Designer Spotlight: Nanette Lepore
Nanette Lepore Runway Fall 2008. Courtesy of WWD.
New York based designer Nanette Lepore started her namesake brand in 1992. After completing design school and a few failed attempts at working in New York's garment district, Lepore set out to design her own clothes with a feminine feel that are not overly frilly and cumbersome. Her first few collections sold quickly and gained popularity amongst women in NYC. Eventually, the brand expanded to selling at high end retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Ave.
Nanette Lepore Runway Fall 2008. Courtesy of WWD.
Sometimes labeled "boho-chic" (Vogue, 2020), the brand's inspiration has always been the "female form, intricate details, and sensual fabrics" (thenanettelepore.com). By incorporating lace, embroidery, and unique stitching techniques with sumptuous feeling fabrics and a nod to historical fashions - Lepore's pre-loved vintage pieces are perfect for those who gravitate towards a 90s, whimsical, or romantic goth style. Her designs have a romantic and flirty aesthetic that feel from a different era.
Nanette Lepore blouse available at ladytofanascloset.com
Unfortunately, Lepore is no longer designing under the brand making her older pieces more valuable and increasingly harder to find. The quality and attention to detail in her work make her vintage worth the hunt. Current companies are no longer including embellishments such as embroidery and beading in their designs due to the ever increasing cost of manufacturing. Making vintage pieces that contain these elements highly sought after like Lepore's.
90s Nanette Lepore velvet dress available at ladytofanascloset.com
At Lady Tofana's Closet we do our best to find unique vintage and secondhand pieces containing these elements that you can no longer affordably find at major retailers. One of the best things about buying vintage is 1) being confident that someone else won't have the same outfit as you and 2) you can easily afford higher quality goods and brands that would normally be out of reach.
-Stay tuned for our next blog on 70s fashion & the brand Gunne Sax.