Leo & Me

A day without dressing up is a day wasted says me. Today may have been spent unloading the van from the weekend, washing, pickle making and grocery shopping but doing mundane tasks while slobbing around in skanky trakkie bottoms? Hell, no.

Although I've worn this dress countless times since buying it last year, for some bizarre reason it hasn't featured on my blog until now. I'm not sure why. Although it's obscenely comfortable I feel insanely glamorous the minute I slip it on.

The label was unfamiliar to me, as always I bought the dress solely because I loved it but, like all good vintage geeks, I was itching to do some research into the origins. It turns out that Bonwit's Espresso Shop for Young Sports (is that not the best name ever?) was, from the early to mid-1960s, a department within Bonwit Teller, a luxury department store that was torn down and replaced by Trump Tower (gah!) on Fifth Avenue, New York.  The Guy D line was sold between 1963 - 1965.

Leo Narducci SOURCE

The handsome Leo Narducci grew up in the clothing industry with his family owning a contract garment making factory in Massachusetts. Although under no pressure to join the family business, from an early age he dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and, under the tutelage of his babysitter, was able to make clothes from patterns by the time he was 15. After serving in the air force in Korea he enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1960.

1963 Harpers Bazaar shoot for Leo's collection for Guy D. SOURCE

Leo joined Loomtags, a successful American sportswear company, where he learnt marketing. Within a few years he was submitting fashion editorials to magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar and was hailed as one of the top five designers in America. In 1965 he was awarded the Coty Fashion Award For Young Designers.

Ellen Harth (centre and left) & Marisa Berenson (right) modelling Leo's designs  SOURCE

Over the years Leo's name has appeared on dresses, loungewear, swimsuits and even a range of Vogue patterns (there's loads of them on Etsy). He's still involved in the fashion industry today, as a mentor to the students of Rhode Island School of Design, the college from which he graduated.

Leo Narducci photoshoot for Look magazine, 1967 SOURCE

People who are too into fashion end up being too cartoony. People with style take from fashion and add it to their style. And they usually mix things up. - Leo

One of Leo's sketches SOURCE

I think the artist should be true to him or herself. That’s a big responsibility. Not to self-indulge but to lay out the ideas in a palatable way for people who are going to be viewing it and wearing it. Not to make something ridiculous. I’m referring to clothing but I think in many ways art can be a little more daring than clothing. 

I think its important for the artist to realise what they do has responsibility and integrity and mustn't lose that. I didn't want to put my name on every darn thing people asked me to. It’s probably why my ten minutes of fame didn’t turn into an hour. I keep my focus on what I do.

-Leo

Leo and model SOURCE

I think fashion is of the moment. Style is personal and, for me, far more important than fashion. Style is not just what they wear, but how they wear it. Fashion comes and goes, and a person’s style extracts from that.  - Leo

Window display for the Lord & Taylor department store, 5th Avenue, New York SOURCE

The greatest surprise for me has been the longevity of everything I’ve done and still doing.  I don’t think in the past but I think about tomorrow. I think about the future. It’s strange considering my age. I get up every morning and I never stop and say, 'I wish...I wanted to...Why didn't I?' I think, What do I want to do tomorrow and the next day and the next. - Leo

The chap I bought my dress from isn't on the 'net and thought my dress may have been a 1970s purchase from a cruise. When I saw him again he was amazed to hear that, dating from between 1963 - 1965, it was even older than me. Not only is it made from the softest most luxurious cotton ever, it's fully lined, has pockets and cost considerably less than a pair of sAdidas (thanks, Becky!) jogging bottoms.

Leo Narducci for Guy D maxi dress (vintage fair, Leicester), silver space boots (retail sale buy), Tribal jewellery (India, car boots, charity shops)

In other news we had a great day trading in Cambridge on Sunday and it was fab to met Sally for the first time. Yesterday was mostly spent in 'Spoons and the rest of the week is set aside for vintage hunting as there's gaps on the rails that urgently need replenishing before our next Judy's fair in Balham, South London on Sunday. We've got a road trip planned for tomorrow and I can hardly wait.

See you soon!