My very first article for, ‘The Devil wears Prada’ is dedicated to the one and only Maria Pohani, my grandmother, my idol, my favourite person in the world.
The saying, ‘like mother, like daughter,’ in my case should be, ‘like grandmother like granddaughter.’ It all began from a very large wardrobe. My Narnia! Instead of ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ think of, ‘The bags, the furs, the leather gloves and the wardrobe’.
I was sixteen and living in London with my grandparents. The day I opened my grandmother’s wardrobe was the day I started getting in touch with my own identity. My excitement was equivalent to a pirate finding treasure! Why was I exploring this large wardrobe? I was sent on a mere mission to find some bed linen for my Yiayia ( Yiayia is grandmother in Greek, very difficult to refer to her as something else). There was always a particular smell when opening this wardrobe. One of moth balls. The cause of this was my grandfather who was a tailor and who had an obsession with the idea of them and their smell. Recalling this memory was very easy for me as it seems like yesterday.
My Yiayia always had everything folded away in immaculate order and to some extent colour coded. Her wardrobe was fairly big with three double doors to open each section. The middle one was what I always thought was her bed linen, towels and household items. Opening this section of her wardrobe which was opposite the bed I went to complete the task at hand, instead, I found my hands searching behind the folded crisp white sheets and layers of towels and finding items that could have been from a 1940’s Vogue ‘must have’ list! A soft pair of black leather gloves (which after making them mine got stolen on my holiday to Italy – something that still gives me pain) and a mink scarf. These were the first items I discovered. I held these soft black Napa leather gloves which were in immaculate condition. I simply could not put them down. The mink scarf also grabbed my attention but I dismissed it as soon as I thought best to place the neatly folded bed linen and towels on the bed just to see if there was anything else worth digging around for. It was at this point I opened the door to Narnia! My Narnia! Bags galore, gloves galore, furs galore,
‘Yiaaaayiaaaa,’I screamed at the top of my voice, nearly giving her a heart attack. She quickly rushed up stairs to her bedroom and saw what she saw! She really did have a few hidden secrets but they were all about to be revealed. We ended up going through her possessions together and making an afternoon of it. A woman who led a completely different life before had it all hidden between the sheets. It was through her hidden treasure that I also discovered what an active exciting life she had had before she became our darling Yiayia.
Dior monogram canvas bags (different sizes and shapes), snake skin bags, beaded party bags, brocade bags, different coloured leather gloves, fur stalls, crochet ponchos and a mink coat and jacket which she pulled out to show me with pride.These items were the ones in the cupboard! She then made sure her hidden jewellery made an entrance too. I really couldn’t contain my deep filled excitement. Fine jewellery which consisted of dress rings, bracelets, pendants and lots of charms, I particularly remember lots of fish and gold coin charms- must have been very trendy for Yiayia to have bought so many! I was in an abyss. This is where it all began. From here.
I always had an eye for fashion and style, rather understated I would say but nevertheless there. This day opened up a whole new chapter for me as it was the day that the luxurious fine things came into my world. My Yiayia gave me lots but let me borrow everything. Her jewellery came into this affair a little later. Having four granddaughters she eventually distributed her pieces evenly.
Having such an extraordinary bond with this person also made this experience so much more special to me. People say we are very alike in both looks and personality and maybe that is why I inherited her love for style and fashion, which she most evidently had.
Raid that wardrobe, you are bound to find something and vintage always makes its way back to the top of the list.
