From the passing of fashion’s "last Emperor" to the imperial rule of eBay,
there is lots to catch up on!
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In Memoriam: Valentino Garavani (1932 – 2026)
The New York Times opened his January 19th obituary with a flourish as grand as his gowns:
Valentino Garavani, the last of the great 20th-century couturiers and a designer who defined the image of royalty in a republican age for all manner of princesses—crowned, deposed, Hollywood and society—died on Monday at his home in Rome. He was 93.
He didn't just design clothes; he designed "The Valentino Girl."
To celebrate his legacy, look back at this stunning photo tribute of the man and his masterpieces.
From the RareJule Archives: One of my favorite Valentino pieces ever to pass through my hands was this 1980s beauty, sold to Japan in 2023
In the Current Collection: A simple, classic 70s Valentino piece in luxurious wool.
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Farewell to Two French Divas
Brigitte Bardot (1934 – 2025): The Original Rebel
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Turned a cobblestone street into a runway just by stepping onto it.
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Made the messy bun, the off-the-shoulder top, and the gingham bikini global essentials.
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Single-handedly put Saint-Tropez on the fashion map (the local fishermen never recovered).
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Was dressed by Balmain and Chanel, yet always looked like she’d just "thrown it on."
Jacqueline de Ribes (1929 – 2025): “The Profile that could cut glass”
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Famously dyed fox fur hats to match her outfits perfectly.
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Launched her own design career at age 53 (I still have time haha)
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Was the subject of a 2015 Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition centered on her refined eye.
Wikicommons
Explore more of her influence and legacy here (the photos are breathtaking).
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THE COLOR
Did you know that most people choose blue when asked what their favorite color is? This is across gender, age, and culture!
This season, the fashion world is doubling down with two distinct versions of the hue:
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Cobalt (Klein) Blue: a bold, high-energy, electric shade.
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Dutch Canal: that’s the name that Pantone created for the color that was seen all over London Fashion Week this Spring. It’s a slightly moodier, demure tone.
Current Collection Spotlight: My latest finds happen to feature both! Check out these two very different, very 1980s expressions of the "Blue Wave":
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IF YOU’RE IN LOS ANGELES
Go see the fashion exhibition: Obsessed: Fashion and Nostalgia in the '90s until June 27, 2026 - this is timely as the 90s are everywhere.
It’s Gen Z’s favorite decade so it makes sense to see how it’s playing out in fashion design today.
It was the last decade before everything went digital — nostalgia indeed! 
Versace, courtesy of ASU FIDM Museum Los Angeles
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ALEXANDER MCQUEEN’S PERSONAL CLOSET
Twenty-one pieces from the late designer's personal collection were recently auctioned off in London. There is something deeply intimate about seeing what a man who dressed the world chose to wear himself.
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INDUSTRY SHIFT: RETURN OF THE GARMENT DISTRICT!
There is incredible news for American manufacturing! The CFDA x NY Forward Grant Fund is providing matching grants to modernize New York City’s historic Garment District.
Even better? A national initiative is slated for 2027 to rebuild apparel manufacturing capacity across the U.S.
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THE STATE OF RESALE
Retail Boss recently released their rankings of online resale platforms. While eBay continues to dominate the market (still!), Etsy was notably absent from the top tier.
As someone who started and learned this business on Etsy, it’s a bittersweet shift for me, but I am still there !
Courtesy of Retail Boss