Period clothes are frequently interpreted to create new fashion collections, but rarely does a designer have the opportunity to reinterpret the real thing. One/Of’s Patricia Voto is one of those lucky few.
With her New York-based made-to-measure atelier, Voto is giving a second life to 10 couture pieces spanning the 1920s and ‘30s sourced by Etéreo Vintage founder Zabrina Estrada, who initially deemed them too fragile or damaged for sale. The resulting capsule marries the glamour of a Fitzgerald heroine with the exoticism that dominated the period, a golden age for women-led houses.
A robe de style by Jeanne Lanvin enforced using layers of silk gauze.
Courtesy of One/Of
Business owners themselves — and upstairs-downstairs neighbors — the collaboration felt natural, “as if we were reviving the energy of the great Parisian salons,” Estrada said. To honor the integrity of each design, she and Voto conducted thorough research before engaging in museum-caliber preservation techniques. Still, these aren’t relics meant to be handled with gloves. “It’s important that we’re thinking about garments that can be worn more than once,” Voto explained, “that we’re maintaining the original quality but modernizing the cuts for long term use.”
Voto did her foremothers Jeanne Lanvin and Madame Grés proud. The former’s blushy robe de style marred by holes was enforced using layers of silk gauze with the floral appliqués sewn on top in their intended arrangements, while a decaying goddess gown by the latter was hand-washed, bringing back its true lemon yellow hue. It now exists as a two-piece set with the pleats and internal corset intact just as Madame intended.
A pleated gown by Madame Grés reimagined as a two-piece set.
Courtesy of One/Of
Both will be displayed at One/Of’s Upper East Side showroom Wednesday — purchasing starts a day later with prices ranging from $2,890 to $14,990 — alongside gems by Jean Patou and Liberty & Co. The remaining six lots are unattributed, like a pair of flapper shifts embroidered with chinoiserie motifs — one cleverly transformed into a skirt, the other a pair of palazzos.
For any naysayers who feel that’s too drastic an alteration, Estrada offered: “This is not about altering history but continuing its dialogue.” With similar upcycling projects and exhibitions on the horizon, she’s evolving Etéreo beyond traditional retail into something more akin to a fine art gallery. Looks like this conversation has only just begun.
An unattributed beaded gown transformed into a pair of palazzo pants.
Courtesy of One/Of
