Velvet Atelier

Anna and Mike of Velvet Atelier have recently joined Alfies. They stock the finest pre-1950's collection of clothing, limited designer pieces and they also have a vintage bridal section.



I asked Anna a few questions...

How did your interest in vintage fashion develop?
When I was about 15 I loved unusual clothes and hated mass-produced items. I spent all my teenage years browsing in charity shops and developed my own style from there... Vintage comes with history!



Who is your style icon and why?
I do not have a style icon, I love 1940's glamour, so if I had to choose it would have to be Elizabeth Taylor. She looked so much like my Mum.



What is your favourite piece?
It has to be the 1940's bright green crepe dress. It is so amazing - I do not want to part with it!

The aforementioned dress was not available to photograph, so above is another favourite dress of Anna's.

What is the oldest item you have for sale?
Probably the 1860's reception gown. We have about a hundred 1920's dresses!

Above: A bridal dress dating back to the late 1800's

What is your price range?
Prices start from £40, with the 1950's dresses starting at the lower end of the price range. The majority of 1920's dresses are about £150 - £250.




And finally, tell us about the fabulous decor of your stand
I'm a big fan of opera. I always wanted to have a shop with a similar feel. And here we go!


Velvet Atelier, stand S007/S009.

It's time to start thinking about Halloween!

October and the beginning of autumn always get us very excited about cosy evenings at home curled up on the reading chair with a gripping book and a lovely cuppa... But the tenth month of the year also means we can finally get dressed up and celebrate the most fun holiday of Halloween! Woohoooooooooo! We had a look around Alfies to find some pieces that would inspire this year's costume choice and party decorations, enjoy!

French Art Nouveau paste and base metal bat buckle/brooch offered by Kieron Reilly

Victorian Whitby jet snake necklace offered by Gareth Brooks

Victorian Whitby jet necklaces and earrings offered by Gareth Brooks

A selection of cocktail shakers (1930's - 1950's) and 1920's chemists bottles (from the Royal Free dispensery) offered by Robinson Antiques

The delightful window display at The Girl Can't Help It

The delightful window display at The Girl Can't Help It

Inspiring shop decorations at The Girl Can't Help It

Inspiring shop decorations at The Girl Can't Help It

Inspiring shop decorations at The Girl Can't Help It

And don't forget to visit our lovely Rooftop Cafe for a warming cup of tea and a little treat! (No tricks here!)

Vote for Alfies!

To celebrate National Antiques Week this year (14th-21st November) BBC Homes & Antiques and Antiques News & Fairs have teamed up to discover Britain's best antique shops.





The public have been invited to vote for their favourite antique and vintage shopping destinations in five different categories:


1. Best Antique Shop

2. Best Antique Centre

3. Best Specialist Dealer

4. Best Mid-Century/Vintage Shop

5. Best Auction House


Alfies needs your help! Please take a few minutes to vote for us to win Britains Best Antique Centre. You can also vote for individual shops at Alfies for the other categories.


By nominating you can also win some amazing prizes for yourself! 10 fantastic prizes are up for grabs including an overnight stay in The Royal Crescent Hotel, hundreds of pounds worth of LAPADA and BADA vouchers, Miller's Antique Guides and more! Click here for details.


The winner of each category will be annouced at the Bath Decorative Antiques Fair on the 12th March 2012 by Kirsty Allsop.


Voting ends onthe 30th November so please take a couple of minutes and vote for Alfies Antique Market!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR ALFIES

Vintage shopping at Alfies.

London Fashion Week starts tomorrow and it's promised to be a week filled with spectacular shows, fun parties and fine exhibitions. But for those of you who don't have time to make it to Somerset House or simply prefer vintage fashion over new designer brands, we advise you to make your way to Alfies for some of the best vintage shops that London has to offer.

With exquisite items from the 30s, 40s, 50s and early 60s The Girl Can't Help It offers you the ultimate vintage shopping experience. All unique, quirky, superbly made pieces are sourced mainly in the USA by the trained eye of owners Sparkle Moore and Jasja Boelhouwer. Unit G014-022, F016. http://www.thegirlcanthelpit.com/

With a shop just across the road on Church Street Deborah Woolf Vintage has expanded into Alfies to make more space for her beautiful collection. From antique folk costume to avantgarde clothing and fabulous jewellery of the 60s and 70s and vintage clothing by Biba, Givenchy, Jean Muir and Cardin. Third floor, Church Street. http://www.deborahwoolf.com/.

June Victor has been happily settled at Alfies for many years. She sells a wide range of stunning textiles from the 18th century up until the 1940s, encompassing costume, lace, ribbons and table and bed linen. June also has a stand at Vintage Modes in Grays, Alfies sister market. Unit S040, http://www.regallinen.com/.

