Every piece of vintage is a piece of history but there are some pieces that are more historic than others. From the most expensive to the oldest and beyond, we’re filling your brain with amazing vintage facts this Sunday to impress your style-loving friends:
- The richest fashion designer in the world right now is Giorgio Armani who is worth £3.3billion. The 80-year-old Italian founded his company in 1975 making him not only one of the most successful fashion visionaries of today but a classic icon whose sunglasses and signature tailored looks for both men and women are some of the most sought after at our fair.
- The oldest professional fashion model title belongs to Daphne Selfe. The 86-year-old Brit still wows in front of the camera after a 60 year career which began when she entered a competition to be the cover girl of The Reading Review. She hit the big time at the age of 70 appearing in Vogue and has gone on to model for Dolce & Gabbana, Nivea and Olay.
- In May this year the most expensive Rolex watch ever sold went for $1.22m. The piece in question was a vintage 1949 Oyster Perpetual. The Oyster Perpetual collection was originally made as a sports watch suitable for deep sea diving and the range continues to be popular today with the new models that are released.
- At the time, Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton set many world records. Elizabeth Taylor was contracted for $1m, the highest for a female star at the time, although she was eventually paid $7m because shooting ran over. It also beat the record for most expensive film ever produced, costing $44m which it is thought would still be in the top most expensive films of all time if inflation is taken into account. Elizabeth Taylor also set the record for most number of costume changes in one film for 65 changes but this was eventually broken by Madonna in 1997 for Evita.
- Fifty years after she filmed Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor was setting records again with the most valuable private collection of jewels sold at auction. The sale at Christie’s New York, which included many pieces bought for Elizabeth Taylor by her husband Richard Burton fetched an extortionate £74m in one night.
Know any more incredible vintage fashion records? Tweet them to us @ClerkenwellVint.