I’m a bit bleary-eyed this morning as I stayed up until the wee hours totally engrossed in the last 4 episodes of Signe Chanel that I had saved on my DVR.

This fascinating documentary series by Loic Prigent gives an inside look at the creation and execution of Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2004-2005 collection. Watching Karl Lagerfeld sketch was watching true genius at work. Watching the talented seamstresses tirelessly execute his vision was inspiring. But I thought the 75-year-old woman, who lives on a horse farm far from Paris and creates the exclusive Chanel braid on two hours of sleep a night, stole the show.

And now here’s a little treat. While Sundance isn’t currently airing the series, I did discover an entire list of YouTube links at SassyBella that claim to make-up the entire 5-part documentary series including Anticipation, Doubts, Rituals, Sleepless Nights and finally, Collection.

Yes, the documentary is in French with English subtitles, but that just adds to the feeling of being a fly on the wall at the great House of Chanel.

And after you see the final Collection on the runway and hear Oprah talk about the expected price tags for these haute couture masterpieces, you’ll appreciate today’s VPOD all the more.

This vintage 1980s Chanel haute couture suit in beige and tan boucle features the famed braided trim, the signature weighted chain jacket and lionhead buttons.

And it’s an absolute steal for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Madison Avenue Couture. | Discovered at TheFind.com.

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A couturier must be…

…an architect for design
…a sculptor for shape
…a painter for color
…a musician for harmony
…a philosopher for temperance

This describes the “Balenciaga spirit” as professed on the Balenciaga website and boy, does it ever capture the essence of this great designer!

Take today’s VPOD for instance, an haute couture 1960s coat by Balenciaga. The design is architectural, displaying balance and precision, as well as sculptural with those perfectly proportioned sleeves.  The color? Well, in this case the painter chose a pale shade to accentuate the purity of the design. The musician? He made sure to allow for enough simplicity so the coat could be accompanied by a quartet of accessories. And finally, the philosopher made sure that there would be “no useless ostentation” and that the piece would stand out regardless of the woman who wore it.

That, my friends, is all it takes to be a master of your craft. A genius. A one-and-only.

Like this one-and-only find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Vintage Couture.

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And now you can catch a glimpse of Betsy Bloomingdale’s wardrobe in the exhibit High Style: Betsy Bloomingdale and Haute Couture which opens this week at the FIDM Museum in downtown Los Angeles. There are over 60 ensembles from this International Best Dressed Hall of Fame icon on display along with photographs and a video documentary featuring some of her favorite designers.

Today’s VPOD features a stunning 1989-90 evening gown from the exhibition–which is a must-see event for a vintage fashionista!

The free exhibition is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm through December 13, 2009. Click here for directions.

Photo Credit: FIDM Blog

(To receive the VPOD via email with detailed size, price and purchase information, sign up for my growing email mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.)