Keni Valenti Retro-Couture

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A child of the fashion world, Keni Valenti has been on the scene since the late sixties, honing his eye for glamour at Studio 54 and during years as a stylist and a women’s wear designer. The style maven turned his attention to vintage couture in 1997, gradually amassing more than 10,000 garments that date from the twenties through the eighties, of which a rotating selection is for sale at his Garment District showroom. Collecting pieces from estate sales, international vintage markets, and models’ own caches, the owner packs his one-room space—a necessary pilgrimage for starlets, stylists, and designers looking for inspiration—with some of fashion’s greatest hits. In addition to much-imitated pieces by Chanel, Alaïa, Halston, and Fendi, he features garments made famous in films, music videos, and celebrity appearances. Madonna's Gaultier corset? That’s lodged into a rack toward the back; ditto for one of Jackie O's engagement suits. Completing the full-on period look, the late-sixties themed space boasts crates of high-end costume jewelry from YSL and Hermès. Valenti asks that shoppers have a clear idea of what they’re looking for before making an appointment so he can save time by pulling desired looks in advance. — Carolyn Murnick