VF minis the Sequel
1991(2) Gianni Versace Skort Suit: Styling & how it’s made
3 April 2023, San Diego, California, USA
Though Disney never told you, there is magic in finding a vintage couture piece of apparel that fits your body as though it were made for you. Incredible, given it was quite literally made for someone else.
Similar to our discussion in VF minis: From Gianni With Love, consideration for the people who designed, made, packaged and shipped, or, in the case of our vintage Versace skort suit, consigned apparel is not often given. However in my world, I think about this often, and encourage you, if you do not already, to do the same.
When shopping, particularly vintage shopping, I consider the following:
Where did this originate from?
What is it made of? And how was it produced?
If vintage, does it fit into a larger historical fashion trend? Was it designed by the original founder of the fashion house?
As you can tell based on my musings across 21st & 18th, I adore uncovering details about my vintage finds, from 18th century porcelain to early 1900s handmade driving gloves, in any case, it always comes down to the details, people behind them, and how products were made. These footnotes and new learnings bring me joy, levity and fulfillment plus lend meaning to your recent acquisition - for me the historical details and lineage belonging to a piece help stuff to become assets. Somewhere within the lineage we might discover a piece begs a hefty financial sum while other times the history helps it to become sentimental. Personally, I enjoy both vintage find circumstances equally.
Inspired by reading back my own Vintage Find philosophy in VF minis, this second installment is all about the details of this suit and its styling. Tackled in 4 parts.
Part I: The Skort
Part II: The Jacket
Part III: Silk Dupioni & Square Toe Pumps
Part IV: Vintage v. Contemporary
Part I: The Skort
Who invented the skort?
In a strange twist of life twists, it appears someone did and said someone was a man. Classic. In my dreamy, Jane Austen mind I thought some punchy, woman designer created the skort after riding her horse astride through the English countryside and ruining several lovely riding habits. Rather it turns out the credit of the skort goes to Paul Poiret and 1911.
Poiret is a legendary French designer and couturier, he is not only the oracle responsible for the skort but also brought us the corset-less dress, tunics, harem pants, and set the tone for women’s fashion, in the Western world, from the late 1800s to WWI.
Circle the wagons, Lo, we cannot do Poiret justice in two sentences - back to Gianni and his skort.
This skort is incredibly comfortable and interesting - much more kilt-like as the front of the skirt wraps around the waist and is fastened by a button and two clasps in two separate places on the waistband.
Unlike a typical skort the shorts are purposely visible from the left hip, and are longer hitting mid thigh, they are a mix of wool and virgin wool (see more in Part II) and lined with a synthetic fabric. They are comfortable, practical and the pleats are so early 90s.
When did we get rid of skorts? I say bring them back.
Part II: The Jacket
She is perfect.
From the moment I slipped on this Versace jacket I felt it. Like HP with Voldemort’s (kind of) wand in Ollivander’s. There was even wind in the Happy Isles showroom.
I kid, I jest about the wind, but the fact remains that I slipped into this couture 1990s Versace jacket and it fit as though it were made for me.
The jacket is made from virgin wool, and boasts black and white houndstooth color-blocked pockets that extend nearly all the way around the waist (excellent flattery for my figure) and double breasted classic Versace buttons featuring a Greek key border and obsidian maltese cross.
Before me move on shall we back track to virgin wool? Yes, let’s. Whatever you may think, virgin wool is generally fabric woven from the wool of a lamb’s first sheer. Sweet little baby lambies1, we thank you.
Wool is really special, virgin or not, and it is an excellent fabric to look for while vintage shopping. Wool, when cared for and woven well, is extremely long lasting, hearty and naturally cooling and heating, truly a useful fabric. I wear loads of wools, and PSA not just the itchy ones that come in sweater form (which I also adore) there are thin, soft, linen-like, even summer grade wools that need to make their way into your collection.
Last bits about this jacket. Slightly shoulder padded - this trend is back and we are happy about it- mid-weight, slightly cropped hitting at the hip bones, and is lined with taffeta.
Part III: Silk Dupioni & Square Toe Pumps
Given this Versace jacket fits me like a glove - truly as though it were made for me - I needed the proper weight layer for beneath it. As the jacket is structured, fitted, and the double breasted style gives it such pomp the blouse/shirt/under-layer needed to stand on its own when you inevitably shrug off the jacket.
With this in mind, I selected another Italian, a sleeveless Armani shirt with a higher than usual collar and elongated collar points made from silk dupioni. When worn beneath the Versace jacket one can appreciate how tall this shirt’s collar is - notice how it sits well above the jacket lapels in the below images, it is delightfully complementary and delivers further on the tailored- double-breasted-ness the jacket already oozes. The shirt being fitted, lightweight and comfortable are secondary pro’s as most chiefly impressive is this shirt’s incredible sheen produced in the light due to the varying slubs in its dupioni silk.
When I was very young, let us call it sub 10 years, I discovered dupioni silk and its wonderment. My mother, Trudie, is an incredible dressmaker and while she always made me and my two siblings costumes, easter and Christmas ensembles etc it took me being cognizant enough of fashion and socializing to earn myself a dress made of dupioni silk.
All silks are special and enchanting. They feel incredible on, last ages, and always elevate a silhouette. Oftentimes confused with shantung, dupioni silk is recognizable by its prominent slubs2, thickness and lustrous sheen. Each of these qualities are the product of the weaving strategy behind this fabric, specifically, dupioni silk is produced using fine yarn in the warp3 and uneven yarn from two or more entangled silk cocoons in the weft4. The combination of these different yarns create a tightly woven yardage with a brilliant and crisp surface.
If you are not well acquainted with dupioni silk I recommend searching some out, or next you are in a fabric store ask for a point in the right direction. To the touch it is just as brilliant as it appears.
In addition to my Armani dupioni silk shirt, I paired our Versace skort suit with the only pair of pumps that felt right: black suede square toe, tassel pumps. Back in my first year post-university prior to hitting the international museum market I acquired these pumps from Talbots. Yes, you read that correctly. The Emily-Gilmore-Basics-Shop that also happens to be one of the oldest retail stores in Newport, Rhode Island’s main street. Yes, that Talbots. We might giggle now, but these pumps are well made and extremely comfortable. They also serve as the perfect pairing to a 90s suit.
Part IV: Vintage v. Contemporary
When styling a vintage fashion find, there is always the question of working in contemporary accessories as one may find rather than yin and yang the vintage & contemporary pairing equals clashity clash.
In this case, I required a pop of color to elevate my Versace suit. I was also short on time getting ready.
With that, I opted for a kelly green Jacquemus handbag, gold Vincero bracelet watch and a pair of gold rimmed circular glasses. They all bopped along nicely together.
See for yourself below.
Thank you for joining us on the inaugural VF minis tour - it has been a pleasure.
We will return in the coming days with the introduction to Hat Week and an update on our subscription menu at 21st & 18th.
Cheers,
Lo. Lynch
Reference to one of my all time favorite movies, Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film starring Kirsten Dunst
A lump of a thick place in yarn or thread, oftentimes seen in silk
The lengthwise threads used in the silk weaving process
The other threads that combine with the weft threads during the silk weaving process to produce silk fabric