Birdy pick of the week

Vintage ‘60s blue, white and red "drunken owl" enamel pendant necklace, £27, from Nina & Lola.

London shopping: VVRouleaux

VVRouleaux is London’s legendary emporium of ribbons, trimmings and braids, and oh, so much more. It’s the kind of place that instantly makes you bug-eyed with excitement, recalling childhood days of coveting ribbons, buttons and other “fancy” bits and bobs to add to your most precious and treasured collection.


But it’s the grown-ups who flock to this beautiful bazaar of inspiration for specialist ribbons sourced from all over the world, like Japanese organdie and French wire-edged taffetas in every shade imaginable.



In fact the large light-filled entry-level room in the Marylebone store is literally a Pantone book come to life, with reels of ribbons in every size, pattern and colour. No wonder brides make a bee-line to the store for that exact shade of caramel to work their bridesmaids’ sashes back to the reception chair tie-backs.


Speaking of brides, there are double-sided velvet ribbons which make perfect belts and sashes, as well as double-sided Japanese satin ribbons. And downstairs, there’s a fabulous collection of vintage bridal accessories, including hand-made veils, headpieces, hats and birds (birds!) from the late 1950s.



Ribbons aside, there’s a glorious range of silk, organza and velvet roses in a myriad of fashion shades, as well as a vast collection of fancy feathers. Apparently the shop does a roaring trade in June and July during racing and wedding season.



Don’t miss the tables crammed with vintage pieces like hand-crocheted butterflies and clusters of velvet violets (I spied the same violets behind a glass cabinet at the Golden Age of Couture exhibition at the V&A). I particularly love the selection of vintage French earrings and hair combs as well as the double-sided velvet belts with vintage buckles (from £14.95), delicate feather brooches (from £12.95) and bird decorations (from £3.95).



Downstairs is haberdashery heaven, dedicated to heavier furnishings like acrylic and glass tassles in traditional and modern colours, as well as vintage braids, faux-fur trims, cotton lace trims, and leather and suede ribbons for fashion and furnishing. I found a bunch of Chanel-style braids that would make chic suit edging. There’s also an extensive range of wax cords in all shades, which was raided by the wardrobe department from Elizabeth: The Golden Age.




From October onwards, the store introduces its Christmas collection, with tree ornaments, wreaths, garlands and berries for decorating the home.

For more inspiration, buy a copy of owner/creative director Annabel Lewis’ new book, Ribbons & Trims, for £20.


VVRouleaux
www.vvrouleaux.com


LONDON
102 Marylebone Lane
London W1U 2QD
Tel: 020 7224 5179
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday (excluding Weds) 9.30am-6pm
Wednesday 10.30am-6pm
Nearest tube: Bond Street and Baker Street

For more shops in W1, click here.
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

54 Sloane Square
Cliveden Place
London
SW1W 8AX
Tel: 020 7730 3125
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday (excluding Weds) 9.30am-6pm
Wednesday 10.30am-6.30pm
Nearest tube: Sloan Square

For more shops in SW1, click here.

Glasgow street style: Jen at National Pop League

A wee birdy told me that Jen, 22, is wearing a vintage dress she bought on Ebay.

Street style: Katie on Bethnal Green Road

A wee birdy told me that Katie, 21, is wearing a Laura Lees at Topshop top, vintage beads from Edinburgh, vintage green cardigan from Rusty Zipper in Edinburgh, jeans from Top Shop and headband from Miss Selfridge.

Shopping in Paris: the 1st arr.

Here are a few more shining jewels in Paris to check out…

Didier Ludot
20 & 24 galerie de Montpensier
This boutique-meets-museum stocks an incredible range of vintage couture. I spied an entire rack of Chanel jackets, as well as shelves of designer handbags (loads of Hermes) and rows of shoes.


Walk across the glorious Palais Royal Gardens to Ludot’s third boutique, La Petite Robe Noire. The avenue of trees provides a cool shady break on a hot summer’s day. Watch the locals sunning themselves by the fountain (and the tiny sparrows playing in the dust).

La Petite Robe Noire
125 galerie de Valois
What’s not to love about a shop devoted entirely to little black dresses? Ignore the astronomical prices and admire instead the museum-quality vintage couture (Dior et al), as well as Ludot’s own range of vintage-inspired black frocks.

