Winter Coat Syndrome...

I have had some absolutely beautiful coats over the last few years, took them for granted, sold them - thinking I could find another easily BUT its impossible! If anyone has a link to a great classic (but not boring) coat that looks good worn done up or not I would be very grateful xx I like mid thigh length with narrow shoulders, perhaps a hood and not too much detail.....like the one below by my most beloved Celine..
Pearl Lowe's vintage dresses (http://www.pearllowe.co.uk) got such a great response at Frock Me Vintage Fashion Fair last week that she has given me another exquisite selection for this Sundays 'London Vintage Fair' - again prices starting at £65.00! The fair is being held at: The Hilton Olympia, Kensington High St, London from 10 am on the 4th of December - do email me if you would like free tickets xx Lou (stylist of the above image) (Ruined Lou: http://www.ruinedlou.com) has just gone off with some weird pieces of mine to do an "Olympic' themed shoot - synchronised swimmers and polo riders....I love her work! I will upload the images asap - off I go to pack! Love Samaya X

Pearl Lowe's Dresses Are Coming to Frock Me...

Wow! My stand for Frock Me vintage fair (this Sunday from 11am at Chelsea Town Hall) is all set up in my studio for a practice (pricing up and steaming creases out and sewing on buttons). It all looks better than ever before! Partly because Pearl Lowe's pretty dresses are hanging up - she asked me to sell a few of her favorites to make some room in her wardrobe (one of the best wardrobes I have ever seen!). They start at £65.00 for a floral day dress so get there early my lovelies! Here are just a few of Pearl's dresses coming with me on Sunday.....do email me if you would like a free ticket xx Love Samaya

Lanvin...

I'm having a lovely relaxing evening looking through my Lanvin books - here is a photo of a dress by Lanvin...c1920s...I'm writing an article about Jeanne Lanvin for the next VintagExplorer issue, just looking at her early pieces makes my arm hairs stand up. I will be getting an amazing collection ready for this Sunday's Frock Me (27th November @ Chelsea Town Hall) - I have found some incredible 1920s and 30s dresses and most excitingly I have some of Pearl Lowe's own personal collection to sell for her - she wants to make space for a few new (vintage) dresses....if you would like a free ticket let me know via email: samayaling@gmail.com. This has been a splendid weekend all round really, Roberts school Christmas fair yesterday (working on the gate and doing the raffle, quite fun surprisingly!) and today we went for a mad bike ride on the new trail track through Ashton Court - check out this little video - the last 40 seconds really shows what its like, imagine being on a rollercoaster but you have to do the steering! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Or7-elqpgU&feature=related. I had no helmet so went rather slowly, also I was riding my brothers mountain bike (mine is a silly around town bike) - his seat was HORRID and razor like, I spent most of the ride standing up and pulling over to let the professionals go past....Love Samaya xx

Here is where I would go...

Oh, this place is even called 'The Samaya'....Bali. Visualize hard people. Love Samaya X

Need a holiday...

What a Monday. I overslept a wee bit this morning and never quite caught up. (Hammersmith Vintage Fair is a long long day!). In the middle of unpacking all the dresses, making calls and catching up on emails SOMEONE (no names) stepped in some dog mess on the street and practically MOONWALKED it into my flat, through the hallways, down the stairs and oh my goodness I was nearly sick a few times as I cleaned up - buckets and buckets of boiling bleach water, scrub scrub, gloves and apron...I even cleaned the street in the end so no one else did the same thing. Then straight after school Ella's phone broke down (she is 15, so it was urgent) so off we rushed to find a new one...on our return little Rob had a horrible headache which needed nursing..turns out he is worried about maths at school...and still no food shopping in the house...I must learn to be more organized and perhaps spend a lot of time positively visualizing a personal assistant / servant to run things while I come up with ideas to earn millions and 'wonder' about looking great. Love Samaya xxxx PS Absolutely had enough of trying to grow my hair - the last time it was long was nearly 10 years ago and it seems to have 'changed', thinner (sob) and a bit wiry - going to try out those hair style websites now where you put your photo in a style etc etc!

Busy week ahead!

