Merchant Archive at 19 Kensington Park Road

We are so excited to be settled in at our new location 19 Kensington Park Road in Notting Hill. We hope that our friends from the old Kilburn Lane shop will come and see us and look forward to meeting new people from our new ‘hood! The new shop has a great space over 2 floors allowing us to display even more beautiful vintage pieces, along with our contemporary line favorites MiH, Splendid, Emma Cook and Studio Nicholson. Jewellery includes stunning pieces from Jessica McCormack, romantic gothic designs from Noemi Klein and bright & bold pieces from Dorus Mhor and Susan O.

Here are a few pics of the new store- we look forward to seeing you soon!

Merchant Archive Team xx

Made in Heaven

We can all agree that the staple of every woman’s wardrobe is denim.  Season to season it is always an important element in our day-to-day and evening style because it is versatile and, let’s be honest, a great fitting jean can make us feel absolutely fabulous.

This season we are all pulling out our wide leg and flare jeans for an easy way to incorporate the 70’s autumn/winter trend. Instead of going ‘boho-chic’, it’s more about sophistication. Think: ‘fitted turtleneck, tucked into flare jeans, belted, with great boots and a floppy hat. Now that is not only on-trend but also a polished and classic look.

Jeans can be instrumental in pulling off a vintage look of a particular era. For example, if you were feeling the 1920s you might wear a silk cocoon jacket and gorgeous hair piece with a contemporary pair of skinny jeans and boots. The right pair of jeans can give vintage pieces a modern feel and balance an out-fit.

We are very excited to be carrying MiH jeans which are a hit with this season’s trends. Made in Heaven, as it was originally named in 1969, has been resurrected by Chloe Lonsdale and worn by A-listers including Jessica Alba, Katie Holmes, Kate Bosworth and Natalie Portman. There is a great story behind the label- In the 70’s her dad owned the Jean Store in Chelsea and met her mom who modeled designs for Made in Heaven the shop. Farah Fawcett and Jane Birkin were among the fans of the original label.

    

At Merchant Archive we have an array of MiH styles including the Oslo, Paris, Vienna, Milan, Tokyo, Halsy, London and Marrakesh in stock. They are named Made in Heaven for a reason- come in and try on to see for yourself!

x Rena at Merchant Archive

Karen Walker Eyewear

We have stocked Karen Walker eyewear here at Merchant Archive for a couple of seasons now. For me its just the sunglasses range of choice. I mean I do love my Raybans, and our beautiful friend and event designer Fiona Leahy came trotting into the store last week wearing THE Prada sunglasses which looked amazing. But its Karen Walkers commitment to keeping her prices reasonable and her styles reasonably out there that keeps us coming back for more. We have sold out twice, re-ordered like mad and its not just us. Our angel of the vintage world Florence Welch is a fan, she buys hers from us.  The Superga trooperga wish I looked like youga Alexa Chung is a fan, and James Brown tells me hes never had so many comments on sunglasses before ( hes all Merchant Archive man in this pap shot at Kates wedding in Parisien Trilby and 1860s waistcoat). And the very lovely MA fan Susie Bubble looks gorgeous in her Number one in smokey vintage brown. One of the best sellers.

They were whipped out of the New York show by cheeky stylists wanting their pair before the new collection even launched.When I had my buying appointment there were already samples missing, just too good to give back apparently!

Love your feedback…

Eastern Inspiration

Im suddenly beside myself with a love of all things Chinese and Japanese. I think it all started when I found a 1900 silk embroidered jacket that I simply couldn’t let go, im afraid that one didn’t make it into the store.Then there was the bright green top……I could just die for those petal coloured trimmed pockets….Oh and the 1920s black silk satin dragon backed jacket,which at first Bex the Bex Rox designer fell in love with but its final resting place is with Lisa of the very beautiful Kaftan world Tallulah and Hope, So great thrown over jeans with heels for a night out…Now there’s the incredible 1900-1920 green silk Kimono with its original weighting in the bottom and those to die for colours..

The pink kimono that found a happy home with our lovely song bird Florence Welch. Red heads can definitely wear pink…Then i found these two dresses inspired by Japan but made in the states…. 1930s and 1940s …And then there was Mary Katrantzou i absolutely adore her AW11 collection, she has taken her designing to a whole new level, its moments like this that Newgen her sponsors should be proud of. A star was born now its shining brightly.

