Can you guess what these gorgeous fabrics were made into?
I have walked past this store a million times. I never knew what it sold and I seldom see any customers. All I see are two old couple sitting in front of what seems like a bed of cotton fluff. Recently, I decided to find out what exactly is in this tiny warehouse/store. I found out what I referred as fluff before, are hand-embroidered and lace stocks that are more than half a century old. These garments, fabrics and all kinds of cloth related items are so exquisitely made. Aprons attached with Chinese tatting and bobbin lace, a tradition in China started by the Missionaries of the 1800's, silk chemises adorn with twisting vines, delicately woven pillowcases with roses embroidered on their scalloped hems. For a girl who loves all things vintage, it was as if I have found a little of heaven on earth.
Vintage Sonya Ratay for San André
Stunning apron and absolutely useless but pretty bread loaf cover.
No matter where she goes, my grandmother is always wearing a Chinese cheongsam. She always looked so beautiful and well groomed, oozing elegance from a time long forgotten and much treasured. She gave me one of the tailor made cheongsam she wore when she was at her 20s, that is when my love for vintage bloomed. Since then, I have developed an OCD with collecting vintage things.
After graduating from SVA with a graphic design degree and working for a few years in nyc, I decided to move back to Hong Kong. With clothes, flips clocks, old books and all kinds of gadgets I have collected through out the years that amounts to the size of a shipping container (yes the huge ones you see parked at docks), I realized it's impossible to bring them all home, so I decided to part with my collection through Ebay. It was such a fun process that I wanted to continue even after I returned to HK. And so, Treasured Little Things came into existence. Now, I hand pick vintage pieces mostly from the Japanese market. I can't get enough of their pretty prints and slinky fabrics. The concept of recycling and finding vintage pieces that are relevant to the latest trends, makes me feel that I'm helping the environment, however small the effort seems.
My 2 doxies love to pose in my pictures.
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