Showing posts with label Hats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hats. Show all posts

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Collecting Hats Is Serious Business - 60's Mod


We at Pearl Modern absolutely adore mod style. We are attracted to the sharp architectural cuts, clean lines and futuristic optimism present in clothing and design made in the mid 1960's. Mod style is as radical as punk rock, but in a way that is so distilled that its psychology is elusive to anyone lacking an educated and refined eye. What may look like a simple white coat is actually a complex structure, perfectly balanced in geometry but that sits slightly askew, causing the odd passer-by to look twice and then come to the conclusion that this garment is the most stylish white coat they have ever seen. 

Mod styling incorporates wit and whimsy into the details, for instance, whether you're exaggerating the bend in a brim of a hat to cast a mask-like shadow across the face or by cutting a hem on a radical diagonal or by lining buttons up like a game of tic-tac-toe, just because it looks cool - you are stretching your imagination of what is possible aesthetically, but within the confines of a purist's tent.





Below is a shot from a 1965 space age photo shoot, featuring cutting edge fashion from Pierre Cardin.




As far as hats go, we collect and sell every sort of chic topper from the 1920's through the 1970's, as long as we can imagine wearing them ourselves. For me personally, I get strangely excited when I see an almost abnormally tall, velveteen helmet with a cocky, slightly arrogant brim and a girly, sweet leatherette bow. Call me eccentric, but what could be more fun than wearing a fantasie on the top of your head, perched like a folly, like a canary's cage or simply like a hat that will make that random stranger say "Damn, that hat is awesome".


Below is a sunny, mod 60's Empress Marché exclusive melusine fur felt hat.







Below is a slick, 60's mod take on a classic Trilby as done by Betmar.



                                                                                                                                      available here


Below is an illustration of an Adolfo hat from the 1960s.



Below is a photo of the iconic 60's model Peggy Moffitt.



Below is another 1960s Adolfo hat illustration.
 

Below is a plum velvet bubble hat, made in Italy in the 1960s, exclusively for Marshall Field & Company.
                                                                                                                                       available here


Below is a great photo of Sophia Loren trying on hats in Rome.




Below is a beautiful photo of Jean Seberg from 1969 taken at the time of her film "Pendulum".



Below are two views of an English made 1960's emerald green bubble cloche hat.



                                                                                                                                          available here



Below is a photo of the amazing Faye Dunaway in a giant white hat.





Last, we have a photo from 1963 of a model wearing a Pierre Cardin ensemble with a fantastic graphic hat. Doesn't she resemble a mod Kirsten Dunst?


Thursday, June 9, 2011

Collecting Hats Is Serious Business - Mr. John



Mr. John was born John P. Harberger in Germany around 1902. He was as famous in the world of hats as Christian Dior was in the realm of haute couture.





Mr. John's hats were worn by the Duchess of Windsor, Gloria Swanson, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Gloria Vanderbilt, Lauren Bacall, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell. Mr. John created hats (astonishingly) for over one thousand classic films. His hats were worn by such film icons as Marlene Dietrich in "Shanghai Express" and "The Scarlet Empress", Greta Garbo in "The Painted Veil", Vivian Leigh in "Gone With The Wind" as well as Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". 

His work was featured on the covers of countless fashion magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, photographed by Irving Penn and Horst P. Horst. Mr. John was a wildly creative genius milliner and a fabulously eccentric gentleman.




 

 




Here at Pearl Modern, we are always on the hunt for exciting hats. We have developed a deep appreciation for the creations of Mr. John. We tend to choose hats that have a certain "attitude", hats that a movie star on the lam might choose, worn with ridiculously large dark sunglasses. We love real glamour and think that one can look glamorous any time of the day and in any situation, from walking the dog to sipping cocktails. Hats are a brilliant way to up the ante with one's wardrobe, either giving your look an edge or softening it with a giant pouf of tulle sitting just so...





Below is an attention grabbing 1960's Mr. John woven raffia checkerboard hat with a daring black vinyl feather.