A visit to Gwyneth Trefor-Jones's shop Persiflage is always a treat. Stock is ever-changing so you'll never know what you'll find. One thing's for certain, though - it'll be a bargain. Unit S006-008.

Tin Tin Collectables offers one of the fines selections of vintage clothing and accessories in the world. Period costume such as handbags, dresses, shoes, hats, gloves, costume jewellery, undergarments & lingerie. From the Victorian Era to the 1970s. Unit G038-042, http://www.tintincollectables.net/.

For opening times and more information visit our website: http://www.alfiesantiques.com/.

Meet the Dealers...

Here at Alfies, it's nice to see the wonderful mix of antiques and collectables the dealers have on offer, along with a price range to suit most people. There really is something for everyone. A perfect destination for gifts, early Christmas shoppers or just a treat for yourself, why not. I had a look around the market and decided to highlight the newcomers.

Phil Startup has been based at Alfies for just over two months...

He sells a wide range of delightful collectables such as books, TV related toys, stamps, decorative glass, camera's, smoking pipes, records, postcards, kitchenalia, sports memorabilia and a whole lot more, his price range starts from 50p - £250.

The oldest items he has are books dating back to the 1850s.

His favourite items are the Dinky TV related toys.

All items available from Phil Startup, unit S013.

Kieron has been with us for 1 month. He has been in the business for 30 years. Kieron sells cufflinks, jewellery and decorative arts. Here is just a small selection of his lovely cufflinks...

Prices start from £100 - £1,500 and upwards. He has items dating back as early as the 1820s and as late as the 1960s.

One of his favourite items is the Cartier cufflink.

All items available from Kieron, unit G066.

Melinda Colthurst has most recently joined us...

She sells antique costumes and accessories, ecclesiastical vestments, small devotional objects and vintage moda flamenca. Her price range starts from £10 to around £400.

The oldest item of clothing is a brown silk taffeta jacket from the 1850s. She also has some latin liturgical books from the 1840s.

Her favourite item is "Impossible to choose." She loves all the ecclesiastical textiles.

Her favourite dress is the Edwardian silk day dress.

She is also particularly attached to her Mantilla combs.

"Like many dealers, I began as a collector and collecting turned into a job."

All items available from Melinda Colthurst, unit F015.

Alfies Fan Club Competition Winners!

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos for the Alfies Fan Club competition. After so many great entries we chose three winners!

First Place: Marie Lancup with 'Shop til You Drop'

Marie wins a hair do courtesy of Nina’s Hair Palour and an Alfies 'Antiques are Green' canvas bag

Second Place: Rain Rabbit with 'Obligatory Mirror Shot'

Rain Rabbit wins a pretty vintage teacup from W&L Antiques and an Alfies 'Antiques are Green' canvas bag.

Third Place: Liza Al Sady with her stunning shot capturing the colourful glass and lighting on display at Alfies.

Liza wins an Alfies gift certificate and an Alfies 'Antiques are Green' canvas bag.

Remember if you have any great photos of Alfies you would like to share the Fan Club is still up and running on Flickr. Please add your favourite photos to it and keep it growing!

Alfies Antique Market celebrates the Festival of Britain in true vintage style

Here at Alfies we like to fly the flag for British design. When the Southbank Centre announced that they were going to organise a four-month festival to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, we couldn’t not take part.
So make your way to the second floor for an exhibition room set out with iconic pieces from the original Festival of Britain in 1951. See pieces of design history from Alfies dealers’ private collections including an English floor lamp from Lorna Lee Leslie, a chest of drawers by Frank Guille from Anouska Hunters Antiques and original brochures and collectables.

The exhibition runs from Tuesday 8th August until Friday 30th September.

Festival of Britain brochure cover, 1951.


Leaflet from the Festival of Britain, 1951.

EMBRACE THE CITY

The pleasures of shopping are endless. Marketplace and mythology are inseparable, and now more so than even. It’s the new season and the time has come to go out, embrace the city, rediscover and regroup. Fashion catalogues, the catwalk and all new collections are full of vintage inspiration of past decades, and the beauty of the antique.

Diamond and Emerald necklace from Zeeba Jewels



Packet watch from Mo Heidarieh

But it’s all happening now!! Enough of cooking in the sun. No more beaches. Forget the countryside. It’s not good for you anyway. Enjoy an al fresco lunch at the Rooftop Restaurant!

The authentic and personal myth is vintage at Alfies and where the real action is. Spread across the decades; find your own personal moment, make a day at Alfies your antidote to mass produced and massively worn. Go out and create your own myth. It’s your time in the city.

Vintage trunk from Tin Tin Collectables

London is history, myth, and reality; and it is all here.