Vintage fashion gets a sexy update at Vian Hunter in Madison Valley
Lisa and Scott Hunter moved their three-year-old boutique Vian Hunter to Seattle after their former location in Palo Alto “became a ghost town due the recession,” Lisa explains. “We needed a change and Seattle seemed like an exciting place to be.”
After spending the summer researching Seattle’s neighborhoods, the couple settled on Madison Valley in the space formerly occupied by Real Cards on East Madison Street.
The neighborhood is a good match for the shop, which is stocked with apparel exclusively from Lisa’s own collection, also called Vian Hunter (a combination of her maiden and married names).
Inspired by the timeless and classic silhouettes of the 1950s and ’60s, Lisa derives her fashion inspiration from icons such as Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn.
She scours vintage clothing sales for garments from that era, which she then reworks into updated, contemporary clothing with a retro flair.
The Vian Hunter line is perfect for women in their 30s on up who are “looking to add a little dress-up to their casual wear,” says Scott, who runs the business side of things.
With a self-described passion for fabric, Lisa trolls the fabric shows for high-end European materials like brocade from France and Italy and lace from Belgium. A particularly stunning skirt, the Gail ($450), is worthy of a lifetime of New Year’s Eve parties, featuring hand-sequined fabric from India in black or silver.
Dresses start at $150 and range in style from casual and cocktail to special occasion. Lisa also designs jackets, which start in the high $200s. My favorite, a belted A-line with a flattering round neck called Bella, is $295. Tops and skirts start at $95. Her popular Cocktail Skirt, a flouncy tie-wasted reverse-apron (think tie in the front), meant to be worn over dresses, leggings or pants, ranges in price — up to $595 — depending on the fabric.