I love this little cape so much - I found it on a very sweet blog: http://everyeskimo.blogspot.com but it does not say where it is from originally...I did see one similar in Paris but it was hundreds of pounds.....Its been an amazing weekend - our brilliant neighbours did it again (Halloween was incredible as usual) with a party in our little park, bonfire, free sausages (bring your own bread rolls), fireworks and lots of mad kids running about dangerously with sparklers...I also managed to get to both Stroud and Bristol vintage fairs with my friend Sylvie - she was supposed to just look but ended up buying amazing 1950s shoes for £5 (!!!!) and long pointy 1920s scarves...perhaps I should go alone from now on. Today I am getting ready for Hammersmith Vintage Fair (Sunday 13th), I have a lot of new pieces to get ready - and more to collect this week - my stand will have a 1920s and 30s selection extraordinaire! I also am writing up my article for the Vintage Exlorer magazine (http://www.vintagexplorer.co.uk/), it will feature my favorite designer ever and my personal best vintage fair dealers...plus top secret information etc....BTW - If anyone would like a free ticket to let me know xx Love Samaya

Fashion, Food and Cornwall...

I always forget that after a pasty in St Ives, a crab sandwich in Lamorna, a cream tea in Newlyn and an ice cream at Marazion there is not much to eat in Cornwall (unless you are self catering and then the fish possibilities are endless). We ate out the first night in a pub called The Kings Arms, near Mousehole (avoiding The Ship Inn as last time we were there the chef shuffled past us in massive Crocs (those horrid shoes), one hand wiping her nose and the other scratching herself, I am not joking). Sadly the other pub was almost as bad - silence descended as we entered, like the scene from Werewolf in London. Then the food was dry, tasteless and not fresh really, kids like it as the chips and deep fried mushrooms were ok. Perhaps I will retire down there and set up the best pub to ever exist? hahaha. I had a look in a few vintage shops while we were there too - not a thing for me this time but it was good to see my (wicked) step daughter looking so well, happy & so stylish - Faye is tall so does not wear high heels very often, she says she is already towering over most of the Cornish as it is..... I gave her a 1970s Louis Vuitton 'Alma' for a present - she loves it so much! According to little Rob she was taking pictures of it with her iphone late into the night while he was trying to get to sleep. Robert surfed like mad everyday - I was too cold to even think about changing into my wetsuit so I just shouted instructions to him from the shore (I'm very hoarse now - I must get either a very loud whistle or a loud speaker) : "YOU'RE TOO FAR OUT!! COME BACK!" or 'WELL DONE LOVE" etc etc. Here he is finally coming back in to shore....aah, parenthood. Love Samaya xxx

Large Glass of Le Soraie

Le Soraie is a delicious red wine from my local Italian deli, 'Licatas', I can't pronounce it of course but they don't seem to mind. Thank you so much everyone for attending the auction today, for bidding over the phone and online and for leaving such great commission bids! Thank you too Tres Chic & VintagExplore magazines xx so funny watching Jodie Brown bidding for the first time and the boss of Dreweatts saying "don't worry, we can sort it out later" to the room when she failed to find her paddle number....later she admitted to me that she was not even sure what she had won!! And wow, the saleroom was packed. Richard & Peter were excellent on the rostrum, making fun of my catalogue descriptions (stunning, incredible, fabulous, beautiful) and keeping it all going.... The antique Chinese textiles & fans sold for so much over the estimates it was embarrassing - £100 - 200 turned into £1,800.00 etc.... finally, I am so happy its all over, and that it was a success, now for another glass of wine and a massive sleep.
Love Samaya XXX

Manhole Fame...

Tomorrow is the auction! I can finally start to relax and enjoy tomorrow - I am so excited, there are tons of bids already....my friend Anna from Wales is coming just for fun, she is just back from Spain and was impressed to see my name all over town, well almost, on every manhole cover....hum. The viewings on Saturday and today have been MENTAL, so many people, also the emails for condition reports and more images have been non stop...you can watch the auction live online tomorrow at 10:30 am:
http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/dreweatts-bristol-salerooms-the-apsley-road-saleroom/catalogue-id-2825204
The Vivienne Westwood portraits already have bids on them...full report here when I have recovered....I am booking Thursday off for a serious pampering day, sauna, pedicure, haircut....to be honest its been rather horrible feeling rough, tired, with static / greasy hair (it never behaves) and bags under my eyes....luckily the photo of me in Vintage Explorer magazine was taken when I was super relaxed and salon fresh.....and perhaps it was about 2 years ago too....hahahaha! Frock Me was so good yesterday, my mum came to help me (thank you Mum, I really needed the support xx) we sold nearly all my 1920s pieces so I am planning lovely buying trips to restock.....Love Samaya xxxx

Seven Days to Go......

