Dordogne Fashion Museum
Discover the world of 20th-century vintage fashion
Vanessa and William's love for vintage fashion led them to create a unique on-site fashion museum. Discover the story behind their fascination for women's attire from the past and what you can expect to see now.
Collecting vintage fashion and where to find it
Vanessa's journey into ladies' vintage fashion began in the mid-80s when she discovered a charming antique shop in Essex, UK. There, she found her first treasure, a lovely pink Edwardian blouse, igniting a lifelong passion.
As her love for vintage grew, Vanessa scoured car boot sales, charity shops, and antique markets, exploring the renowned Portobello Road long before vintage became a trend. Her collection expanded to include all aspects of fashion as well as growing specialism in nightwear.
Quality, craftsmanship and the presence of a reputable manufacturer or designer label were the driving forces behind most of her purchases.
The Eye of Time Vintage Boutique
By 2012 Vanessa and her partner - William McDonald - moved to the Essex/Suffolk border and established a vintage boutique in Clare. The emporium, run by William and known as “The Eye of Time,” was filled with treasures that attracted customers from near and far, including the BBC, who bought items for their 'Call the Midwife' series.
“I've always had an eye for something special, and nothing quite compares to the euphoric feeling of discovering a real pearl from the past,” said Vanessa.
William dressed everyone for events like the Goodwood Revival and classic car rallies. Their shared passion for serving the public and finding vintage items to sell was to play a significant role in their subsequent gite business.
Voila the Dordogne fashion museum
When the couple relocated to France, they chose a home that offered ample space to accommodate their vintage stock. There was an onsite outbuilding that they decided could be just perfect for transforming into a small museum, which would give their gite business a real point of difference and, at the same time, enable them to showcase some of their pieces. Utilising his carpentry skills, William created a stunning environment in which to exhibit their diverse collection, which developed into the story of the evolution of women's fashion throughout the 20th century.
The museum is private and is available to gite guests as well as those with a keen interest in fashion, who can arrange for a personal visit by getting in touch through the contact us page.
What's inside the museum?
The museum's contents have been carefully curated and designed to take visitors through each decade and include fascinating features of social history that will appeal not only to women but to everyone of all ages.
Visitors can learn about what the Edwardian woman wore how she conducted herself in the theatre, and the impact of WW1 on fashion, to life as a flapper. The early beginnings of Coco Chanel are discussed, as well as the influences of Art Deco on dress in the 1930s. WW2 restrictions and the government's famous CC41 scheme are uncovered, as are the contents of the handbag of a famous film star. See the frothy Dior's new look and reminisce on the 60s boutique explosion from Biba to Quant. From disco wear from the 70s and big shoulder 80s dressing to the grunge of the 90s, nothing is left out.
New for 2025!
The contents of the Eye of Time have been carefully cleaned, steamed and hung in a specially created onsite fashion studio. Those who have a penchant for vintage will be excited to learn they can view, try on and buy timeless designer labels from the 1920s to the 1990s. Choose from a large selection of day-to-evening wear, including accessories to match, such as shoes, handbags, scarves, hats and even jewellery. From Dior, Yves St Laurent, to Mugler. So, if you have a special event to go to, this is surely THE place to come for a showstopping ensemble you will treasure forever!