Purple Passion

Purple has officially made a comeback! Pantone have named Ultraviolet, a vibrant shade of purple, colour of the year. You may have recently noticed this colour splashed across furnishings, interiors and fashion. Which makes February's birthstone - amethyst - even more prominent this year. 

Historically, there has been a mystical or spiritual quality attached to purple. The colour is often associated with the practice of mindfulness and amethyst itself is said to bring calmness, clarity and also boost intuition. It's even claimed that the purple quartz helps combat the effects of drunkenness!

At Alfies there's no shortage of amethyst jewellery, and we also have other items in this year's must-have shade! Here are some of our favourite picks:

Silver & gold Amethyst brooch/pendant with pearls and diamonds, c1900. Available from Zeeba Jewels

Bug brooch set with diamond, ruby, garnet, amethyst and cat's eye. Circa 1900. Available from Naneen Brooks

Amethyst, emerald and diamond floral necklace in 15ct gold. Available from Pari's Jewellery

c1970s Art Glass. Available from Diplomat Treasures International

Val St Lambert lamp base, c1950s. Available from Louise Verber Antiques 

Stratton compact, c1950, deadstock. Available from Dream Retro

LFW Kicks Off: London Fashion Week A/W18

For all you FROW wannabees, today's the day you've been waiting for! London Fashion Week AW18 kicks off officially today. This season, London's young and emerging designers are holding the torch for the event, while some of the bigger names - such as Armani and Tommy Hilfiger - are forgoing their usual shows. On the emerging designer line-up are AV Robertson, Dilara Findikoglu and Richard Quinn.

Here at Alfies, we're here to show you how you can go green and wear vintage and still channel the latest styles. Here's the lowdown on the key trends of the week, and some fabulous pieces from Alfies:

Embellished Clutch Bags

Antique beaded evening bag with pearl snap closure Available from Connie Speight

Bakelite clutch bag with inlaid shell butterfly feature. Available from Sheila Cameron 

Sequin bow clutch, c1980s. Available from Gloria Sinclair

Ultraviolet

Austrian wool jacket, c1960s. Available from June Victor

Silver gild and enameled leaf shaped necklace. Available from Gareth Brooks

Bold Colour & Print

A selection of 1940s glazed pottery star sign brooches, made in Valleuris and signed Sisca. Available from Tony Durante

Haori meisen silk kimono, Japan, c1930s. Available from Barbara Rich Textiles

1950s French Tapestry Le Reveille Matin by Marc Saint Saens. Available from The Moderns

From the rest..

Don't forget to visit Tin Tin Collectables and Dream Retro, for their fantastic collections of vintage fashion, costume and accessories.

1980s gold coloured large clip-on earrings. Available from Dream Retro

Tassled Shawl. Available from Tin Tin Collectables

Colour of the Year: Green

Pantone have announced that the colour of 2017 is green, also known as "15-0343 Greenery". The highly influential colour-matching firm said that "Greenery" will be the dominant shade in fashion and design for the next 12 months. 

In fashion it provides a pop of colour in accessories and shoes, or as a bold accent in pattern. The theme for home decor and interiors this year is all about bringing the outside, inside. 

Pantone’s executive director Leatrice Eiseman puts it this way: “Greenery symbolises the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.”

With this in mind, we picked some items from various dealers in luscious shades of green.

Vintage green & white gingham shirt, available from Dispensary Vintage

Urnaium decanter set 1930s, available from Beth

1940s knife sharpener, available from Paola & Iaia - The Originals

‘The Garden of the Golden Orb’ by Ronald Morton, available from Robert McKoy Fine Arts

Shell shaped Murano glass, with shades of green and gold leaf. c1955, available from Robinson Antiques

1920s Leaf necklace, available from Carole Collier