Popular Vintage Fashion Brands: The Forgotten Chronicles

We are consumed in an era of digitization where online shopping and Fashion influencers have become the new normal. Today, it is so convenient to familiarize oneself with a new service, brand or product, all thanks to the Holy Grail World Wide Web and the plethora of information it withholds that is all open to our consumption, without which life truly seems incomplete.

With the advent of Fashion over the years, there has been an observant change in the manner in which people perceive consumption. Where fast fashion brands were ruling the retail sector game, today slow fashion has evolved as a trending concept and oversees a huge following. Since there is much more information available to be readily consumed by audiences, today there lies a much higher freedom in terms of choice than how it used to be a few decades ago.

Fashion was a big part of major revolutionary changes in the early 1900’s and stood as a strong testament to breaking multiple stereotypes, especially with regards to women and society. Many fashion brands were behind such progressive movements and were highly popular amongst the masses for their appeal, designs, range, prints and more. But with time, these brands either gradually faded away, got taken over by other leading competitors or were simply forgotten.

Let’s have a look at a list of Vintage Fashion Brands that were once popular but got lost in the sands of time:

1. Vionnet

Vionnet was known as a premium haute couture label that was established in the year 1912 by French designer Madeleine Vionnet. The brand was essentially famous for its designs that brought together a blend of classical techniques with a modern touch that truly allowed women to get the best of both worlds. For example, Vionnet recreated the Japanese kimono by making deeper armholes allowing the outfit to be flowy, less restrictive and easy to drape around the body.

Many found her work controversial, which led to the fashion house receiving backlash from many sections of society but the popularity of her brand took over the world. Her edgy designs, sheer fluid garments and shimmering pastel tones were all significant contributions in setting the right tone for the brand and allowed women to connect with her designs on a whole new level.

She was the first designer to bring to life the concept of bias cuts, for which she is so often remembered. To accomplish this, Vionnet cut fabrics across diagonally to produce an elastic, springy drape. Her designs represented simplicity in the form of clean cuts and form that was frequently employed with complex construction techniques.

“Vionnet has been accredited of banishing the corset from our modern views on fashion”,

In 1940, Madeleine Vionnet shut down closed her company and donated her entire design archives to the UFAC, for which she worked until 1975. 67 years later, the brands clothing collection was redesigned by designer Sophie Kokosalaki but maintained a very low profile. After being acquired by multiple designers, Vionnet was finally taken over by Goga Ashkenazi in 2012 while celebrating the brands 100 year anniversary with a demi-couture collection. Today, the fashion house continues to develop and is currently being redesigned to be launched as a fully sustainable brand.

2. Halston

One of the most promising fashion brands of the 70’s, Halston Ltd was founded in 1968 by renowned designer Roy Halston Frowick who showcased the first of designs at a brand new Angelo Donghia studio in New York. His collection was known for its ideal minimalism, pastel tones and clean forms.

Halston’s style of clothing was quite progressive, trend-setting and bold, while ensuring to maintain a soft feminine touch by adding a bow accessory, using lighter shades or simply making the garment flowy. He introduced the ‘hot pants’ and ‘shirt dress’ culture that made it to the Studio 54 dress code and still continues to be a huge trend in the market today.

“I think people are born for their destinies. Some people are gifted to use their hands, some voices and some their mind. I am fortunate enough to be such a person.”

– Roy Halston Frowick

Another patent piece that Halston was knows for was his eye for designing stunning gowns. Many well renowned celebrities, like Liza Minelli and Bianca Jagger, sported his gorgeous gowns to red carpet events and press interviews, which led the brand to become globally popular. He also designed comfort wear for women and his kaftan designs were undoubtedly known to be the most iconic 70’s clothing of them all.

The brand also involved accessories, leather apparel, shoes, handbags, scarves and hats which further expanded horizons and allowed the brand to be more accessible to its consumers. Since the 70’s marked the evolution of disco, nightlife and parties were a regular amongst the masses. Halston went on to create the perfect designs for disco-going women by introducing the ever so legendary halter dress, which became an absolute staple among women’s wardrobes for years to come.

3. Schiaparelli

Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who came in as a complete outsider, took the Fashion world by a storm when she set up an atelier in her own name in the year 1927. Her first few pieces were absolutely loved by consumers as well as the Fashion industry and was the infamous knitted black sweater with a pattern of bow knots across the collar.  This gained much appreciation in the West to the point where Vogue featured her designs which led to the brand becoming widely popular in America.

With years to come, the brand went beyond knitted clothing and delved into a more modern approach by designing dresses, suits, gowns, sportswear and much more. In the early 30’s Elsa focused on bringing innovative designs to sportswear and that is when she developed outfits using colorful fabric, trendy prints and visible zippers that were functional to the design as well as added to the aesthetic.

“You cannot choose beforehand what you want to use for a suit. You may want to change your mind a dozen times before you are through.”

