Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti ( 17 January 1933 – 3 May 1987) better known as Dalida (داليدا)
+Before Beyonce there was Dalida.+
This exotic beauty of Italian descent and born in Cairo, Egypt rose to international fame throughout the 1960s and all the way to her suicide in the 1980s. A suicide over a broken heart only days after appearing in television interviews perfectly normal…love was her worst enemy in life.
She sold upwards of 140 million albums; Beyonce has sold 17 million solo, and 17 million with Destiny’s Child which really puts it into perspective (although, our girl Rihanna has sold upwards of 230 million records, so . . . ).
Special thanks to +THE ULTIMATE FASHION HISTORY+ Channel and its fabulous curator Amanda Halley for introducing us to this dazzling Diva. I’m sure we will focus on her again in future posts! The more you dive into her memory, the more incredible she becomes.
There was actually a biopic released in 2017 about her which we are dying to see! Check out the trailer here.
This is a wonderful disco extravaganza from 1979-1980 (?) entitled “GIGI IN PARADISCO”. It’s a total odyssey of 1970s crazy euro party glamour!
Let us know what you think in +COMMENTS+ below…
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
Back in 1999 a quirky cool show came out called ZENON: Girl of the 21st Century and now that we are actually in the 21st century its cool to see they weren’t so far off!
We always say the past informs our future, so when speaking on this idea of retro-futurism its so fun to notice visions of the future from the past, and usually in this context we speak often of a retro-future from the 40s, 50s, even 60s . . .but now we are seeing retro-future ideas taken from the 90s.
Jeremy Scott really took it there 100% with this vibe in his Autumn-Winter 2018 collection from the pastel millenial metallic palette with strokes of neon… to some really quirky weird sci-fi silhouettes.
The wigs brought me back to another 90s sci-fi gem which may be a bit more obscure unless you lived in Canada than guaranteed you watched this show if you grew up in the 90s: SPACE CASES!!!
The show first aired back in 1996, and has since stuck in our minds as a really rad adventure series featuring some cool talent. I think the plot was best summed up by Bethany on IMDB:
One day at an academy, 7 people sneak aboard a mysterious spaceship. The people consist of 5 students, who are Harlan, the athletic leader from earth; Catalina, the Saturnian rainbow-head with a sonic scream; Bova, the negative sour-pus Uranian who can generate electricity; Rosie, the happy Mercurian who radiates heat; and Radu, the Andromedan with super strength and hearing; the other two people are Mrs. T.J. Davenport, the principal at the academy and Commander Seth Goddard, who is their teacher/commander. While on-board they meet an android named Thelma who informs them that they are on a spaceship that is half living and called the Christa. Just when they meet up they become aware that they are approaching a hole that if they get sucked into, they will be stuck in space for 7 years. They eventually do and along their journey they encounter many hardships and enemies that they work together to overcome. They also meet some new people like Suzee (Catalina’s imaginary friend from another dimension who gets pulled into this dimension during a warp, putting Catalina in her dimension; she can read minds and has gills), Elmira (Sponge daughter of Warlard Shank), Warlard Shank (the arch enemy of them), etc.
The wigs immediately gave me some serious Jewel Staite as Catalina vibes; although, hers is just that much more with the multi-colored rings representing her home planet Saturn. Am I wrong?
Oh, and sorry about the strange captions in the two photos there. They are entertaining, nonetheless. Since it is a more obscure show, it was hard to find some great images, but I think you get the vibe, and especially with a few of the looks from Jeremy Scott’s AW 2018 show sandwiched between- I think the inspirations are undeniable!
Boy, Canadian television in the 90s was wicked…and man, Jeremy Scott’s interns must have been binge watching some serious shit, because you can’t deny that the painted ladies of Jeremy Scott’s Moschino Autumn-Winter 2018 show really give me crazy Rosie comparisons!
Granted, Jeremy Scott’s inspiration for this collection was Jackie-O, Aliens, and Conspiracy Theories so its not that far off…
Some other designers you can’t deny took a very similar route were Prada:
And, Maison Margiela Couture Autmn-Winter 2018 which was a symphony of hologram! Our jaws were dropethed watching one look after another walk down the runway.
If you have a chance, watch the actual show so you can see how magically these fabrics react to light- its magnificent and really shows the art of textile design and the incredible things being engineered today.
Since we are on this topic, I wanted to throw in some pics of a few more Canadian 90s aliens from the cult show ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? – episode: “The Thirteenth Floor”!!!
Two kids get lured by stylish 90s aliens to a strange toy company that just happened to open on the 13th floor of their apartment complex where they usually play floor hockey…moral of the story is, if you think its weird a toy company opened overnight on the 13th floor of your apartment complex then just stay away!!! Especially when they’re dressed like that!