Astier de Villatte
173 rue St. Honoré
www.astierdevillatte.com
Take home a few pieces of these distinctive rustic French ceramics. I liked the white-glazed platters and the little birds.



Colette
213 rue St. Honoré
www.colette.fr
It’s fair to say that Colette is responsible for the term “concept store”. And it’s still the leader of the pack, with a hipster’s collection of cosmetics, fashion, books, music and food. It was nice to see Australian beauty brands Aesop and ModelCo in the mix. The fashion floor upstairs with its forest of designer-clad mannequins is also a lot of fun.



Cacharel
368 rue St. Honoré
www.cacharel.com
Two floors of Cacharel is my idea of a fab shopping experience. Nice new range of handbags, and I’m loving their patent-leather bon-bon necklaces. Head downstairs for their sweet range of children’s clothes.

Comptoir des Contonniers
342 rue St. Honoré
www.comptoirdescotonniers.com
I’m a big fan of this label and its love of simple, streamlined garments with a strong graphic sensibility. This season, their smock dresses in graphic prints of grey and navy get my vote.
p.s. They have five stores in London.

Paris street style: Camille Bidault-Waddington on Rue St Honore

I was pretty excited when I spotted this lemon sorbet stunner shopping in Colette - for me she was the epitome of cool, laid-back Parisienne style with a sweet vintage edge.

It was only after I approached her for a photo that I noticed that the tall, lanky husband (with cool specs) waiting patiently nearby was none other than Jarvis Cocker, and my lemon sorbet inspiration was fashion stylist Camille Bidault-Waddington. Happy Endings!

A wee birdy told me that Camille is wearing a vintage dress from London, Mulberry handbag, and espadrilles from the south of France.

Wee Birdy Q&A: Dressmakers in London

I’m looking for a good dressmaker in London. Could you recommend one? I’m after someone that can make me a ‘50s-style Wiggle dress. – Azka

Oh, lucky birdy, a ‘50s-style Wiggle dress is the sassiest choice for a chic-n-sexy look, and the originator of the new so-called “body conscious” trend. And you’re heading in the right direction wanting it made-to-measure, as you really need the garment to fit like a glove. (I learnt the hard way when I went shopping for a Wiggle dress last year on Ebay. Three ill-fitting vintage frocks later – two I could not get beyond my hips – and I discovered that unless we share the same DNA, other people’s Wiggles were not the way to go).

I haven’t used a dressmaker in London, and all my usual sources for recommendations were thick on tailors and thin on dressmakers of the non-wedding variety. But I’ve found three dressmakers who sound like they can whip up a Wiggle for you. At least get a quote from each one and suss out if they’ve got a handle on what you’re after:

Paul Hawley
Dressmaking & Tailoring
www.paulhawleylondon.co.uk
4 Tiber Gardens
London N1 0XE
Tel: 020 7278 1065
Mob: 07958 481064
Email: paul@paulhawleylondon.co.uk

RozDesigns
www.rozdesigns.com
39 Mayfield Avenue
North Finchley
London N12 9JG
Tel: 020-8446-5555
Email: roz.designs@btinternet.com

Brown Atelier
Tel: 078 1622 2841
20 Woodhouse Road
North Finchley N12 0RG

In the meantime, I do recommend that you check out Whirling Turban for their truly fabulous online made-to-measure service. They design their own vintage-inspired frocks and source the most gorgeous vintage fabrics and Chinese brocades for you to choose from. They take all your measurements and are particularly finicky about fit, so allow enough time for them to create the perfect Wiggle for you. One of my BFFs in Australia had a sensational Whirling Turban creation for a Shag launch (the same event that led to my sad Ebay search for a Wiggle). She chose a wild Tiki print and was the sauciest wahini in the place. And they even made her the sweetest matching fan. Here's another cute look from Whirling Turban:


While most of their frocks feature a sarong-style wrap element, you could ask them for a variation on the pattern, such as a fitted pencil skirt instead.


For an off-the-rack Wiggle dress, I also recommend you check out Stop Staring online for 107 vintage and rockabilly-style frocks. You’ll find some fabulous Wiggles in their collection (have a peep at the Starlette dress, Summer Fling, Drama Girl dress, Sydney dress, Manhattan dress, Black Vixen, Leopard Martini dress and the ultra-sexy Black Satin Hollywood dress). Make sure you click on the link to “Our Items Available at Daddy-o’s” and refer to their helpful Sizing Chart for the perfect fit.