.- Elsa Schiaparelli

During this time, her sports collection became extremely popular and was worn by many celebrities and athletes, especially the Schiaparelli pullover. The 30’s also marked the creation of shoulder-padded power suits and coats that would go on to become a patent style in power dressing. The brand was also one of the firsts to pair evening gowns with jackets and making cover ups a trend. The evolution of divider skirts for female sport players was also designed that caused quite a scandal in England.

Elsa was one of the first designers to launch ‘themed based’ clothing collection known as ‘Le cirque’ in 1938. She also collaborated with various artists to have their designs as a print on her clothing. This trend picked up a huge popularity where eventually other designer began creating similar pieces. The advent of evening dresses and lace cut gowns is something that Schiaparelli specialized in and eventually went on to become a lifestyle brand by launching perfumes, shoes, accessories and more.

4. Edward Molyneux

Edward Molyneux was a British couturier who launched his own Parisian Fashion house in the year 1919. His designs were widely known for its simplistic yet elegant appeal and was known to be a favorite specifically among Hollywood stars and European royalty. He created motoring outfits and convenient to wear slip-on evening dresses that was marked as an absolute brand favorite.

His clothes were simple and flattering made with high quality luxurious materials, completely devoid of all the unnecessary details. He preferred to not use too many colors and stuck to basic regal color tones of blue, black, brown and grey and added texture or prints like polka dots over it in order to make the piece stand out but still look uniformed.

“The designer to whom a fashionable woman would turn if she wanted to be absolutely right without being completely predictable in the early twenties and thirties.”

-says Fashion historian Caroline Millbank.

The brand specialized in creating well-cut and tailored two-piece suits that fit like a glove and looked flattering. Eventually, they also ventured in to sportswear, accessories and daytime travel outfits. Molyneux is known to have designed clothes for the Duchess of Windsor and the gorgeous Princess Marina for her wedding.

One particularly renowned outfit design became the very symbol of elegance in the 30’s, which would be the streamlined backless satin evening dress paired with silver-fox fur across the shoulder. This look became extremely popular among the high class crowd of the time who attended parties and functions wearing the infamous Molyneux designed dress.

The well-defined coat that he designed was made of such a blend of fabrics that even when it was dropped on to the floor, one would not see a single unbroken line. Just like his perfect creation of the pleated skirt. His designs continue to remain revolutionary that added so much creativity and value to the Fashion era.

The brand specialized in creating well-cut and tailored two-piece suits that fit like a glove and looked flattering. Eventually, they also ventured in to sportswear, accessories and daytime travel outfits. Molyneux is known to have designed clothes for the Duchess of Windsor and the gorgeous Princess Marina for her wedding.

One particularly renowned outfit design became the very symbol of elegance in the 30’s, which would be the streamlined backless satin evening dress paired with silver-fox fur across the shoulder. This look became extremely popular among the high class crowd of the time who attended parties and functions wearing the infamous Molyneux designed dress.

The well-defined coat that he designed was made of such a blend of fabrics that even when it was dropped on to the floor, one would not see a single unbroken line. Just like his perfect creation of the pleated skirt. His designs continue to remain revolutionary that added so much creativity and value to the Fashion era.

5. Mainbocher

Main Rousseau Bocher was the first American couturier to develop his own Parisian Fashion house in early 30’s. He quickly gained immense popularity amongst the masses firstly, due to being the only American designer to tap in to the French market and secondly because of his simplistic and elegant designs that catered a lot to the high class society of the time.

The year 1937 was quite significant for the brand considering Bocher created his most celebrated piece, which was the graceful two-tier style gown, apart from which he also acquired his most famous client- Wallis Simpson, America socialite and Duchess of Windsor. From famous designs by Chanel and Schiaparelli, the Duchess chose Mainbocher as her brand of choice for her wedding outfit. The wedding outfit became the most copied gown design of all time and Mainbocher instantly became an iconic brand. Apart from her wedding couture, the Duchess also loved the brands designs and continued to wear different outfits that were custom made by Rousseau Bocher.

“I have never known a really chic woman whose appearance was not, in large part, an outward reflection of her inner self.”

Mainbocher was also approached by US Navy to design uniforms for the women’s branch of the Navy knowns as WAVES. Mainbocher was known for creating clean cuts and well-defined forms and therefore created three versions of the uniform- in blue, white and seersucker with insignia, ties and official golden buttons. In 1943, New York Times declared them the best dressed women in uniform of the year.

In 1940, he relocated to New York and began to recreate designs of outfits from the past. He recreated the evening gown using pastel fabrics, small embellishments and unique jewelry that was stitched to the neckline to give an illusion of a necklace. This design became widely popular and was since worn by many celebrities, socialites and well known personalities. He used beading and cut fabrics to create a well put together outfit that more often than not did not require the touch of accessories.  He was also the first one to introduce strapless gowns and silhouettes in the 1940’s which went on to become an absolute fashion staple.