Precieux Magazine Issue 1

c r e a t e . l o g . t r e a s u r e

i n s i d e

my planner

‘time for tea’ cupcake recipe

‘a teen beat’ - model of the month Alicia wears our favouite 1990’s pieces.

we question to buy vintage online

something to make on a rainy day

a syle file - model crush

a little trend

little secrets

t h i s m o n t h

. . .

b l o g s

s h o p s

e x h i b i t i o n s

g i g s

n o t e s

The first issue of Precieux is

is brought to you.

It belongs to you.

Carry it with you everywhereyou go

.

Use it.

at all times.

Record your experiences.

Yummy littlethings to make

Black Forest CupcakesWe found this recipe for some gorgeous little cupcakes.

An easy recipe for you to try.

Ingredients1 (18.25-ounce) box devil’s food cake mix 1 1/3 cups black cherry soda 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine cake mix, soda, vegetable oil and eggs. Using a hand mixer combine all ingredients, batter will still be somewhat lumpy. Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake 19 to 22 minutes, turning the pans halfway through baking. Remove to a

rack and allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl combine frosting, extract and pink food coloring. When cupcakes are cool ice with pink cherry frosting and top each

with maraschino cherry.

1 container vanilla frosting 2 teaspoons cherry extract 1 to 2 drops pink food coloring 24 whole maraschino cherries with stems

NOW tweet a pic of your Cupcakes

i n t o t h i s p a g e

Alicia models our favourite pieces from the 1990’s. Styled and captured by Rosie Barnes

Alicia wears vintage Levi Strauss denim shorts. Over the knee socks, Topshop. Dr Martins.

Alicia wears Velvet polka

dot dress, Topshop. Girly lace

anckle socks,

American Apparel,

Black suede platforms,

ASOS.

Alicia wears oversized Levi’s jacket , vintage.

Pop colour leggins, Topshop. Casio watch.

Alicia wears vintage

dungarees, vintage lace bra,

black Dr Mar

Spray this page

with a scent of your choice.

As soon as you enter Attica you enter another world. Another era. A world of beauty and mystery all rolled into one. A world that simply cannot be described, photographed or portrayed on any fancy website. The first thing that you notice is the smell that ‘can’t quite put your finger on it’ smell. The distinct scent of fabric immersed in history. Then finally, my taste for curiosity is overwhelmingly strong. So strong it starts a little frenzy as though on a mission to discover.. Some vintage boutiques dismiss the idea to sell their stock online. The reasons are obvious: Primarily vintage is precious and shouldn’t be easy to find. Vintage shopping is a completely different mentality to an online purchase, and the majority of vintage sellers believe it should be kept that way. A partial online shopper myself, I can regrettably see the attraction: Simple, stress free and from the comfort of your own sofa. With over 51% of customers choosing to shop online over in-store it is easy to see why some vintage boutiques are keen to jump on the ever-growing online bandwagon. However, while the online market is flourishing how will it affect the humble vintage boutique such as Attica? Will people start to shop exclusively online for vintage and forget about its roots? Aren’t we forgetting that Vintage is meant to encourage Personally, the charm in vintage shopping feels somewhat diminished when I scroll down eBay to see hideous 1980’s gowns thrown on a mannequin, photographed and then captioned as ‘one offs’ - or worse - ‘individual’ pieces. Finding a glorious piece of period clothing takes a lot more determination and imagination than is depicted. The owners’ forte is to locate fashion collectables that cannot be replicated. I speak to Stephen Pierce, owner of Attica, a vintage emporium tucked away in Old George Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne. We discuss the thought process behind sourcing these pieces. He tells me how customers often underestimate how long it takes boutique owners to find stock...

“You get these

little fashions for instance, one particular kind of dress may be the

bees knees

and then nobody wants it anymore.

So when you’re buying you’ve gotta

take that into consideration.

Your not just buying anything because its ‘old’ – it has to be the right

“style“

Pierce has been in the industry for 28 years and over almost three decades has seen the likes of Pete Doherty, The New York Dolls and Florence and the Machine buying from the store. More often than not, they’re in town, fresh from a gig the night before. When asked to describe his customer type he declines. “No, because there is no customer. Some people come in to look at the furniture, some to look at the clothes.Pensioner’s, students,’ teenagers and everything in between”. Its this kind of customer base, this eclectic following, that no high street store could even begin to imitate. Yes, Vintage is a completely different ball game. Attica really is the epitome of a destination store, a ‘hidden treasure’ worth uncovering.

