Anto Shirts.

Colourways in every direction and an archive of patterns which includes former presidents, members of the Rat Pack and any actor you care to mention.

I had two spearpoint collar shirts made to measure in four days.

A great LA experience, Anto has been in business since 1955.

I was interested to see this article at Flavorwire magazine - 'costume test photo's'.

Fitting photo's are a vital part of our process but it is unusual to see them published. There is a big element of trust involved in the rehearsal period, the photo's being quite intimate because the actors generally aren't wearing any make-up and the costumes usually have pins and visible markings for alterations and whatnot. 

They are most definitely not for sharing. 

Maybe there is a thirty year rule or something! 

Anyway, in these old studio photographs I particularly like the blackboards and the small details in the notes; the real names, costumer credits, black and white or colour tick-box options, the scenes for each costume all plotted in advance. They don't appear to be expecting much to happen organically throughout filming whereas I'm used to lots of costumes filtering onto the truck throughout the schedule and I am open to new ideas from cast throughout. Even when the costumes all have to be made it's not the norm to have them all ready before we shoot, the workroom will be busy making most of the way through.
They reek of a slower pace of life.

It's quite amazing to see technology change so fast. I used to be sent out to Snappy Snaps with a roll of film to get prints developed and then go to use a public phone box so I could let the designer know how long it was going to take.  Around that time I can remember saying to Phoebe de Gaye that one day I would be able to sample for her and send pictures from my mobile phone back to her in the office, saving me the journey from the West End to Angels so she could make a decision and then for me to go back to town to buy the items. It seemed like a sci-fi vision at the time and, believe me, it wasn't very long ago.

Nat Turner and I visited three costume houses in Paris last week. It meant charging round at a crazy pace because we did it all in one day, rather ambitious, but we managed to spend enough time at each stop to get the gist of what's available over there for our date, 1912.
I was particularly keen to visit Catherine in Aram as I'd seen some of her stock before but had never visited the house. Her collection of original garments in often pristine condition was as good as I had hoped.
I suppose we are rather spoiled in what we do, items in the costume houses can be museum quality and we would be required to handle them wearing white cotton gloves should we be researching in an institution yet in our day to day work we regularly handle incredible pieces of original clothing, getting right inside and examining the details of the make. It's great practice to maintain a fresh eye for detail, as well as good fun.

Often the stuff just sitting around on shelves is enough to get me excited - Catherine's collection of shoe samples, still on the lasts, was fascinating.

By the way, Nat has just started his own blog - Costumology, worth checking out.

Two more from WiganWorld.

When I bought my first AppleMac I did it in order to jump onto the 'Information Superhighway' as it was called at the time.
The constant exchange of images and information that has unfolded since is incredible and for me, in costume terms, the most fascinating is usually the everyday, the mundane.
When I look at old family photographs of my own it's often a small domestic detail that arouses the most emotion; the curtains we had in the old house or the trousers my grandmother wore to cover her swollen, rheumatoid knees at a time when few women her age wore anything but skirts and dresses. These domestic, personal details which are not on show at a photographer's studio or a formal event are the notes we collect to aid and enrich the storytelling process of Costume Design.

A Tiny 1950's Bastille Day Costume

I recently borrowed some vintage fancy dress items from Shona Patterson.
This tiny Bastille Day costume was too small for our needs but I had to record it because it is so cute. The fit is for a two to three year old, and looks to me like it's from the fifties but that is pure guesswork. The hand finish adds to its charm. I think it was very lovingly made.

Season's Greetings

Very last-minute shopping?
1950's printed fabric for sale here and it's only $50.

1950's Printed Cotton Details

Dan River Western Shirt at Ragtop Vintage

At Spitalfields Market today I met Dave from Ragtop Vintage. Tucked quite deeply into his display was this wonderful western shirt, still with all it's original labels. It could look great inside a frame, it's a piece of art in itself, ace graphics and perfectly folded but someone surely will buy it to wear, that's it's purpose after all.

Dave also has a really good blog: here. I've just spent the last wee while rummaging around, loads of good detail shots to ponder.

Childrens Knitted Gloves

It's hard to believe it's been ten years since Katy and I spent all those months travelling around Europe sourcing and sampling things for Shelf. We did sell vintage items in the beginning and these kids gloves, found in a Barcelona flea market, were some of the items we brought back but were never able to part with. We talked about box frames and showcases but somehow they stayed in a box in the basement, just as they presumably always had. Now we've moved out of the shop premises they've popped up again, who knows, maybe now we'll find a way to display them as they deserve.
They are hard to date, some formal Spanish kids clothes, even nowadays, look like they belong in the sixties but my feeling is these are fifties.

Morreton Hats - Black and White Images.

Morreton Hats Cont.

Morreton Hats

Once again the blogging community and the internet have proved themselves to be things of great wonder.
Whilst I was in Japan I received an email from Charles-Henri Morreton regarding a previous post of mine and dialogue we had shared about the label I had found inside a Morreton hat.
My lack of knowledge of Morreton hats and their illustrators was addressed -

"It's funny because last week I made a book about MORRETON Hats' advertisements for me.

About the MORRETON firm, it was created in 1863 (in Chazelles-sur-Lyon, near Lyon - FRANCE) by my great grand father Jean MORRETON and the firm closed during my grand father's direction... 

So I never knew this firm :-(  I was born in 1981!

About your favourite label, I am not sure that was from Jean Desnos..."

The fantastic collection of artwork associated with the hats can be found here and to top off the correspondence, Charles-Henri very generously sent me a whole lot of images to blog.

More tomorrow.

Ohio Knitting Mills

A slight diversion from all things Japanese to mention Ohio Knitting Mills' Pop-Up Shop.
I've been a fan for a while now, recommended to me by print designer and good friend, Kathryn Dale.
So much of their original stock has gone but there are a few choice items left and are on sale here.

Cotton Lisle

lisle (līl)

noun

1. a fine, hard, extra-strong cotton thread
   
2.  in full, lisle thread
3. a fabric, or stockings, gloves, etc., knit or woven of lisle

Origin: after Lisle, earlier sp. of Lille, where orig. made.

More Socks/Labels C.1955

Label

New Find.

Labels

I would love to have enough time to record all the labels in the costumes, some of them are more beautiful than the garments they cling to. If they are hanging on by a mere thread they have been known to come home with me...