New York Vintage, 117 West 25th Street, Chelsea. Photo by Mario Morgado
Talking about New York Vintage just as vintage store would be an understatement. Once you have rung the bell and crossed the threshold, you’ll feel like you have entered into a museum of fashion.
Divided by decades, the collection of cocktail dresses, shoes and accessories is made of unique design pieces from all over the world and from all the epoques, since the end of the 19th century. Every garment comes with its hand-written label which describes its brand, the year of fabrication, the materials and presents a brief introduction to its style.
Opened in 2000 by Shannon Hoey and her husband Jon Schneck, NYV is praised by its clientele that counts a lot of Very Important People. Among them there is Michelle Obama, the first First Lady to wear a vintage gown at a public ceremony. In 2010 Mrs. Obama wore a black lace dress by the once famous designer Norman Norell to attend the “Christmas in Washington concert”. That magnificent gown was from NYV, like the one she wore for the 2012 Congressional Black Caucus Gala. For this second occasion she opted for a black georgette pleated one shoulder gown by Michael Kors, that she paired with a shimmering rhinestone belt, from NYV as well.
At NYV, the first floor is open to the public whereas the second floor, that hosts the archive, is accessible, by appointment only, by professionals from the fashion world, who can only rent the items on display.
NYV’s archive. Photo by Mario Morgado
Vera, the photographer who shot the pictures at the bottom of this page, and I entered with stylist Christian Stroble, who went to visit NYV’s archive to look for corsets for a pin-up look he wanted to realize for his next job in London.
Looking around we found a golden arabesque jacket worn by January Jones in Mad Men, a hair clip from the Twenties used by Tyra Banks in Gossip Girl, the head piece “Bird of Paradise” worn by Sarah Jessica Parkers in the wedding scenes of the movie Sex and the City, and the metal bra worn by Lady Gaga in her Hello Kitty look.
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