We are delighted to introduce you to the winner of our recent Vintage Cover Star competition, the utterly fantastic Beth Warner.
Her winning photo now graces the Candy Says homepage, and Beth also won a £100 voucher for Candy Says and a retro photoshoot worth £200 from Retro Photostudio - we can't wait to see the results!
We found out a little bit more about Beth:
What is your day job?
I am a student at University of the Arts in London studying Costume Design- but at the moment I’m taking a time out from my studies to put together an illustration portfolio- hopefully I will be opening up a little Etsy shop of my work sometime soon!
What is your favourite era for vintage clothing and why?
As a student of Costume Design I love all periods of historical fashion, but the late 1960s to the early 1970s is my absolute favourite. This period was fantastic, as designers were taking inspiration from historical and worldwide sources for their pieces. Fashion Icons of the time were wearing stylish new clothes straight off the peg from Carnaby Street boutiques and mixing and matching them with antique pieces from flea markets. The more outrageous the outfit the better! This is great for me, as it means I get to express my love for antique pieces, historical fashion and my favourite 1960s & 70’s vibe all at the same time!
What first got you interested in vintage clothing?
I was lucky enough to grow up with access to all of my mum’s old clothes from the 70s, and that was enough to get me hooked! As well as that I’m a big fan of cinema and music from the time, which has definitely given me a lot of outfit inspiration! I’m also fascinated by the story behind each piece. Someone could have met their future husband or been to see their favourite band live in the garment, and you’ll never know! Sometimes I like to give my pieces little past lives, which is a little bit nerdy but I love to think about who that piece could have belonged too, where they went and what they did in it!
Do you have a favourite vintage piece in your wardrobe, and a favourite vintage label?
One of my true loves when it comes to Vintage is Barbara Hulanicki’s Biba. Due to this I think my favourite vintage piece would have to be my early '70s Biba dress. It’s one of those amazing instances where you know the complete history of the garment- which I love! It was bought by a very wealthy aristocratic lady for her wedding trousseau but she never wore it- and it sat in her wardrobe until I bought it year ago. I’ve bumped into quite a few ladies who have told me that they owned the same dress, which is always lovely! I also have an amazing Young Edwardian suit in a real dandy style- it always makes me think of the song “Dedicated Follower of Fashion” by The Kinks when I wear it! I’m a big fan of Gunne Sax as well, a black label dress from them is my holy grail at the moment!
Who is your vintage icon?
I have far too many! Cher, Twiggy, Pattie and Jenny Boyd, Mia Farrow, Grace Slick, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Stevie Nicks are all among my favourites!
Was lovely to read this about Beth , she is a lovely girl , stunning & gorgeous, looks great in absolutely everything – I’m proud to say she is my nephews girlfriend ?