Using Vintage Fabrics in Fashion

In the last few years there has been an increased interest worldwide in repurposing and upcycling fabrics and related elements. Recently, Ralph Lauren announced he would partner with Re-Verso, a textile production company in Italy to recycle pre-owned cashmere. (Robb Report, January 30, 2023, by Demetrius Simms).  

In 2021 Emma Watson wore a stunning gown created by British-American designer Harris Reed for his Found collection. The gown was made of upcycled wedding dresses from a local vintage shop.  (Photo 1 by Neil Mockford/Filmagic; Photo 2 by Karwai Tang). I like the contrast of the frothy white base of the gown with the heavy trim near the neckline and the way the stylist “toughened up” the gown by pairing it with black trousers and boots.

Above is a photo taken by Trish Lyon Allen for her blog about her collection of 18^th century fabric, clothes, and shoes as well as her home, garden, and design. She was a constant virtual companion to me each morning while indulging in coffee and a croissant at a café in Downtown Houston; a transition between a run in the park and starting my day.  It is utterly fascinating to me to see fabric and clothing from centuries ago. Her use of vintage linens in her décor is inspiring as are her photographs.

Emily Adams Bode Aujla creates men’s clothing using antique textiles, including quilts. My first notice of her work was a photograph of a California surfer in a shirt and shorts made of a vintage quilt. I doubt he wore this work of art in the surf! On her website for Bode, it is noted her work “…reinvigorate(s) American menswear through the art of storytelling and preservation.” Emily Adams Bode Ajula has received numerous awards in the past several years including the CFDA Menswear designer of the year in 2022 and 2021. She is creating a line for women she calls “The Crane Estate,” so we should soon be able to see it on the website. Especially fascinating and memorable is her core idea of the stories the fabrics hold inside them. Writing about this as “the art of storytelling” gives me the impression she respects where and what the textile has been in the past and then, she may hand tailor the textile to tell a new story for the current wearer. Being a person with a passion for old fabrics and passementerie I find this particularly moving.

I keep a running list in my journal of things to look for when an opportunity to visit vintage shops arises. The list provides points of focus and adds a sense of purpose. This doesn’t mean other things not on the list could not attract attention and possible purchase. For several months I collected vintage handkerchiefs. They can often be had for a few dollars each. My search parameters specified the handkerchief must be a shade of white, including ivory and ecru; handkerchiefs with lace or embroidery and those with embroidered initials were especially desirable. The first photo is one of my favorites and a candidate for framing. The design is trapunto; “…from the Italian for ‘to quilt,’…at least two layers, the underside of which is slit and padded, producing a raised surface.” (en.m.wikipedia.org). The second handkerchief has a delicate pale blue and white hand crocheted border and might have been carried by a bride.

I began with the idea of making a quilt from vintage handkerchiefs. The handkerchiefs were delicate, so sewing them to a vintage damask tablecloth provided a solid base of a similar color. Seed pearls from a broken necklace were added using a beading needle. Another square was embellished with a hand crocheted border accented with vintage silver sequins.

The idea of making a quilt was replaced by another of cutting the ornamented fabric in half and framing each panel. One day while rummaging through my fabric cabinet I pulled out the panels and was reminded of the fun had in collecting and hand sewing the pieces together.

At about the same time I saw a photo of a Dior skirt made of what looked like panels of lace gathered over a pannier.

This provided the inspiration for a gathered waist skirt with a grosgrain ribbon belt.

The hem is double top stitched. The skirt is fascinating to look at as there are a myriad of little details on the face of it.

This piece began as a full-length vintage silk slip. Thinking a camisole would be of greater use, I cut off the bottom portion, added satin ribbon to the hem, and replaced the fragile straps with the same satin ribbon.

Here is an old suit jacket of mine in the process of being restyled. I replaced the black plastic buttons with vintage bone buttons and am adding some Swiss made vintage ribbon to the collar and possibly the pocket fronts!

Take a look inside your closet and slow down in vintage shops. You never know what you may find. Happy Upcycling/Restyling!