Meet Connie Parente of Vintage Accessories in Hancock Park

Today we’d like to introduce you to Connie Parente.

Connie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
If you’d asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would’ve answered “an archaeologist.” Even as a child I was always fascinated by old interesting, beautiful objects And found myself entertained by Busby Berkeley films and Betty Boop cartoons since that’s really all that was on television when I was a kid. The glamour and elegance of the 30s and 40s was my introduction into the world of fashion, and I suppose affected my perception of what I found to be beautiful and inspiring. I always appreciated and admired treasures from the past.

My introduction into the world of vintage fashion begins with the arrival of the Sargeant Pepper which drove me to the bowels of Salvation Army and Goodwill in search of a bandleader jacket. That was the start of my magnificent obsession. I’d sneak down to Gaslight Square which was very very bohemian part of St. Louis Missouri, and all the Victorian neighborhood with cobblestone streets lined with antique shops and restaurants.

My mother’s best friend Armi I’d sneak down to Gaslight Square which was very very bohemian part of St. Louis Missouri, and all the Victorian neighborhood with cobblestone streets lined with antique shops and restaurants. My mother‘s best friend Germaine was a gorgeous platinum blonde model from Paris whom I idolized. She gives me jewelry right off of her body if I admired it. And the purses! I was always completely mad for purses! Remind you I was maybe seven or eight years old.

Her husband had a restaurant in Gaslight Square near my father’s restaurant When we would go there at night for dinner with Bob down the streets, and I press my nose against the windows of the antique shops and using wide-eyed inside and dreaming about touching all of the old beauties I had seen in those early Busby Berkeley films. But of course, we were never down there during the day, so that didn’t happen until I was old enough to sneak down there on the bus after school. The old ladies in the antique shops teach me the history of the things that I would be attracted to. And that time I got the start of my education. I came to Los Angeles in 1969 and continued my collecting.

I was working in a boutique on Louisiana god that was the hippest spot in town, and all the celebrities came there to shop. I dressed so many amazing people who would then compliment me on what I was wearing and asked me if it was for sale. So I would politely say “no this is my personal collection, but if I ever decide to sell it I’ll let you know. Give me your number”. That’s how I started my little business out of necessity when I have a bill to pay or wanted something more and needed to upgrade my collection. Are used to go to Diana Ross‘s house, the Beach Boy’s, James Garner and Henry Fonda‘s wives were two of my very first and best clients. I’ll pull up to these amazing homes hidden behind gates in my little beat up MG convertible with my one little bag of jewelry.

Back then, they were only a handful of collectors who understood the importance and value of these objects. But as it goes with most things that are amazing, the craze caught on, and I just kept on going collecting and selling and expanding my Obsession two vintage clothing, toys, decorative items, fashion, Anything old and beautiful. Before I knew it, that was my main career. I worked with some of the best photographers and stylists in Hollywood come to my West Hollywood apartment that I had set up like Ali Baba’s cave. All the jewelry in Madonna’s Material Girl video is mine, As well as the pearls that Prince serenades in the Diamonds and Pearls video. Jackson used to come to my house to shop as well as many other celebrities and collectors.

My collection in magazines all over the world In the 80’s into the 90’s, I started to design my own jewelry. Within the first year, I had my own case in Bloomingdale’s in the Cul de Sac department in NYC. that featured my one-of-a-kind pieces. I also design collections of different boutiques in town and also for Fendi in Rome. I also designed some pieces from Oprah Winfrey and Elizabeth Taylor… I continued to designing for about ten years as well as doing vintage but then went back to the only vintage which I have been doing now for over four decades. Of course, if it wasn’t for my deepest love and lust for treasure hunting, this never would have become my lifelong career. But it is truly a labor of love.

Getting out at 5 o’clock in the morning and shopping with a flashlight hoping to find a hidden gem even in the rain sometimes it is what it took to find the diamond in the rough. Of course, it was a struggle, and I never had very much money, but I had good taste and an eye and vision of what was good and would be popular before everyone else did so I had an advantage and a headstart Influencing rather than being influenced. There was no Internet or social media. Everything was visual and perceived.

It took years of hard work and dedication to get to the point where it was my sole occupation. As has been said many times before, do what you love, and you’ll do it well! This hobby that turned into a lifetime profession has filled my life with so much art and beauty! And continues to do so. I’ve never tired of the hunt! Now, that I no longer do business by appointments and him doing shows, that enables me to reach a broader audience. Whom to share my passion.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I suppose you could say the main struggle I had was having the funds to pay for all of those fabulous things that were available to me in the 70’s. That’s when it was plentiful but also when I was a poor young shop girl. I had to be very clever in order to be able to constantly outdo myself. Coming up with exciting new pieces every week to please my collectors as well as myself. It was a game of upgrading. Always reading out and making it better.

When I think of all that I could’ve had, and I had the money it tries me insane! No, it’s so difficult to find the great stuff at a fair enough price to be able to resell it. And of course, the Internet is mostly to blame for that. But even though the session I somehow managed to stay in the game without selling online or even having a website.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
My passion as a collector of vintage became my business. I am best known, and my name is basically synonymous with vintage costume jewelry and expanded into all genres Including fine, modernist, antique, ethnic, Native American, designer costume and everything in between basically. I also had decorative antiques and furniture as well as lighting, collectible toys really anything that appealed to me. But now I am back to my roots and mainly focused on Jewelry and small items that aren’t heavy LOL!

Perhaps, what I am most proud of is the fact that I followed my heart and I persevered through thick and thin to share what inspired me, and I’m so grateful that others have the same vision as I did and supported me all of these years period.

I often hear that young people today don’t care about this stuff anymore. They just want to shop at IKEA and buy things that are disposable. Quite honestly I have many clients who were in their 20’s who really love and appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of all things. Perhaps they can’t afford some of it, but they still admire and appreciate it and basically do what I did when I was first starting, going to flea markets and estate sales and garage sales in search of that ultimate bargain!

You ask what I feel sets me apart from others and I suppose you could say it’s the fact that I was one of the first to wear and influence the vintage fashion trend starting in the late 60’s never ever stopping my endless pursuit of treasure.and wearing it every single day of my life! Ageless, timeless beauty will always have a place in this world no matter how modern life is. And will continue to inspire and influence fashion as it has for hundreds of years.

If you had to start over, what would you have done differently?
That’s actually the question I ask myself one of the only basis. Where is this happening? How can I simplify and make my life a little easier yet lucrative as I get older and it becomes more difficult to do my shows?

I am one of those people who can do just about anything creative and love all of it. But starting something new or reinventing oneself is not so simple at this age. People who knew me back in the day always ask me why I stopped designing and want me to go back to it which I would love to do. But I would never do it the same way as I did before.

At this point, I would need to work with a company that was already producing so that I would do the designing but not have to actually manufacture it myself because quite honestly that sick and awful lot of time and energy and patience that I just don’t really have anymore.

However, I have a division. I never run out of ideas and creating something that just comes naturally to me, so hopefully, someone will Cover my hidden talents and push me screaming into the 21st-century! I mean seriously, I don’t even have a website! It’s definitely time for reinvention.

Contact Info:

• Email: connieparente@yahoo.com
• Instagram: parenteconnie
• Facebook: Connie Parente and Connie Parente Accessories

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