Where to Go to Shop in 2012
I have been buying vintage clothing for textiles and inspiration since I was 10 years old, so anywhere I go I try to find a thrift shop or vintage shop. I just love it. I remember filming a movie as the costume designer in 1995 in Pennsylvania and drove from Pittsburgh to Niagara Falls just to find vintage trinkets!
My favorite place to shop for vintage is still Los Angeles. There’s a great store called Golyester; the owner, Esther, has a great eye for textiles and fun vintage, so I always find a new treasure or learn something from her.
Another great place is The Way We Wore, where I found some great Victorian cotton dresses for either vacationing in the country or the beach. The owner also sells her things on 1stdibs.com and has great finds.
London is also wonderful for all things old. I love Gallery 25 on Pimlico Road for 20th-century antiques — mostly Italian objects. My favorite find was a pair of Murano glass chandeliers from 1920 in pale cream. Also, Gordon Watson is a top-end dealer in wonderful 20th-century antiques. Gordon has mostly signed Italian antiques and these are getting more and more rare.
In Paris you can find great housewares with a fantastic range of quality and price points. I love to shop at Merci.They have everything from amazing napkins to plates to things for a country picnic as well as clothing and books.
Farther afield (I live between London, Paris and New York), I love Vietnam for custom-made clothing. They can make anything you desire and have it ready the next day. The last trip I took was to Hoi An to a place called Madame Yale. I went crazy making long pants and shirts that would protect me from mosquitoes, as I had packed all the wrong things.
In Myanmar, I love the lacquer bowls and trays. In Istanbul there are beautiful hand-woven ikat prints and embroideries. In India, I love the saris in Maheshwa. You can find them almost anyplace there; they are made of the thinnest silk and cotton. And the gold jewelry in India is beautiful.
Oh — I don’t want to forget South America. If you happen to be in Peru, don’t leave without a hand-knit sweater. There is a huge market in Cuzco where you can find anything, from a tailor who can make custom-fitted clothes while you wait to hand-woven sweaters.
source form: nytimes
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