The Vintage Fashion Auction (sale day 18th October!) is getting lots of attention, buyers are coming to see the Alexis Kirk collection on Friday and then the main viewing days are Saturday, Monday & Tuesday before the sale starts. Today me, Liz, Sara & Annie arranged the rails, jewellery and accessories - its nearly ready to view already - just need Kim to come in tomorrow and steam the creased pieces and tag up the lots....I cannot wait now, what a build up. We have buyers registering to bid from all over the world, and so many left bids, I am extremely excited to see what happens - There are a few very interesting antique Chinese textiles, lot number 91 seems to be getting a lot of interest...perhaps I should go back to school to study this area.....for now I am looking forward to a lovely rest in Cornwall for the half term...X Love Samaya
PS: The Chanel Bag sold for £8500.00 on Monday!

The Vintage Fashion Catalogue is Live...

Hello everyone x as promised here is the link to the Vintage Fashion Auction catalogue online! http://www.dnfa.com/bristol/ Do email me or the sale room for any further information....now to lay it all out in the sale room....the fun bit. Love Samaya X

Meltdown on a Tuesday...

Today was absolutely mad. My lovely Liz Van Hasselt, are you sure you want my job? I had so many (more!!!) things to sort out for the online Vintage Fashion catalogue that I thought I might pop, then I have builders & locksmiths at my flat 'doing things' and phoning me every half hour to ask questions....then the person supposed to collect my son from school FORGOT so at 4.15pm I noticed several missed calls from the school....then I did pop, had a small cry and shouted a bit at everyone on the phone and everyone at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury in general, they were exceptionally good about it, I even got a hug. Luckily my appointment in London called to say lets do it tomorrow instead...we then finished the images for the catalogue and the sale is loading to the website as I write this...I will put the link here when its definitely live! When I got back to my Mum's house (whilst the builders do things) I poured a glass of wine into a tea cup (looks innocent that way to other slightly judgemental sorts) and went to the park with my son to watch him do amazing stunts on the BMX, I feel much, much better now. I'm also off to London on Thursday, for the preview of the Luxury Sale - I wish I could have made it to the Liz Taylor preview on Saturday! Louise went along and saw the huge diamond rings....imagine marrying the same man 4 times...hahahahaha! Slightly mad and manic laughter. The Angel Jackson party was good last Saturday! I love this new collection more than any other they have done, large fold over soft leather clutch bags....the olive green one is on my list. (http://www.angeljackson.com) Here is a photo of another incredible neck piece & earrings from the Duchess of Windsor collection.......Love Samaya X

London Fashion Week & Angel Jackson...

I am gutted that I missed Kinder Aggugini's (http://www.aggugini.com/) runway show at LFW yesterday - but glad that Charlene went in my place; she took photos, sat next to famous and beautiful women and ate my gingerbread man out of MY goodie bag (as well as her own)...I think in place of lunch, hahaha, but she did bring back the other things...thank you Char x. I am still doing The Vintage Fashion Sale catalogue, bitten off slightly more than I can chew here to be honest. The time it takes is unbelievable. There were supposed to be other auction bodies working on this too but they are busy with their own sales / holidays / illnesses so I am doing my best - and to be fair I am still getting plenty of help from the lovely Dreweatts staff though (I think I must ask about 179 questions on average per day). So tonight at home, nice and quiet, I put the sale in order: Victorian, Edwardian, Lace, Costume, Fans, Shawls, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, furs, 1980s, Eastern & Chinese textiles, The Alexis Kirk Collection, Accessories, Jewellery, 1920s, 1930s, Couture & Designer...phew....I am going to treat myself to a night out! This Saturday Angel Jackson are holding their 'moving showrooms' / LFW party in London, Sylvie and me are heading up and staying over...I am thinking of DJing (disco) but only if I get time to put a set together, Katie lets me and IF someone nice lends me a few records...mine are all over the place : - ). I will put a link to the catalogue for you all once its live....Love Samaya X PS: Another of Wallis Simpson's (Duchess of Windsor) Art To Wear Necklaces pictured here, designed by Alexis Kirk - in the Luxury Sale. How can I let Madonna know?

The Luxury Sale is live...

