Fendi Vintage – How To Spot 1980's Garments
A boutique in Lucca, now closed, that sold unworn 1980s and 1990s clothes: wool skirts priced in lira, Fendi Jeans with their tags and a Fendi mink coat.
I am in Lucca, a gem of an area where the boutiques are stuck in the 1980s. Italy was thriving in the 1980s. Luxury brands such as Fendi could command prices for the rich.
In those days being rich was much more exclusive than it is today. We would know by the clothing brands ladies wore. So why must we stop buying fast-fashion fabrics?
The EU Takes On Throwaway Fashion
The EU has decided enough is enough. This week, news broke that Brussels plans to be brutal on throwaway fashion with a new initiative. Clothes made and sold in the EU will have to be durable, reusable, repairable and recyclable. I don’t yet know whether there will be penalties for serial offenders or incentives for good practice.
With brands like Shein, Missguided and Boohoo, and with the high street too, it is so very hard to trust that a quality fabric is real.
The key to finding the right ones is looking at the fabrics. And to look in shop windows like the ones in Italy, which are still the same as they were way back when I first lived in Italy, in 1996.
I love it.
A vintage poster in the changing room.
Vintage Wool Skirts
I was so excited to come across a boutique that sold clothes all made in the 1980s and 1990s. Walking through the boutique I was greeted by an 85-year-old shop owner. She started to notice I knew quality wool fabrics. She came up to me and asked how I knew the difference between today’s fabrics and these one-off garments. The boutique has closed down now.
I remember walking the streets of Italy in the 1980s. It was like a runway show, full of style and colours like beige, brown and green. Those very classic Italian colours are even sold today.
I sorted through endless amounts of what I deem vintage wool skirts, and I was so excited to see the quality of the wool. Unworn, still priced in the old Italian currency, the lira. I had a wonderful moment stepping back in time, to when garments were of high quality. And the elderly lady guided me on what she deemed would fit me. Again, those days are long gone. She could see my passion for quality classic textiles and garments.
Even the labels and tags were so niche. I keep them on the skirt as a reminder of the fashion of the past.
Wool Made In Italy Versus China
Ask yourself, what would you prefer to trust? China wool or Italian? The colours and quality knits of these skirts are why I adore them. Wool is the best fabric for our planet. Cashmere and merino are wonderful and very durable to wear. So invest in these items. They will make you feel amazing.
This Jil Sander wool dress made in China, which I bought in Andorra, has always given me a sense of doubt. Is it real wool? And then there is the carbon footprint it took to get it here to Europe. Shop locally and support locally. It’s better for us all.
This is a matching set, with a huge flowing skirt and a top. A wonderful set, and it looks so classy. I feel and look amazing in it. No one makes items like this unless you ask for them. Vintage finds are fabulous for the wallet as well as the earth.
Give more time to shopping for vintage items, and buy less.
The joy of knowing I am wearing luxury niche items from the 1980s is music to my ears.
Vintage Fendi
Nothing would prepare me for the Fendi finds: denim, and beige stretch cotton denim. Super high-street chic, and still with the original tags. The assistant, with her pristine hair and high heels, was on a mission to guide me to niche fashion items. We scouted through brilliant clothing. I bought them, and the wool skirts too.
Top-quality fabrics that have lasted 25 years.
Purple Fendi
A vintage label that describes in detail the care one must take with denim. Luxury clothes in the 1980s were super expensive.
This two-tone denim, with bling embellishments, is super chic. My passion is the hunt for rare items that no fast fashion could ever match. Knowing that these items can’t even be found on Vestiaire makes me feel super special. Clothes do that for my soul. Wearing items that no one else in the world may have.
These items are truly 100% made in Italy. I know from the date of the label.
Fendi Vintage Fur
This vintage fur coat is of absolute quality. With a silk lining and the Fendi logo, in its time it would have commanded 30,000 euros.
My love for vintage Fendi is why these ladies showed me their hidden gems.
The gorgeous owners of the fur are so sad that it simply does not sell. How do we inspire people to buy this planet-friendly fur? Clients from Russia, Canada and Switzerland are the ones who like Fendi fur.
Recycling Fabrics
Recycled nylon is the answer in this case, and most of the brands using it are either small independent ones (think Cleonie Swimwear or Cossie & Co) or designers (such as Rejina Pyo and Loewe).
It is good to see that Adidas has branched out into making sustainable leggings, and so has Uniqlo. So have denim brands like Gas. Hopefully other brands will follow suit. But finding vintage Fendi clothing is the art of true sustainability.
You can easily identify the vintage 1980s jeans by the massive labels on them.
