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Amber Doyle

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occupation: co-owner of Against Nature Atelier in NYC’s Lower East Side

“[I like] harsh, dark glamour. Harsh elegance.” Amber Doyle

Amber loves her vintage monkey furs, but what makes them and everything she wears poignant for her are its details, origins, and loss of breath when she sees it. Her excitement is palpable when she explains how she found the original owner’s picture in the pocket of one of the furs, with the date of the photo of New Year’s 1949. The photo now sits in a frame on Amber’s mantle, as if the woman in it is a relative, making explicit the chilling and considerable emotional connection that antique clothing and its context has for her. She attributes her obsession with the beauty of detail to her Native American roots and the beadwork she would do as a child in Chicago. The appreciation for authenticity can be seen in everything Amber either owns or makes, from the original edition Vivienne Westwood pirate squiggle-print boots (that are signed by the designer) to her exquisite hand-made silk dupione blouses with the perfectly oversized french cuffs. She has both a strong passion for the feminine “lush” of the ’20s and ’30s, like her peach chiffon sheer dress – I love how she wears it with black thick tights and her go-to floppy hat. And then Eduardian-inspired, tailored men’s suiting, like

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Arthur Louie

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occupation: co-owner of The Archive in San Francisco, manager, and merchandiser

“I love the hidden details about the clothing I have and that I sell in the store. You may not see it, but I know that it’s there, and that’s why I enjoy wearing it.” Arthur Louie

Arthur was on course to be an optometrist, which makes sense when you hear how deeply he sees through (like x-ray vision) the construction of his clothes. With the perfectionism of an architect, his clothes fit his body like a luxurious glove, whether the “C”-shaped skinny jeans, blazers with the highly accentuated cuts in the arm pit, or the extra-long sleeves on his sweaters. He talks with fervor about the boiled wool lining of his jacket, the raw edges of his pullover, and the excitement of being able to wear something inside out when it’s so well-made. But most daring (and such a great tip) is the magic that happens to the shape and texture of a leather jacket when you throw it in the washing machine. However, Arthur’s prolific, almost museum-worthy boot collection (mostly made up of the sadly defunct Carpe Diem brand, (the white Augusta ones by designer-Simone Cecchetto, former Carpe Diem shoe designer, are a standout!) is for me, what defines him most of all. They are impeccably rugged, and their take on an Eduardian silhouette adds the ideal amount of theater to his skillfully understated and impactfully refined and laid-back wardrobe.

If you like Arthur, you might also enjoy Stephan Jenkins, Geoffrey Young, and Mack Dugan.


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Sielian Lie

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occupation: owner of Sielian’s Vintage Apparel

On her favorite thing about fashion: “The profound beauty it brings to a woman. I love wearing beautiful and unique vintage clothes. I love seeing how beautiful clothing can transform a woman’s look.” Sielian Lie

Thank god for the humble, tasteful, and unique who provide us with places to shop that are humble, tasteful, and unique and provide refuge from the present day’s chronic mediocrity and homogeneity. I discovered Sielian at my favorite of all favorites, the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show (another gem of an experience and coming up this week!), where there is so much inspiration and style that the roof could blow off. And even there, she stood out. It’s totally internal and innate for her, everything is a pivotal piece, untrendy, and 100% quality. In her birthplace of Jakarta, Indonesia, everyone is dressed to go anywhere (no jeans or sweats, except to the gym). Sielian lounges at home in sarongs – it always matters to her. As a result, she is finished down to the exemplary vintage belts, consummate Gianni Versace bag, and refreshingly rare 1980’s Todd Oldham stacked heel buckled perfectly around the bottom of her Norma Kamali harem pants. Sielian says that certain looks make her feel more in control, like her 1980’s Plein Sud blazer worn with a one-shoulder cashmere Margiela mini-dress, vintage Alaia skirt, vintage belt from Paris, Givenchy lace-up boots and Wolford tights. But for me, she never misses a note, and Sielian’s ability to pull the best from all genres and wear them with such elegance makes her and her boutique treasured diamonds in the rough.

To learn more about Sielian, click on the detailed credits page.

If you like Sielian, you might also enjoy Frederique van der Wal, Susan Cianciolo, or Christine de Lassus.


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Malin Landaeus

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“I feel like women have a language of creative communication with each other. It’s not about consumerism. It’s not about who designed it. It’s about you, and ‘I like what you are able to do with yourself.’ There is something really profound about that.” Malin Landaeus

Running back and forth with Malin between her voluminous archives and extraordinarily well-edited shop in Brooklyn is like a drug for someone like myself who thrives on connecting with people that live so deeply and vividly in their dreams and figure out how to manifest them. It was like a euphoric whirlwind shooting her as she moved with lightning speed, putting together on herself a feast of the most enviable combination of exceptional vintage clothing imaginable. Lucky for us, she didn’t have enough garments for her Barbie at age 5, which she feels fueled a burning desire for an abundance of choices for the rest of her life. Equally fortunate for us, the socialism of Sweden didn’t appeal to her innate and insatiable need to be an individual, so she moved to the US. A born tastemaker, when she saw Annie Hall in the ’70s (I saw it at least 30 times), she abandoned her bell bottoms and went to school the next day in her dad’s suit (I didn’t). For now, she is into equestrian genres, for a feeling of power and oversized suits and “bulk” in general, as the new “confident sexy”, like her Norma Kamali jumpsuit and drop dead ikat Issey Miyake dress. But what shines through everything for me is the depth of Malin’s comittment to the meaning behind the pieces that she loves best. They have nothing to do with trends and end up representing her the most, like the very mannish Lagerfeld pin-stripe blazer that comes out every fall (with fedora) and the black scoop neck top that her grandmother wore as a “lady in waiting” in the Swedish parliament where her grandfather was a member (then it was part of a uniform over a blouse). It says everything about Malin’s sincerity and dedication and love for everything and everyone around her.

To learn more about Malin, go to the detailed captions page.

If you like Malin, you might also enjoy Jenny Hirschowitz, Barbara Louis, or Nova Landaeus.


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Fille de Joie and CC McGurr

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CC is the owner of Fille de Joie, a spectacular vintage clothing store in Williamsburg, NY. Her store is like walking into a life size dollhouse of coquettish charm. She feels that clothes are like the alphabet, they are there to help you write your own story and when you go into the shop, you become one of the characters in her fairytale. CC hand picks each piece and she sees a personality in everything she owns, she literally refers to “rescuing” each of her prized possessions. A party dress, according to CC should be worn in the day to make you happy, that’s the essence of personal style.

Check out the Fille de Joie’s website here.

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