buy ornottobuyvintageonline.com

To

Vintage clothing is a term used to describe a selection of clothing presevered over time that was usually made before the mass production of the 1960’s or 70’s. As opposed to ‘retro’ items which can be anything from the 80’s onwards. Even a pair of jeans I’ve had in my wardrobe for five years I could rate a retro piece since fashion has changed so much over the last decade. Unfortunately, it is clear that not everyone understands what vintage is and what is not. More and more people are starting to wear vintage just because it is trendy to do so. I remember the days when searching in thrift shops was done simply because not everyone could afford new pieces. “Thrift boutiques” (as they are now called) are glamorising selling what is essentially just old stuff. These days just adding the word ‘vintage’ on the front of an online description automatically adds credibility and unfortunately another twenty pounds. People seem to be buying vintage even if it isn’t remotely flattering. This type of “vintage” buyer usually insists on mentioning the fact it’s “vintage” at any given moment. It has been said, that if you put a diverse set of bespoke designer furniture in a room together, no matter their colour, style or size they will just ‘go’. Arguing that such well-made furnishings are so well made they need no explanation. Shouldn’t this be the same for a vintage, and even fashion in general come to think of it? Its beauty goes without saying, whether it’s vintage or not.

Attica is one of many boutiques that decline to stock online, Starry Starry Night based in Glasgow is another – one of many who still believe in the traditional way of shopping. You could try Beyond Retro, a vintage giant in London, Brighton, Sweden and even online. They pride themselves on providing exclusive cultural nostalgia, with a rock and roll heart. On the other hand if you struggle to find the time to hunt down a ‘find’ Vintage Seekers is for you. Dedicated to an online audience, categorised in style, price and rarity to make the experience a little easier. You can find anything from watches to motorbikes on this website: The elite of online vintage.

One of my favourite online vintage stockists, Gary Pepper Vintage - alias Australian fashionista Nicole Warne - has been making waves through the fashion industry since 2009. The ball started rolling slowly but gathered momentum, gradually picking up followers as they blog, photograph and trade across the web. Gary Pepper Vintage specialise in exquisite pre-loved vintage pieces sourced primarily in Australia, from the central coast to Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney and even on a worldwide scale. With a powerful blog cult attached by its owner Nicole Warne which has handed her a large fan base currently of over 84 ,000 friends on Facebook alone. Owner and creative drive behind the business she explains,

“My blog is just as important as the stock i sell. It provides a clear insight into my life and helps my customers

relate to me not only on a personal level but also on how i dress and my sense of

style. I am confident every customer I’ve ever had is a reader and follower of

my blog”

Gorgeous back detailing, 1950’s prom dress

When I first bought a piece of Gary Pepper online (a polka dot 1950’s dress), my initial concerns were obvious. According to recent statistics, as a nation, UK women are half a stone heavier, two inches taller and increased a whole three shoe sizes. Truly a world away from the slight frame of a 1950’s pin up model, So I kept asking myself would it fit? As it turns out my experience was positive and surprisingly exciting. Not in the same way as finding that secret boutique but exhilarating none the less. Gary Pepper started to trade online via their Ebay shop. It would stay inactive for several weeks, sometimes months, until each carefully handpicked garment was found. It was a struggle to choose a piece, as I typically wanted each item more than the last. The selection of garments Nicole selects are absolutely exquisite in nature. Not one single dress was remotely similar or generic. Each item told a story. The bidding had begun, and as the prices rose so did my anticipation. Logging in every few hours to check my ‘watch list’, I will admit it slightly took over my life for a week. Hoping my last minute bid of £85 would be enough to seal the deal, fortunately it did. Ten days later my beautiful cross-back dress had arrived.

Looking back, buying from Gary Pepper via Ebay didn’t come without a bit of hard work. Maybe this is how the online sector replace physically rummaging for items in shops. By recreating the excitement through an online auction, it increases the exclusivity of the vintage stock Warne selects. Whether you’re a true vintage ambassador or not, it really is hard to dislike this brand. You can bid for a 1920’s peach silk beaded flapper dress on Ebay for £64.90, a pair of 1950’s topaz rhinestone emerald cut dangle earrings for £25.30, or a set of four Edwardian upholstered light oak dining chairs for £255. Vintage has become extremely accessible whether its from a boutique, online or even Ebay. Ebay never closes early on a Sunday and you can bid on something at midnight if you wish. As the accessibility of vintage is growing, will it ever fully replace seeing it in the flesh?Where people buy their vintage comes down to a matter of personal choice. However with the ever-growing online market it is clear to see why the boutique shops have to join the dot com way of life. If not now, in the future they may need to consider it. A matter of personal choice or a cultural change in the way people shop. Either way go root, rummage, explore and inspire people with your vintage collectables. Who knows what you will find out, or who you might meet. Along the way.

