Debutante Clothing :: The Deblog :: A vintage clothing and fashion blog for unconventional style where vintage, street and runway meet.

As a writer, it's always a little frustrating to see so few Latino surnames on the mastheads. Especially in fashion. But at the Oscars of fashion, CFDA award winners at included two!

Francisco Costa won Womesnswear Designer Of the Year and Candy Pratts Price (whom I never even knew was Puerto Rican) won the Eugenia Sheppard Award, presented by her boss lady, Anna Wintour.

I'm really not trying to play the race card, but as a Hispanic woman, I feel overwhelming joy when I see a Hispanic win such high accolades. It makes me feel like doors aren't as closed as they once were. But then again, the fashion world has always been much more open to anything.

Photos: Sherly Rabbani and Josephine Solimene, Style.com

Today, Yoox.com launches its newest vintage installation. Yoox traces the history of the maison Christian Dior with a selection of Vintage clothing and accessories. Through July, you'll get to feast your eyes on a carefully selected collection, curated but none other than Holly Brubach, a woman that I thank my writing instructor Sally de Lourenco for introducing me to her work.

Holly Brubach is a talented writer who has the keen ability to write prose about couture but in such a sassy and entertaining manner that non New Yorker socialites like me can appreciate. She curated the last vintage sale which featured vintage Chanel pieces, which incidentally flew off the virtual shelf.

"The limited time YOOX.COM Christian Dior Vintage Sale will feature a selection of hard-to-find signature styles and classic everyday treasures. With the expertise of Holly Brubach, renowned fashion critic and creative consultant for YOOX.COM, items were collected from a variety of sources such as estate sales, private collections and auctions from prestigious houses like Christie's New York. Pieces that were once hidden in one corner of the world, will now be available to anyone with internet access."

I just heard that Yves Saint Laurent has died at the age of 71 in Paris. A 20th century fashion legend, his talent and vision will be surely missed. Rest in peace Mr. Saint Laurent.

This video seems appropriê.

source: BBC

When I'm not searching for and writing about vintage, I'm flipping through fashion magazines and reading fashion blogs and waxing poetic on beautiful things that excite me.

I was able to share my love for Stop Staring! with the uber high fashion blogzine, JC Report. Check out my article on the flip side of my double fashion life.

That Crosby Noricks of PR Couture -- she knows all the cool people. Go check out her interview with Stephanie J of NEET magazine and get your vintage, indie, crafty, style fix.

Back in November, I blogged about the announcement that John Varvatos would be using the closed down CBGB location as his newest boutique. Well, he has moved in, and brought all of his devil's music accoutrements with him!

The store front was given to Varvatos completely empty, but the graffitied walls plastered with stickers and posters and the theatrical lighting on ceiling remain. Varvatos wanted to leave the history, the memories and the artifacts proving that rock and roll once lived in his new home. "Walking around the Varvatos space at 315 Bowery just confirmed for me that energy doesn't disappear, it only gets transformed, you can feel it - all over the place!" said Arturo Vega, the Ramones Creative Director, who has lived around the corner from the club since 1973.

Alongside his exquisite clothing-styles that even good old punk rock boys wouldn't turn their nose up at-are vintage leather jackets, jeans and rock T-shirts carefully picked by What Comes Around Goes Around.

Varvatos says, "As CBGB's was a unique arena for the music scene, this store will be the same for fashion and rock & roll. They have always been intertwined and here they will live together!"

Photos: Business Wire

Wow. I don't post for a couple days and mainstream media, specifically newspapers, are all talking about vintage! Yippee. Someone's getting it.

The New York Times interviewed her vintage highness, Dita Von Teese. She spills on burlesque, her divorce and why she got in trouble with PETA!

Meanwhile, the LA Times reports that one of my favorite vintage enthusiasts, Liz Goldwyn, is curating a vintage collection of hats and sweater clips for Opening Ceremony. I bought Liz's book "Pretty Things". You can tell how much time and devotion she put into that book. Just looking at the pretty pink cover and embossed gold lettering makes me happy.

Also in the LA Times, a photo editorial on shoes! From the 1920s to the 1980s. Vintage Fashion Guild member, author and (my guess) a tad bit of a shoe fetishist, Jonathan Walford shares some of his prized treasures in this great visual timeline. Be sure to check out Jonathan's book, The Seductive Shoe: Four Centuries of Fashion Footwear.

The good thing is that more this could lead more fashionistas into the wonderful world of vintage, which is just good for eye candy. The bad thing is that more fashionistas will be wearing vintage, which means less for me.

Enjoy the links!

Finally! A reason to shop at Walmart. The last time I went to a Walmart, I was scared off by a man who, in the middle of the pot and pans aisle, screamed "Don't be fucking disrespecting me. That why I don't like going anywhere with you."

So the only way I would step foot in a Walmart would be for such an amazing event like Norma Kamali. According to WWD, Kamali will create a collection of women's and children's wear, shoes, accessories, and home decor!

"My life dream has been to promote self-esteem for women and wellness for the entire family," Kamali said. "Now I have the opportunity with Wal-Mart to create products that combine my design experiences with great value and innovative ideas to fulfill this dream. Through the Wal-Mart stores and Web site I can reach more people and affect more lives than in any other venue," said Norma Kamali.

I am especially looking forward to the footwear, especially after being obliterated in the bidding war for a pair of vintage 80s Norma Kamali flats.

photo from WWD.com

Last year a popular exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art renewed interest in the French couturier Paul Poiret, interest that is likely to continue on Feb. 14 with a sale of his original clothing designs in Paris.

Now Poiret's grandchildren have consigned 124 of his designs and some paintings to Beaussant-Lefèvre, an auction house that uses the Drouot premises. The clothes belonged to Denise Boulet-Poiret, Poiret's handsome wife, who can be seen wearing them in period photos in the catalog.

Apparel News reported the Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attended the Los Angeles Fashion Market this week along with his daughter and her friend.

Mayor Villaraigosa has been showing up at quite a few fashion events including the Eduardo Lucero Box Eight fashion show at Vibianas. I stared like a star struck teenager. I guess his body guard took pity on me and offered to take a picture. I rarely get star struck, but the man is charismatic. Lots of LA model types flocked to get a picture with him.

I won't comment on his personal home life because frankly, that's his business. But I am glad he is brining some attention to Downtown LA and Los Angeles fashion. The LA fashion scene needs to be recognized as a viable business contender and maybe the Mayor's presence will garner some media attention to the fashion business in LA because the celebrity angle can only go so far.

Fashion Week Daily - Parties - L.A. Confidential

What do you get when you cross NY style, LA art & fashion and Phyllis Diller? The February issue of Paper Magazine!

M.A.C and Levi's are sponsoring the one week long event in Los Angeles that will include a mix of local fashion, art, film, music, and photography plus top brands like Collete and Opening Ceremony.

My curiosity is totally piqued by the Phyllis Diller art show curated by Cameron Silver. I can't get rid of the mental image of some sort of installation made entirely of platinum wigs.

Jane Magazine, a long time favorite of the smart, style savvy girls, is folding. What does a smart girl have to do to get her mental and eye candy fix around here?

Conde Nast states that "we have come to believe that the magazine and website will not fulfill our long-term business expectations".

Does this mean they weren't selling enough ads, crappy celebrities weren't endorsing the magazine? I mean really, what other Conde Nast magazine has the bit of edge that Jane had? There is a HUGE gap between Vogue and Glamour that Elle and Lucky cannot fill.