                                                                                                                                          available here



Below is a wildly sexy 1960's Mr. John leopard print faux fur hat. Rawr!



                                                                                                                                          available here



Below is a 1960's Mr. John mod Carnaby Street bubble hat.







                                                                                                                                        available here



Below is a 1960's Mr. John chic bohemian floppy hat.










                                                                                                                                          available here 


For a more in depth look at the incredibly interesting life of Mr. John, please read this excellent article from Framework.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Collecting Hats is Serious Business - Borsalino








                                                         Poster Designed by Max Huber - 1950s


                                                                                                                                                     
For as long as we have been collecting and selling fabulous vintage hats, we have been on a serious lookout for stellar men's hats. Finding a vintage hat from a world class hat maker such as Borsalino that is in excellent or (shall we dream) mint condition is no easy feat. This is why it was so amazing to discover through a shop window this bottle green hat of mystery on a misty morning down by a river. We can imagine that it has had quite a life, maybe it was worn by a private detective or modern Casanova...


front view

side view
                                                                                                                               available here




This is a still from the fantastic Ferragamo Men's Fall 2011 runway show in Milan. The models donned gorgeous Borsalino hats in jewel toned colors that looked so rich and luxurious. We can't wait for fall!
















              Giuseppe Cacace /Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Johnny Depp looking amazing as usual in a favorite Borsalino.
















       Vogue Italia



Saturday, May 21, 2011

Elsa Schiaparelli

We adore Elsa Schiaparelli!

Her best pieces exhibit her 
artist's imagination and love
of all things wild...
This Schiaparelli necklace looks so brilliant on, as if you were attending the most outrageous Roman party.                         
                                                                                                                                   available here




Coming up next, a wonderful example of a Schiaparelli Watermelon Vitrail rhinestone bracelet.
                                                                              available here



Below is a wonderful new addition to the Pearl Modern shop...
a Watermelon Tourmaline Rhinestone brooch from the 1950s by Schiaparelli. So vibrant!

                                                                                  available here

Below is an excellent 'Stormy Sky' Rhinestone Schiaparelli Necklace from the 1940s to 1950s. The necklace is available here from the Pearl Modern shop.


A perfect Schiaparelli sun hat, just right for a holiday.            

Wear it on a yacht or on a walk through Central Park...   


                                                                          available here    




Below, a pair of the perfect serpentine cornucopia Aurora Borealis rhinestone earrings from Elsa Schiaparelli... 







available here                
This wild and wonderful Schiaparelli hat found a new home in Hawaii...








"Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale." - Elsa Schiaparelli



Inspired by Schiaparelli's quote, we prepared this fabulous asparagus recipe from Ursula Ferrigno. The recipe is super-simple but full of complex and beautiful spring flavors.

While getting dizzyingly lost in Florence a few years back, seduced by one amazing vintage Roberta di Camerino bag after another, we stumbled upon a wonderful book shop devoted to culinary tomes, discovering an absolutely gorgeous book of Ursula Ferrigno's entitled "Trattoria: Italian Food for Family & Friends." We highly recommend it.




ASPARAGUS, PEAS, AND BASIL (PISELLI CON ASPARAGI E BASILICO)

SERVES6
  • ACTIVE TIME:30 MIN
  •  
  • START TO FINISH:30 MIN
"What grows together, goes together" is a concept that often holds true, but disparate denizens of the garden sometimes need coaxing to harmonize. Ferrigno sets about the task with wise restraint—just a little butter, shallot, and fresh basil turns asparagus and peas into the best of friends.
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3/4 lb shelled fresh peas (2 1/2 cups; 1 3/4 lb in pods) or 1 (10-oz) package thawed frozen peas
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Handful of torn basil leaves (about 3/4 cup)
  • Cook shallots in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 4 minutes.
  • Stir in asparagus, peas, sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then seal skillet with foil. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender but still slightly al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir in basil and sea salt to taste.
COOKS’ NOTE: Peas can be shelled and asparagus cut 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.