Nicole Warne, captured for Cornetto Summer Campaign.

Nicole models all of her own garments.

‘Lux Mundi’ Summer lookbook 2010.

Directions:Step One: Using fine-tooth metal saw, gently saw the bottom of

light bulb. Pull out the filaments.Step Two: Using a hand held drill place metal against some scrap

wood and poke two holes opposite from each other.Step Three: Lace thin wire through the holes and tie off at

desired length. Fill with lovely blooms.

crafty little things

who:

glue, tape, or clip a photo of yourself you dislike

date:

where:

who:

filef i l e

Friend, model and fashion junkie Chrystal

Holgate tells Precieux how it all began. As a

Fashion student and the face of ‘Henrietta

Ludgate’ she splits her time in the south of

the country, NYC and Paris collecting vintage

delights and frolicking with friends... Seem

ideal? This aside Chrystal tells us how she

misses her home comforts, her family and

friends. Underneath it all, a true northern

girl at heart.

Post dog walk. She whisks me into her remote country house in Lancashire. Chrystal still lives at home with her parents. The house is all sky high ceilings, and dark wood furniture. Surrounded by peaceful gardens and allotments, a world away from her hectic London activities. She pulls me through her door looking positively gleaming. Peaking underneath her leather jacket is the glimpse of a 1930’s peach lace dress coupled with a pair of Dr Martin’s boots. The coolest dog walking outfit I had ever laid eyes on. The twenty year old, in person is everything you would expect from a typical model. Incredibly tall, slender and entirely sleek in appearance. However her breezy, laid back flair when it comes to fashion teamed with her sweet modesty truly makes her one of a kind…

Q How did you get into modelling? Being at the right place at the right time. I started when I was 15 going round all the agencies but found no such luck. I then joined a small agency in London and did a very small catwalk show. There was an Agent in the audience who introduced me to a new agency... and it began from there really. It was never something I had my heart set on.

Q - What inspires you? Its sounds cliché but my Nana, she was always saying to me you should be a model. I wanted to be an actress, I didn’t really think about modelling until she had mentioned it. So yeah, suppose fashion has always played a major role in my life I was introduced to the fashion at an early age, my mother was always very well put together. Although I must say my friends are my inspiration too, without them it wouldn’t be worthwhile. One of the best things about going away on a job is coming back to my friends at home. Not a stiletto or catwalk in sight. The two extremes of my life keep me grounded.

Q What

is your favourite

place you have travelled for work?

It has to be Paris. It really is the most beautiful city in

the world. I am so grateful I get the chance to go there as part of

my job.

Q What is the best thing about your job? Meeting interesting people along the way, people you couldn’t even make up if you

tried! You see so many sights in this industry its surreal. And obviously doing a job that I

love that’s the most important thing.

Q Who is the most interesting person you have met whilst working? I have met many interesting people to many to mention. I have had the pleasure to meet many celebrities over the past few years, but it never really affected me although I thought it would. Up close they are just like anyone else. Ohhh I forgot (giggles) I have only ever been star stuck once and that was seeing Mr Big (Chris Noth) from Sex and the city. I felt like the luckiest

person in the world meeting him and being in NYC.

Q Who would be the best person to work for? I am the face of a luxury brand Henrietta Ludgate (HL) she is one of the most talented people I

have ever met. Her work inspires me as a model to represent the brand at its highest. I wouldn’t say there is anyone I would prefer to work with other

than Henrietta; I enjoy all of my experiences when working for her.

Q What do you do before a shoot?As a model its part of your job to keep well groomed however I am rather laid back when it comes to

preparing for a shoot…As long as I know the address of the shoot and wearing something comfortable and most importantly carrying a pair of

flat shoes they are a necessity when running around!

Q What advice would you give to any aspiring models?I would say like most people you ask it’s a tough industry. You have to have thick skin and a care free nature because there is always someone who wants to knock

you down. The good always makes up for the bad and if you have the potential then go for it.

Q What are the three things you wouldn’t be able to live with out?That’s a hard question! My family and friends are number one food is

definitely number two and finally I have to say handbags. Q Who

is your style icon?

I don’t really have a style icon… I like to

mix my style up because I get bored wearing trends

everyone else is in fashion. I think it’s important to develop and experiment

with your style as much as you can. But if I had to choose someone I would definitely say

Audrey Hepburn.

Q What has been the best bit of fashion advice that you have been given?

It would say be never be afraid to try something unusual because when it comes to trend everything had to start somewhere.

collect fruit stickers

Trend;denim, studs, lace, bralet, pastel,

frays, kind of thing.

Until next time..love and other things

xx