I have seen the holy grail of vintage and its name is Gil Antiguedades. And it is run by this lady.
Her name is Maria Ines Gil and she started collecting clothes when she was 15. Some years later her husband, no doubt in an effort to free up some space in their house, suggested that she should open up a shop. The result is the basement level of this antique shop, filled to the brim with antique hats, gloves, bags, wallets, purses, scarves, jackets, shoes, dresses, blouses, skirts and fabric. She has everything from no-name skirts to Yves Saint Lauren dresses, all beautifully preserved and encased in plastic wrapping to continue to protect them and make for easier perusal. The range of items she has is amazing, I found a bull fighters jacket from the early 20th century that I was tempted to try on, until I saw the price tag ($500 US), then in the same breath I turned around and there was a short sleeved mink jacket that I was even more covetous of ($550). Graham checked out the men's section, which was admittedly scarce compared with the rest of the shop, but was impressed with the dinner jackets from the 20s and 30s.
To see the collection you have to specifically ask to be shown the clothes, which I'm sure is a security measure rather than some sort of clubish exclusivity, however you can't help but feel like you've just been admitted into the hottest spot in town when you walk down the stairs and the plethora of clothes is just so exciting that you start to giggle a little. For any vintage enthusiast or someone who likes the thrill of the hunt or even anyone with a passing interest in clothes, this place is a must stop on any trip to the city. And I solemnly swear, for anyone who wants to visit me, I will take you here and make you buy something.
Maria and her husband have recently bought a historical building a couple of blocks down the street and after some renovations hope to open up another store strictly for antique wedding dresses and fabric. Suddenly I'm thinking getting married in a dress older than your grandmother would be a fantastic idea.
Maria and her husband have recently bought a historical building a couple of blocks down the street and after some renovations hope to open up another store strictly for antique wedding dresses and fabric. Suddenly I'm thinking getting married in a dress older than your grandmother would be a fantastic idea.
AMAZING!!!! Wish I could pop over and check it out. Miss you. Love your blog. LOVE you.
ReplyDeletelooooooove you!
ReplyDelete