I am a huge Dries van Noten fan and I see he has launched a Red cross for Japan t shirt.And my absolute favorite shot of the season so far, is that on the Givenchy show. The Chinese super models, beautiful in Richard Tisci’s Asian inspired haute couture designs.

The Alpes in Spring time

We all ran for the hills over the past few weeks with a double wammy bank holiday. Mr MA and I took that rather literally and trotted off to Chamonix well near by. Hes a skier, and I am…..well, not, so I was quietly relieved that we had all but missed the snow. Instead we made like Billy goats and skipped or rather puffed up and down the mountains. More skipped down and puffed up, obviously. Anyway it was a trip I had always longed for. The Alpes in spring time. I had dreams of wild flowers and a lushness you wanted to roll yourself in. I got lush in abundance,( gurt lush as some of my less well refined old Somerset school friends of 1987 might have said, but lets not linger there) Lush ,not in a more flowers than your nose can take in the basement of your Covent Garden soap store kind of a way. But in a Forget-me-not, Dandelion, Wisteria, Daisy, apple blossom way. More reminder of childhood roaming the farm than exotic fancy.But boy was it good. More goat  bell ringing, birds singing, mountain colours in our Wardrobes please. Oh looks like im not the only one inspired….

Emma Cooks prints for winter remind me of the dappling sun through the trees. ( in store this AW)

The Wisteria was so abundant. I love this bag by swarm….

This 1962 evening gown was one of our most treasured prints. Originally worn by for a prom by a girl who was whisked away in an open topped car. We have been lusting after Erdem’s prints this season too….sigh…

Jessica Hynes

Lovely local Jessica Hynes, pops in to Merchant Archive for that something spesh for the red carpet. Here she is looking beautiful at the Burke and Hare world premier in Chelsea,in 1940s coral dress .We also love her in Tallulah and Hope.

Florence Welch

We  have grown to truly love Florence at Merchant Archive. Shes such a songbird, she whistles and sings her way around the store, annnnddd she shares our love of all things vintage ,but wears them in that ‘must do so you dont look crazy’ Contemporary way. Here she is showing us how its done again… Top to toe Merchant Archive ( ooo except for the blouse) .

1960s flower bag, 1920s black silk satin jacket and MiH jeans, Marrakesh in black.

Anya Ziourova

Very nice to have a visit from the Anya Ziourova, Anya the great, Anya the stylish Anya the fashion director of Tatler Russia. We were surprised to learn Anya had never purchased a pieces of vintage clothing before and utterly delighted that were her first. She chose well, the beautiful Sea foam coloured silk velvet 1930s gown with the most incredible sleeve, and a cream 1940 lame crested crepe jacket. Here she is being shot in our garden….by Natalie Joos for her blog Tales of Endearment.

And the 1920 silk Satin jacket she also Loved and the cream 40s jacket she bought…

Emily Blunt styled by Karl Plewka

Ever since I opened Merchant Archive, Karl has frequented, he lives locally and pops in with lovely dog in tow. We have loved helping him find beautiful vintage collars to adorn dresses for Buffy, sending out clothes for various shoots, Vs was the latest 70s sun glasses and 50s head dresses. Karl is long time stylist to the stars so it great to get this pic of Emily Blunt looking dreamy in Vintage Merchant Archive jumpsuit and scarf, styled by him.

Me-he-ho or Mexico for sensible sorts

Well this is all rather delayed, but better late than never, As I was assured by my English teacher aged 14 when I handed in my ‘is Elvis dead or alive essay’.

In the couple of weeks before the madness of fashion week began, I escaped to Mexico, to be more precise Tulum on the Caribbean coast in search of that strange yellow thing apparently referred to as….The Sun… I found it in happy abundance but that’s not all I found.

Francesca Bonato (partner of model hotelier and perfumer Nico Maleville. Sigh) Uses the skills of local women to create the most beautiful products. Silk scarves are hand made with each one taking up to one and a half months to complete. The same fabric is used to line leather totes and gladiator sandals and wrapped around giant 70s inspired sun hats think Gerry Hall. They are all products I couldn’t leave behind, especially as Barneys have just picked her up. We will be the proud first UK stockists. In store from April.

Pics of collection to follow. I cant get any goodies as yet…. Stock in store 15th April..

Sunrise from my bed. The floor at Coqui Coqui perfumery 17 Century heaven.

The beautiful couple. and our room at their Perfumery…