Never would I have imagined in 20 years I’d be talking about Are You Afraid of the Dark or Space Cases in the context of fashion and style…its actually kind of shocking how many designers landed on this vibe, but nevertheless its really interesting to have this kind of nostalgia prevalent in the scene, and no doubt we will be seeing more and more of this as time goes on.
The {past} repeats itself, even if that {past} is imitating the {future}!
Something about this vibe has always been in us, and we have been tending to lean towards this style many times – from metallic foil shirts, to PVC jackets, and definitely anything hologram! I guess, we like to be ahead of the curve, and it really goes to show the power in staying relevant with the past.
Here are a few pieces in our {SHOP} right now that epitomize the 90s Back to the Future vibe that is taking over!
We have a thing for clear PVC anything! It’s just so rad, and timelessly futuristic!!! So in short, this is the perfect combination of {PAST} / {PRESENT} / {FUTURE} which you know is totally our jam. A rare find, so if you’re digging our vibe, act fast!
PIT TO PIT: 28″ LENGTH: 31″ SHOULDER TO SLEEVE: 31″
Exquisite Designer FRANK USHER Graphic Beaded Sequin Party Jacket
I mean can you say “WOWZA”!!! This is THE party jacket that you need to light up the room. Great slouchy vibe, and in mint condition with all sequins and beads intact. Super RARE find, so don’t let this one slip through your fingers!
PIT TO PIT: 22″ LENGTH: 25″ SHOULDER TO SLEEVE: 27″
You know what they say . . . all that glitters is most definitely GOLD! Gold has always been a big staple of our style, and we want to pass on this age old wisdom to all those stylishly discerning. That means you!
Glam it up, or grunge it up … just do your thing!
PIT TO PIT: 22″ LENGTH: 26″ SHOULDER TO SLEEVE: 16″
Rare LINDA LUNDSTROM 90s Green Shiny Holographic Party Jacket
Linda Lundstrom was a fabulous Canadian designer throughout the 80s and 90s, and this cyber-inspired holographic jacket is just one of the fantastic style statements she designed during her career. Holographic is super ‘in’ right now, but this piece just has a whole other level to it than the cheap mall knock offs you are seeing today.
THIS IS THE REAL DEAL, people! So don’t miss out!
PIT TO PIT: 20″ LENGTH: 26″ SHOULDER TO SLEEVE: 28″
So if you like to party . . . LETS GO! Sometimes you just need to put on some fresh duds and let loose. Nothing wrong in that. Just as long as you are being true!
Don’t forget, that XIXIXI gets you 25% OFF in the {SHOP}, so don’t be shy! It’s all for you…and much more to come, so stay tuned!
As the title of this song says, “All Apologies”!!! Mostly for our truency. Have been having a very busy 2016 thus far, but can’t wait to be back. Got a few things planned up our sleeves, so please stay tuned. . .
In the meantime, enjoy this video, and this classic angsty tune by the King of Irreverence himself, Kurt Cobain. Filmed at Reading Music Festival in 1992, the video was posthumously released in 2009 by Geffen Records.
Oh my god! Those rings though . . .
Check it, peeps. Don’t be afraid to wear what’s tattered and torn. Use it to your advantage and make a layered, irreverent nod to a classic look, but now you’re actually onto something… innovative, too!
Also be sure to visit the {SHOP}. We’ve got some new updates brewing and stewing in style spirit, and are looking for suitably discerning homes these pieces.
As you know, we were amped for Supercrawl 2015, and the festivities did not dissapoint! Granted, we were two very busy fellows both days, but Saturday (our +HOLLYWOOD BABYLON+ debut designer collection {more to come on that end}) was fairly tame compared to the grandiose task of collecting, organizing, and executing nearly 100 looks, vintage head to toe from three collections (our own, and our friends of Lost & Found Vintage, and Vintage Soul Geek where we now sell a curated selection of our vintage menswear), and making it all on time!! What a whirlwind . . .
But, what a fun one at that!
The show was split into {FIVE PARTS} during which models were running from the tent back to the green room to change into their next looks before all heading out together in what had to be our favourite segment of the show…+BEYOND+
It just wouldn’t be The Eye of Faith without the inclusion of the {past}, {present}, and {future}, and this segment allowed us all to flex our styling muscles a little harder than we usually get to on any normal given day. There was a lot of discussion about the fact that the colour green was predominant in our +BEYOND+ segment, and while it was wholly coincidental, taking a look back, I think it’s a testament to the GREEN powers that be when living a vintage lifestyle. As I’ve said a hundred times over; every year millions of pounds of textiles are sent to landfills, and every year millions of pounds of textiles are produced to add to this gross disposable society that they have conceived for us, and it’s just not cool.
