Classified Information

(Written on the 27th April 2010)

I was sitting on my hands all morning, waiting to be hit by a jolt of inspiration and motivation. A couple of hours passed by and still I couldn't get my brain to jumpstart so an emergency phone call to RD was placed. After much fanfare, we both agreed to have lunch at The Classified in Sheung Wan. It is normally a fun spot for people-watching but this afternoon was different, we were watching tractors dig holes on the ground in front of us instead. If it weren't for it's good reputation, we would've gone somewhere else. After demolishing a substantial amount of food and wine, RD decided that he was going to take me vintage shopping. This, of course, was music to my ears! It took a bus, a taxi ride and a trek up a small hill to get to this unassuming little shop. From the outside it looked ordinary but by jove! inside was extraordinary! There were racks of vintage designer gear as far as my eyes could see. It was like being in a candy shop!

Not knowing where to look or start, RD instructed me to brrrrrrreathe and motioned for me to follow him to the nearest rack of clothes. There were all sorts of Dior, Valentino and Mugler. Gianni Versace, Gucci, Vuitton and Courrèges. Celine, McQueen, Burberry and Paul Smith. Underneath the racks were shoes circa mid 90's by Dries van Noten, Blahnik, LV and Jil Sander. I nearly had a Cinderella moment with a pair of 3-inch strappy leather Balenciagas I found under a cream body-con Thierry Mugler dress. Deliberately ignoring the shoe size (36) while pleading for a miracle from the shoe gods, I forced ma pieds (37) into the shoes. I was even prepared to shave the sides and the back of my feet but the Balenciagas proved to be too small for me. Cinderella, I was not. I felt more like Grizella, the ugly step sister who couldn't fit her massive feet into the tiny glass slippers.

Just when I was about to faint from sensory overload, I was dragged to the back of the room. I asked RD where he was taking me, to which he replied 'oh but to the second floor, darling....'

I grabbed hold of an Aquascutum cape to steady my footing, '....there's another floor?!?!?!?' 

What greeted me was a row of Chanel tweed jackets in baby pink, red, cream and yellow. Mon dieu, THIS is fashion heaven. Along one side of the wall were shelves lined with old Dior, Bruno Magli, Gucci, Prada and Miu Miu shoes. To the back of the room were vintage fur coats and leather jackets. There were more clothes on the opposite side of the room- Prada, Missoni, Jil Sander, Vanessa Bruno and Celine.
RD picked up a beautiful vintage Hermes red equestrian jacket and tried it on. It suited him perfectly only the jacket had bust points, and he, well..... is lacking in the bust department. Obviously.

I tried on numerous Chanel jackets and they too, fitted me perfectly. The one I particularly liked had a price tag of HK$7000. It was a cropped tweed jacket that sat just slightly below my waist.....I seriously need to think about starting a career as a WAG. Ha! 

NOT.

With a heavy heart, we put the Chanel and the Hermes back on the rack and headed back downstairs. Not quite ready to leave the shop, we decided to do some last minute rummaging through the shelves and drawers. I found a vintage fringed suede bag in beige, while RD found a retro vintage 80's scarf in poptastic colours of yellow, blue and red. We left the shop a couple of hundred dollars poorer, but extremely happy with our purchases. 

I will definitely come back to this goldmine of a shop, though I'd have to get RD to draw me a map as I don't think I'd be able to locate it on my own. And once this map is drawn, it will be kept under lock and key. 

 I tried to convince RD that he needed this Celine trench 
(circa mid- 90's) for his up and coming expedition to the Himalayas. Yes, oh yes.