a WW2 US Air Force sweetheart bracelet. Made from a solid silver 3" US navigation badge and a stamped link Albert chain this piece is a great example of the kind of customised military jewellery surrounding the conflict. Words James Tanner...

SOMEWHERE IN TIME

Posted on May 18, 2016

in ARCHIVE

by Douglas Gunn

Take a stroll in the clouds in the First Class luxury that was air travel in the 1960s with this BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) in-flight travel bag, complete with the original menus and holiday guide to Hong Kong.
Step into Wicker’s World, a world of glamorous stewardesses, Martini’s and duty free cigarettes, back to the nicotine stained golden age of Trans-Continental flying from London to Hong Kong, via Tehran.

MARCELLO!

Posted on May 5, 2016

in ARCHIVE

by Douglas Gunn

ITALIAN_COAT_TVS_BLOG_NS_OCT2015 - 1

This Aeronautica Militaire flight jacket displays all the pomp, flair and panache you would come to expect from an Italian Air Force pilot.

With it’s heavy Prada spec nylon body, a removable blue grey bomber jacket liner with real fur mouton collar and B-15 styling, Riri paper clip zips throughout, could this be more fashion?

FUTURE HUNTER GATHERER

Posted on April 24, 2016

in CONCEPT

by Douglas Gunn

Future-hunter-gatherers, these deconstructed denim-clad nomads and intergalactic tribes are from our latest capsule collection for Orta which will be shown in full at the Barcelona Denim Premiervision show on the 18th-19th of May.

The collection was designed by Douglas Gunn and Roy Luckett, taking reference from the extensive archive at The Vintage Showroom. Rare utilitarian and military garments were reinterpreted using Orta fabrics in Istanbul. The garments were then washed and treated at Everest Textile Technologies in Italy.

Photo shoot starring: Assa, Eloise, Adam and Noah (NII agency)
Photographer – Nic Shonfeld, assistant – Lovisa Ranta, stylist – Harris Elliot, styling assistant – Mimi Fresh, hair – Johnny Russell, MUA – Riona O’Sullivan, Headreses – Polly Playford, Creative Direction – The Vintage Showroom.

With special thanks to Alberto Solito and all the team from Everest for all their help and support in realising our ideas in their beautiful treatments and washes for the collection.

AMSTERDAM DENIM DAYS

Posted on April 21, 2016

in PRESS

by Douglas Gunn

Amsterdam Denim Days were busy last week with Kingpins and Blueprint both pumping with an increase in traffic over previous seasons. The show is gaining momentum and expanding as a B2b hub for seminars and industry insights. This season we had stands at both Kingpins and Blueprint events, plus our one and only Mr Gunn did a talk about how the Vintage Showroom book “changed humanity”, nonetheless.

KWISATZ HADERACH

Posted on April 15, 2016

in ARCHIVE

by Douglas Gunn

One of the pieces from our last book which we found fascinating was this (relatively contemporary compared to much of our collection) divers shirt. We felt it channeled the stillsuits worn by Frank Herberts fictional Fremen from his epic Dune novels. Worn below by Kyle MacLachlan playing Paul Atreides in David Lynch’s much derided film Dune.

DEAR JOHNNY-LETTERS HOME FROM SWEDEN 1977

Posted on September 8, 2015

in CONCEPT, PHOTOGRAPHS, REFERENCE

by Douglas Gunn

JOHN_LYDON_SWEDEN_TOUR-9629-3

Credit where credit is due, it’s down to the beady eyes of Dave Carroll from La Rocka, who spotted the striking similarity of this mid-century American tux with one worn by John Lydon on the Sex Pistols 1977 Swedish tour. Both jackets are cut from a yellow silk damask fabric with black silk revers, and turn back cuffs. Lydon’s undoubtedly an original 50s one also, has been modified by being crudely cropped in half, turning it into an almost razored bolero.

WORN

Posted on April 2, 2015

in ARCHIVE, RECOMMENDED VIEWING, SHOP

by Douglas Gunn

worncrop

Welcome to Worn our new collaboration with trend forecasters and denim gurus Sue Barrett and Katy Rutherford. Exploring global street style-trends and the vintage garments that inspire them.

A SCENE IN BETWEEN – KURSAAL SHOES

Posted on March 15, 2015

in ARCHIVE

by Douglas Gunn

NS_IMG_3730_L

A book charting the intricacies of 1980s Indie fashions and a German word with roots in Southend-on-Sea, sounds strange, intriguing, even obscure, but there is a connection. The book, A Scene In Between by Sam Knee, sheds light on the often overlooked scene in-between scenes, that bridged the gap between post-Punk and the acid house of the late 80s, and whose style reverberations are still felt today, and constantly referenced by the style cognoscenti.

SHOP

SHOWROOM