So many remarkable gems are out there if you just take the time to look! Styles and ideas are recycled non-stop by big box corporations and mall shops and even high end designers these days, so why not just go straight to the source and get the real thing! I don’t get it . . . it also allows for a high level of creativity to your everyday life, and who the hell wants to look like everyone else anyway? Surely not us. . .
We are so lucky to live in a city full of so many great vintage stores, and I wish that more people would take the time, and use their resources to shop at them. Other than our own brand, Lost & Found Vintage and Vintage Soul Geek who we worked with curating the show, there are upwards of a dozen that could have joined us including Girl on the Wing, 11:11 Vintage, Shop the Edit, New Olds , Modify Your Closet , and of course, Out of the Past ! So while the world still waits for a true renaissance of our old habits and ways, we can count our lucky stars that we live in a community that truly embraces these concepts.
I made a remark before the beginning of the 40s/50s segment of the show stating how amazing it is that shopping vintage actually allows you to time travel in your everyday to day, so how amazing is that?!
Well, prepare to do some time travelling yourself if you check out some of these amazing highlights from the show that were featured kindly on Vanessa Divers’ personal blog !!
If you like what you see, and can’t live without it, email us at the.eye.of.faith@gmail.com and we can most likely hook you up (that is if someone hasn’t snapped it up already).
Overall, it was a very special day, and so cool to be given the opportunity to have such a mainstream platform for our collection, our friends’ collections, and to share our passion for bring the past back to present, and in doing so, hopefully shaping the future. . .
Special thanks to our amazing models on the day who gave all their essence over to the clothes, brought their own unique being, and really rocked the runway for us! We could not have done it without you.
Hopefully there will be videos to come, but thought we could share these pics while we wait!
There once was a mysterious band of knights who roamed and raved their days and nights along the banks of the cool dark waters. Young and wild, they howled at the moon like the wolves, and on the clear days when the sun seemed to sparkle like diamonds on their faces, they stood sullen like statues of antiquity before cawing and cooing outrageously to their peers.
They sat watching the crowd waves roar; the boardwalk full of walking visitors, strange and new from far away places, that would all turn away in disdain from the boys of summer, sensing somehow their mighty position above it all . . .
They weren’t there for the sights and sounds, instead vying for an order of things far from the distressing quarrels of everyday society.
Simple positions shared amongst them all. One assigned to watch, another to distribute, another to discover, and the rest to play by the rules. No one over stepped a turn at the bottle, for each one knew that their last could be any day. Neville, one of the leaders, would say, ‘Never shy from your true colours’ and these they would display with unbroken pride.
Your honour was earned by the friendships you garnered and gathered.
Some say they had magic on their sides; magic powers taken from the ages, used to ensure their place along the sand dunes. Others say they made friends easily, but were actually ghosts playing games on the common folk.
Only one place in the world for them. A sacred fellowship that haunts us all to this day . . .
I like to imagine seeing them there every time I go back to the seaside. Guarding their little corner of the Earth, and protecting the small sliver of paradise they managed to claim as their own.
Sometimes I can hear them sing their favourite tune; a memory that wavers from faded dream to brilliant exuberance.
It was a familiar one made their own by one of their musically gifted initiates –
The Knights of the Sandcastle need your help reviving their unique spirit that has been suppressed by the ages.
With their help, you too can be free. We have lots of wicked vintage apparel in the {SHOP} today so make sure you take a look, and invite a friend while you’re at it!
Our {SHOP} on ETSY is stocked full of goodies, so take a peak before they’re gone. . .
Garbage did the same thing, only 15 years ago, which in our world makes it certifiably vintage!
That makes it all the more fun to revisit now and marvel at the power of Shirley Manson’s voice and the seductive lyrical quality that only a GREAT Bond song can provide.
We still think Shirley Manson is a timeless style icon whose fashions are mesmerizing menageries of things {PAST}, {PRESENT} and {FUTURE} which in our {EYE} makes her the BOMB-DIGGIDY.
That’s why we made this special {MUSIC MINUTE} a {STYLE WISE} edition, as well, to keep feeding some Shirley Manson realness to the forefront of our popular culture!
+
The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start, my love
And if you’re strong enough
Together we can take the world apart, my love
So there you have it. A little taste.
Colleen Nika at Rolling Stone Magazine wrote a comprehensive article on Shirley’s fearless and truly individualist style throughout the years.