Phew! There are now 510 lots in the Vintage Fashion Auction, it should be live for viewing online by next Friday the 23rd...meanwhile The Luxury Sale catalogue is ready! The Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, collection by Alexis Kirk is now ready for viewing online along with other wonderful pieces. Take a peek if you like, its a PDF download file on the link below, it is such a beautiful catalogue! I am having another crazy but fun week, sleeping is not easy with the amount in my head...I will update the blog in full asap....good to see everyone at Hammersmith this Sunday! Now to get ready for Fashion Week...I can't go til Tuesday....last minute as always.

http://www.dnfa.com/eastbourne/auctions.asp?view=saledetails&aucno=13473&avail=0

I listed this dress on ebay and it has 49 watchers....I wonder what it will sell for?! Not sure about ebay, lots of questions to answer and then it may sell for the starting price...ouch!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1950s-Emerald-Green-Frothy-Tulle-Net-Prom-Dress-/250889236433?pt=UK_Women_s_Vintage_Clothing&hash=item3a6a29efd1

Love Samaya xx

Vintage Explorer

Karyn from Vintage Explorer contacted me ages ago (well, July) to talk about the Vintage Fashion Auction and possibly featuring it in her new magazine - coming out in September (there is already an antique explorer) and now there is to be a 3 page article all about it and our image on the cover! The press coverage should be very good anyway with all the amazing pieces in so far...I am having to say 'no' to most of the stuff coming in now (unless its amazing - like the bright pink Ossie Clark dress yesterday, estimated £100 - 150.00) as it's getting TOO big...Sadly a few of the Pirate collection (1981 Vivienne Westwood) pieces have been withdrawn, the house of Westwood bought them direct - they are always looking for authentic Westwood as fakes are everywhere. Damien Hirst famously bought £80,000 pounds worth of Vivienne Westwood only to be told by Malcolm Mclaren that they were ALL copies. Maybe I should show them my Kieth Haring Westwood coat and Nostalgia of Mud collection.... Meanwhile the catalogue is looking amazing. It is going to be a really unique chance to get hold of true vintage pieces at really good prices - I am expecting a lot of collectors, women shopping for themselves, costume jewellery people as well as dealers....The Victorian and Edwardian pieces are exquisite, the flapper dresses are unreal and the Alexis Kirk collection is my absolute favorite...its so stylish, timeless and so well crafted, but also there are boxes of little lace collars, silk velvet green & purple 1920s capes... There are also big plans for the art to wear pieces that Alexis Kirk made for Wallace Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, (they will be sold in the Bloomsbury / London Luxury Accessories Sale) - I can't tell you what they are yet but fingers crossed by Friday all will be revealed........I am working with the lovely ladies at Dreweatts to get this catalogue fully illustrated and live online by the 18th of September so everyone will have a full month to go through it and decide what to go for.....more soon! Love Samaya XXX

Back from Paris...and Wales

Last weekend Robert whisked us off on a surprise romantic trip to Paris last, a lovely drive there - albeit getting slightly lost and on the way back we 'denied' a lift to a couple of backpackers, then made jokes about them all the way home, I still feeling a bit guilty now, sorry backpackers but romantic trips do not include hitchhikers.... We stayed at the Hotel Amour (http://www.hotelamourparis.fr/) just off 'Rue des Martyrs' - its lovely but NOT for children!. We did not do much really apart from walk miles, eat & drink and wonder around the very quiet (August) flea markets. I found some lovely things as usual, including a c1923 headdress from the Moulin Rouge, amazingly scull / helmet shaped and encrusted with paste stones....beautiful. Back in the new office now, bustling about with the to-do list and my new assistant Charlene Lim - Welcome aboard Charlene! Charlene is working on the new website - making look a hundred times better and sorting the showroom out too...xx We had a visit from Maggie today, she's looking for some 1950s & 1970s mens' suits for the TV show, 'Being Human'. Always a pleasure to see Maggie - she made a personal purchase while she was browsing our rails too - a 1940s crepe leaf print dress with lovely panelling down the bodice and very a flattering cut. The weekend just gone was spent in rainy Wales with a few family members, it was a rather awful trip, almost from hell, a van slid down the hill and crashed our tents (luckily no one was inside them) and then me and my mum had a 'spat' the next day. I said something horrible like "I am never coming camping with you again". It was a full moon though so I will blame it all on that....aside from the camp 'vibes', me, my brother and little Robert surfed at least twice a day and the waves were excellent. More soon! Love Samaya & Charlene xxx

Ella Here...

Im ella samaya's step daughter, working with the vintage queen samaya , looking through grazia magazine there are so many great styles which inspire me and in my opinion this year is defiantly all about mixing things up! i just found a amazing black 80's dress LBD (little black dress) on page 58 grazia , i'm really into this kinda style of dress i think its really nicely styled. Dress's like this with the beautiful neck design really work for me , the design is simple but interesting! im wearing my red buttoned up shirt , i just tried to get a picture of it but the websites broke GREAT! but i can tell u it is really nice, i cut the cleves off and button it all the way up its quite thin material not to thin actually, i bought it the other day from one of my favorite shops MOTEL ROCKS, which do vintage clothing but mostly 80's styles!

