Q & A with La Nova Vintage

La Nova Vintage is all about the hunt for that diamond in the ruff. La Nova buys quality not quantity, finding that unique piece is like finding a buried treasure. To shop La Nova Vintage now CLICK HERE.Who's your style icon? Why?
Debbie Harry (Blondie). She was an innovator. She had this punk- electric urban look down.
Favorite designers or brand?
Phoebe Philo, Imitation Christ
Gold or Silver?
GOLD!!!
Favorite book?
Stolen Lives
Favorite film?
Warriors. I like the styling in that flic.
Art?
Graffiti
What's playing in your IPOD?
Everything except POP
What's your guilty pleasure?
Carmello Bars
Your theme song?
My theme songs depend on my mood.
Tell us about the accessories finds you chose to share with us and where you got them.
All the accessories & clothes are vintage finds  from the 70's -80's. I picked up some from an estate sale where some disco diva resided.

Jungle Suit

Black Mesh Bag
Black and Gold Plate

Q & A with Leila Baboi

Leila Baboi is a woman of many talents and obsessions. Her passion for art, photography, fashion, and design have resulted in a prosperous and exciting career in the fashion publishing industry. She's worked with Flaunt, Modern Luxury, URB, and a slew of successful entrepreneurs in the publishing industry as well as musicians like Hot Chip, Outkast, Yoko Ono and Peaches. She is now settled in as the West Coast Market Editor for world renowned fashion trade publication WWD in Los Angeles where she continues to feed her obsession for vintage shoes and jewelry. CLICK HERE to go to Leila's website to view her past projects and recent work.
Who's your style icon? Why?
Miuccia Bianchi Prada. With no formal design background she pushes conventions through eccentric and unconventional uses of design, never underestimating the power of pop culture, and always keeping a femininity of dress.
Favorite designers or brand?
RTW: Rei Kawakubo, Alexander McQueen, Camilla Staerk, Galliano, Maison Martin Margiela
Sportswear: Ksubi, Insight, Larsen Gray, Kill City,
Spikes: Pour La Victoire, LD Tuttle, Report Signature, my Chucks sans height
Gold or Silver?
Silver
Favorite book?
Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho
Favorite film?
Le Grand Bleu by Luc Besson
Art?
Basquiat, Van Gogh, Helmut Newton, Picasso, John Miro, Gustav Klimt, Ronald Kitaj, Raffaello, Robert Rauschenberg, Duane Michals, Henri Rousseau
What's playing in your IPOD?
Lykke Li, MGMT, the Virgins, Neon Neon, Minuit, The Kooks
What's your guilty pleasure?
Cigs + chocolate
If you had one wish?
Love for all
Your favorite find? or accessory?
A mixed metal triple wrap chain that once belonged to my friend's fabulous grandma.
If you could go back in time and pick out anything to bring back with you, what would that be?
Peace, worldwide.
Tell us about the accessories finds you chose to share with us and where you got them. When I vintage shop I generally look for accessories. SHOES and JEWELRY. They just don't make shoes like they used to and the jewelry you can find is unmatched to contemporary pieces. It almost feels as if I'm wearing a piece of history and I love that there is probably no other like it in the world. I found the white rhinestone star earrings at a no-name vintage boutique off the Pacific coast highway in route to San Fran, both pairs of shoes at the Fairfax flea market in Los Angeles, and the fabulous sequined blue cocktail lounge dress and wing earrings at the Pasadena swap meet in Los Angeles. I chose to share these because I'm obsessed. Especially with vintage shoes - I CAN'T GET ENOUGH !!! and I always get compliments and people asking where I got them.

Q & A with Julie Tran Le

When Brooklyn based librarian Julie Tran Le isn't reading books or running around the city in head to toe vintage and high heels (which she's been collecting for years), she's hard at work looking for one of a kind recycled chain segments. She has amassed an amazing 80 pound collection of broken vintage chains which she incorporates into an environmentally friendly jewelry line called Crunchy Jewels. Le has been making jewelry since grade school, and selling it since her teens. Each necklace in her latest venture, Crunchy Jewels, is comprised of segments of the broken vintage chains she's stock piled for years. No two are alike, and in a clever twist, Le includes long stretches of multiple clasps and long dangling necklaces which also morph into chokers or wrap-around bracelets. To preview her new collection and more CLICK HERE for Julie's blog.Who's your style icon?
Dolly Parton. As a little girl, I loved how sassy and bold she was. Dolly's outfits are always over-the-top, totally ridiculous, and off-kilter, BUT she knows how to pull it off!
Favorite designers or brand?
My favorite designers are my friends - all Brooklyn-based: Stuart & Wright, Samantha Pleet, Mina Stone, and Mer. Otherwise, I am usually head to toe in vintage (I have a huge collection of dresses & shoes) and Agent Provocateur stockings.
Gold or Silver?
Both and all shades near and in between. My jewelry pieces are comprised of segments of vintage chains in varying materials and colors - the more you wear then, the more they change in the way they tarnish or fade and I love how ephemeral and more unique each piece becomes.
Favorite book?
That is a LOADED question for me. I am an librarian & archivist by day! So off the top of my head for now (I always change my mind):
Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle & Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
À rebours (translated as Against the Grain) by Joris-Karl Huysmans
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Moon Palace & New York Triology by Paul Auster
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Favorite film?
I love documentaries...Bonnie and Clyde with Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway (her costumes were amazing), Party Girl, Masculin Feminin, and In the Mood for Love
Art?
Guy Bourdin's fashion photography (his ad campaigns that I came across in 1970s issues of Paris Vogue were amazing) and the paintings of Francis Bacon.
What's playing in your IPOD?
My top ten as of late: Dolly Parton, Etta James, the Beatles, Peggy Lee, Tina Turner, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Coco Rosie, Antony and the Johnsons, Sigur Ros, & Bjork.
What's your guilty pleasure?
Foreign fashion magazines and red velvet cake balls dipped in dark chocolate and covered in coconut (that I make myself).
If you had one wish?
To live in a castle decorated like it is the inside of a jewelry box.
Your favorite find? or accessory?
All my vintage white colored jewelry & scarves that I have been collecting for many years and my berets - I have ever color you can imagine.
If you could go back in time and pick out anything to bring back with you, what would that be?
Costumes from the set of all of Francois Truffaut's films.
Tell us a joke.
I am more of a physical comedienne... it's hard running around the city in high high heels.

