So, you think vintage doesn’t work for you…
Standing in William Banks-blaney’s bijou vintage boutique in Marylebone, I find I really want to be one of those women who can slip on a little black Balenciaga dress from the late Fifties and not feel as though I’m wearing costume. I’d love to be able to do a Dame Natalie Massenet (a regular customer) and fling on a Sixties Oscar de la Renta ball gown while I’m hunkering down in Capri, or tuck (actually half tuck, it’s 2017) one of Gianni Versace’s original baroque print silk shirts into my trusty Current Elliott corduroy kick flares.
But I’m not. Vintage doesn’t work for me. I don’t have time to burrow through racks of tired frocks seeking that one-off treasure, even if that’s how you discover fabulous couture pieces for a fraction of the original price. I’m too small for many of the styles. Too big for others. Too pragmatic to be fussing around in the mornings trying on a variety of “options”. I’ve got my easy-to-pack uniform and I’m happy with it.
Then again, listening to Banks-blaney passionately talk me through the rails of original Versace that he has been collecting for the past year, ready to launch it online to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Versace’s death, is making me rethink.
“The construction is quite mind-blowing – the panelling, the cutting in of the waist and the fantastic sharp sleeves, beautifully panelled to the rib cage. It’s really opulent and beautifully made. But what I love is how unapologetic it is. There’s so much fashion that feels as though it’s a cathedral that’s meant to be worshipped at, but there’s nothing pompous about Versace. He could also do really simple, chic dresses too. He loved Italian Sixties couture.” To be honest, I was
never a Versace kind of woman. But Banks-blaney’s argument that you can breathe new purpose into old clothes presents an irresistible challenge. Also, this collection will all be available at a simple click, since he’s selling it on farfetch.com, a high fashion website that has been building its vintage platform. The collaboration was brokered by Dame Natalie, now Farfetch co-chairman. “I really liked the prospect of giving vintage more oxygen on a global, dynamic platform,” says Banks-blaney.
Clearly there’s a romance in finding a fresh way to wear a piece that may have belonged to someone with completely different style, that’s lacking in the mass-produced high street transaction. But will I take the plunge? “The main thing is not to be scared,” says Banksblaney. “People get nervous around strong vintage pieces, especially if they’re iconic. If you see something that you love, remember you can have the most bright, vibrant, jacket and wear it with jeans. Dress it up, dress it down. Don’t picture everything with a pair of heels.”
He doesn’t only stock Versace. When I visit, in addition to the Balenciaga and Clarke, there’s Pucci, Cardin, Halston… This jewel of a shop has become a destination for international connoisseurs. He’s picky as well as erudite. “Our pieces are in amazing condition. We spend more on cleaning and restoration process than we do on renting the shop.”