Always hand-wash your cashmere .

Pour the designated amount of your chosen cleaning product into the water. Remember, your lovely sweater is made out of wool so gentle products are the best way to go.

Immerse the sweater and begin massaging the fabric, make sure the soapy water sinks in. Try to stray away from stretching the material to insure the piece holds its structure.

Let the cashmere soak for 10-15 minutes.

Place the sweater on a towel and gently roll together to press out any excess moisture.

Lay your sweater on a clean, dry towel until dry.

Here is an article on how Chanel Haute Couture is made :

http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/inside-the-chanel-ateliers

General tips :

1. Never put anything that has been worn , into a cupboard or drawer , there will be tiny , tiny , particles that can attract bugs .
2. Hand wash everything , except sheets , jeans and towels .
3. Polish your shoes and boots with genuine shoe polish , the kind you massage into the leather , leave for a couple of minutes and then polish with an old nylon stocking or something soft that does not leave threads .
4. Shiny leather can be polished with Himalayan wax .
5. When buying suede items , if new , spray them with protector before use , if vintage ; damp it over boiling water , brush with a hard brush and then spray with protector .
6. Never leave two-toned shoes , in a box without protection , for some reason , they can rub against each other and make the colours blend .
7. In bigger cities , like London and Paris you can find the larger brands own repair shops , in London you can take your Christian Louboutin shoes to the companys own cobbler , if you bring a fake pair there , it will be sent to their lawyers and factory to verify that it is an illegal copy and returned to you , untouched . All over the world , you can take your Chanel items to the local shop and it will be sent to Paris for repair . Unfortunately , Chanel has decided that it will not continue to repair any vintage items , which is very sad decision as they make items , meant to last ( with prices to match the longevity ) .
8. When you buy shoes with leather soles , we suggest that you have the cobbler attach a thin rubber sole , before you wear them , as the leather can be ruined if the shoes touch water , and they will be worn out very fast without a rubber sole .
9. When you invest in a pair of good shoes , treat them as such and take good care of them , keep them polished and stuffed with paper to prevent winkles .
10. When buying vintage shoes and bags , get as much original packaging as possible , i.e. dustbags and shoeboxes , when you buy jewellery and even toys , the value can be halved , without the original box . All identification should be present , if the item has a card with serial number , it should correspond with the number inside the bag or clothing .
11. Take all vintage or second hand items outside to air them and then to the dry-cleaner , before wearing them .

© Copyright : Vintage Gurus , all rights reserved .

Helena Hamilton

www.networkvintage.com

Designer vintage news, articles, tips, guides and shopping at www.networkvintage.com

Based in Paris, clients everywhere .

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