Back To Earth With Slight Bump

Motherhood is amazing, it really sorts you out. Just when you think you have it all going good and things are fine your child will let you know that actually you are being an idiot and not paying enough attention to what is real and important. Thank you Robert xx and sorry I have been so distracted. I met briefly with Shannon and Jon from New York Vintage two weeks ago on a day when I was really missing my son; they bring their two girls with them everywhere and even have a play room for them at their showrooms, this is how I am going to do things from now on. Just a few days away in NYC and then a sad trip up to Scotland for my beautiful Grandpa's funeral last week has made us lose touch a bit here and today is the first normal good family day I have had in weeks. Tomorrow I am contacting all the applicants from my gumtree advert for an assistant, there is so much to do here and I need some help! Plus I need a car and a big work space would be good too....hum. Here is Francesca in an Edwardian lace bodice and 1940s shorts....Love Samaya

Oops hangover on my shopping day...

Just back from Macy's...got my boy some amazing clothes and some huge lolly pops....Due to still being a bit jet lagged I awoke at 6 am and got ready to go for the shops...had a bad start really with the first negative thing at the hotel, the coffee was luke warm, and then the waiter had a go at me for sitting down at a table before being shown to one...I was already feeling delicate and missing my little Robert so this silly thing made me leave immediately...then I headed out far too early (everything closed) and as I crossed 6th Avenue a guy shouted 'fat ass' at me!!!!! Goodness. Well, I assumed he was talking to me...so anyway, I cheered up after going to Starbucks - big queue and you have to shout your order in front of everyone...they did not understand the way I said 'double shot soya latte' and I had to shout it three times! Last night was such fun too, worth the headache..Lisa Kirk took me out to dinner at Ma Peche, then to the Oak Bar at The Plaza for drinks and then on to TAO for more drinks...she got us talking to nearly everyone...and nearly into a 'night club' bus headed for a house music venue - glad we did not get in as I had had enough! Is there still enough time to do the Empire State, Central Park, 5th Avenue, NY Vintage and the East Side shops? And what about my hair appointment I forgot to sort out? Back to good old Hobbs I reckon.... Love Samaya xxxx

Oh its brilliant here...

Wow, I want to come back here asap - the atmosphere is so good, I have to stop myself grinning down the street listening to people talking in their accents....my current dream is to rent an 'apartment' here for August. I just finished two very intense days - sorted through maybe 40 boxes of jewellery and belts, buckles and straps, sorted out VAT, shipping and listed them all (65 lots of over 5 pieces per lot...this auction is going to be 'unreal' ha ha, in my cheesy NYC voice. Oh my goodness, the pieces are really really really good, I have just had a Mojito so bear with me...the Duchess of Windsor must have had incredible style, some of her pieces are not really necklaces, more like body sculpture / art, I can't wait to show them off- and they are in their original dark red leather boxes with white silk lining...with her initials on of course...just off now for dinner with my friends, they want to meet me on the corner of 6th & 29th facing East, ha ha, what the hell does that mean? Actually its really easy to find my way around here - I had a peek of the Empire State yesterday, its not that big!!! Brandon Hill (Clifton baby) tower is the same size....so tomorrow I am free free to go and look around - going to Soho, then hair cut at 'Tommy Guns' - hum, then the vintage shops.... ooh, and by the way this hotel is ACE ( like its name ) the staff are so helpful and patient...and they hold my drink for me while I go outside to have a secret smoke...breakfast is INCREDIBLE - but get this, my trousers are falling down tonight - must have been to busy to eat or all the sweating is making me thinner....love it and Love you all, Samaya X ps this is the sand at WSM as I have not downloaded any NYC pictures yet! Nice.

New York Here I Come!

Oh my goodness, only just realised I needed to apply for a visitors visa online - said it needed 72 hours and my flight is in less than 24...I went for it anyway and luckily it was approved immediately, THANK YOU ! Now to bath my boy, he has seaweed in his hair and salty skin from surfing for hours. We only got back from Cornwall this afternoon - it was so lovely, wild and some sunshine, our faces are brown at least....so, I am off to New York to meet Lisa Kirk, an amazing artist and daughter of my favorite jewellery designer, Alexis Kirk, she has his entire collection and is putting some of it into my auction in October - its too exciting for words really (for me anyway) as some of it belonged to the Duchess of Windsor (Wallace Simpson) in the late 1960s - I will put images up as soon as I have them. I am also meeting up with New York Vintage, looks like they have an amazing store - have a peek: http://newyorkvintage.com/ I think I will wear this bracelet the whole time - if I don't get a rash from it...xx Love Samaya