Q & A with Francesco

Francesco used to do research shopping for the Miss Sixty accessories archive in Italy before he moved to London. When he's not designing bags or minding extremely cool shops he's out at car boot sales, markets, and charity shops prowling for goods to add to his collection. We had a couple of coffees at his flat yesterday (no that's not us in the photo) and photographed some of his favorite possessions.Who's your style icon? Why?
David Bowie. Because he was androgynous.
Favorite designers or brand?
Alexander McQueen, Marni, and Martin Margiela.
Gold or silver?
Gold and silver.
Favorite book?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
Favorite film?
What's Love Got To Do With It.
Art?
I like Banksy.
What's playing in your IPOD?
From Mozart and Bach to Nina Hagen.
What's your guilty pleasure?
Nutella.
If you had one wish?
I'd be able to time travel to the future or the past.
Your favorite find? or accessory?
The Chanel bags and the Swarovski crystal head piece you just took photos of.
If you could go back in time and pick out anything to bring back with you, what would that be?
One of the original costumes of Queen Marie Antoinette.
Tell us about the accessories finds you chose to share with us and where you got them.

I've chosen:

A pair of 1970's original Levi's boots which I found at Spitalfields Market here in London.A 1970's coin purse and an early 1980's Fendi organizer both of which I found at a car boot sale.1980's Disney briefcases which I found in a huge store in Rome where they sell remnants of past collections. Red 1970's and black 1980's quilted Chanel bags both of which I found at one of the Red Cross Charity Shops here in London.Matching1970's vinyl shoulder bag and suitcase which I was fortunate enough to find on separate occasions.Swarovski crystal headpiece which I found at Via Sannio market in Rome.

Q & A with Tamara

When Tamara is not djing, digging for records or doing business development for Rocudo, she's busy buying and collecting accessories. We caught up with Tamara today at the Electricity Showrooms in Shoreditch, East London.
Who's your style icon? Why?
I don’t really have a style icon in particular…I’m prone to observing the streets around me, picking up pieces of things I like & interpreting them to fit my own style. I absolutely love southern America in the 70’s…tight Wranglers, sexy boots & giant feathered hair styles…
Favorite designers or brand?
I’ve always been one to try to find imitations of looks & designers that I like, in vintage clothing or in local design. The Laden Showroom on Brick Lane is great for local designs, with a lot of diversity. I also really dig Public Beware – 7 Dray Walk, Shoreditch
Gold or Silver?
I love them both, don’t believe in mixing them together...its a crime. They stand alone.
Favorite book?
Bill Graham Presents: My Life Inside Rock & Out
Favorite film?
I have so many favorites…’The Jerk’ with Steve Martin is on my tops, Anchor Man (I can practically recite it!), Almost Famous – fantastic fashion!
Art?
I’ve just bought a print by one of my local heroes, Pure Evil – hard & edgy – with soft & fuzzy centers…And it all spawns in east London.
What's playing in your IPOD?
Ha! I still don’t own an Ipod, can you believe it? I just bought the new Fleet Foxes album, which is brilliant…And the new Presets album…loving it. I can’t get enough of the Beats in Space podcast from NYC either.
What's your guilty pleasure?
My ridiculous vinyl addiction. I’ve been collecting since I was 15, and am running out of space. Classic rock, soul, funk, disco, 80’s pop, country…And admittedly, shopping for records at work when a song comes into my head…it’s the best.
If you had one wish?
Duh, I’d wish for more wishes.
Your favorite find? or accessory?
I think my favorite finds are accessories I bring back from small-town America for my girlfriends…I always dig up treasures there, and bring home scarves, shoes, necklaces, hand-bags…My friends always love them!
If you could go back in time and pick out anything to bring back with you, what would that be?
I’d bring back my Pink Floyd: Wish you were Here concert t-shirt that my Uncle Robert gave me when I was about 10…One of my old boyfriends stole it from me.

Tell us about the accessories finds you chose to share with us and where you got them.

I’ve brought:

My Pappy’s braces (suspenders)…he used to wear these when he would weld, and my Nanny gave them to me when he passed away – I treasure them!
My mother’s t-shirt from the 70’s, it says ‘Varoom!’ and has a motorbike on it…which is made of small little red stones. Its got some small tears in it & some stains…but its super hot, and one of my prize possessions.
A vintage 80’s Chanel belt, with gold logo razor blades…My friend Molly gave this to me because she said it was very me…supa freak!My 8th grade band hat, which I stole when I moved away – I used to play the trumpet. This thing has been a staple at many a fancy dress party, and I even wore it once when I dressed as Gwen Stefani from her ‘holla back girl’ video.
My vintage sterling silver & turquoise owl necklace, which I found at a flea market in Berkeley, California…