Trims

Recently I covered my tailor's dummy in trims, in shades of white, cream and aqua that I have collected over the years from antique fairs, markets and haberdasheries.

My favorite antiques fair to find trims and fabrics is The London Vintage Fashion Textiles and Accessories Fair, which is held every four to five weeks in London. It is a magical place with over a hundred vintage fashion clothing dealers, selling an array of handbags, linen, lace, embroidery, shoes, hats, gowns, chiffons, beaded dresses, textiles, needlework accessories, necklaces, gloves, trimmings, fashion magazines, and costume jewellery.

"The show is the brain child of Paola Francia-Gardiner and Alberto Ricca (Paola is the creative force and Alberto the organisational supreme). An experienced antique dealer, Paola used to buy, sell and indeed wear vintage fashion in the late 70's. At that time, she got to know lot of people who were selling vintage clothes. By the early 90's the market was almost dead - no one was buying the clothes because the fashion scene had move on. The dealers were complaining to her that they had lot of stock and did not know what to do with it. With an innovative approach, in 1999 she decided to organise a fair that incorporated not just vintage clothes but also accessories and textiles."

For new trims and ribbons, I often visit the treasure trove that is V V Rouleaux. Their delightful shops are literally full to the brim with ribbons, tassels and trimmings: perfect for inspiring new ideas and elegant touches.