Fulham Firm Adds Glitz and Glamour to Hit TV Show Rivals
Accessories of Old is first port of call for film industry costume designers
The new series of Rivals has been a major hit. Picture: Disney
November 11, 2024
A Fulham firm was the first port of call for costume designers aiming to add outrageous eighties style glitz and glamour to Disney’s hit TV series Rivals.
In the show, an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s famous ‘bonkbuster’ novel, stars including David Tennant, Emily Atack, Aidan Turner, Nafessa Williams and Alex Hassell can be seen wearing vintage rings, necklaces, brooches and earrings supplied by Accessories of Old.
The company, which has two warehouses crammed with vintage treasures in Parsons Green, was also on hand for the ITV drama Joan, about famous jewel thief Joan Hannington, and it has also supplied pieces to many other TV productions including Bridgerton, The Crown, House of the Dragon and The Gentlemen as well as films including Barbie.
Accessories of Old’s co-founder Jon Goldsmith says: “ We are very well known in the film industry, as there is nowhere in the world that can supply this volume of vintage jewellery from 1900s through to 1990s and beyond, in such a range of styles, and at such inexpensive prices.
“ Word travels fast about our goldmine for time pressured film crew. We have eminent Film/TV buyers visiting us every week, including even Oscar winning, and other award winning, costume designers. The buyers can visit us and buy jewellery for their lead cast members and the background cast all in one day! “
Accessories of Old, run by Jon and his wife Lisa, originally sold jewellery, haberdashery and other accessories which had been part of a huge collection put together by Lisa’s grandfather Solly for his South African department store Danziger Bros from the 1920s onward.
Accessories of Old Vintage
The collection became “dead stock” sitting untouched in huge warehouses after the store closed in the 1990s, until Lisa rediscovered it and began selling it in America, and then after meeting Jon, in a small store under the railway arches on Fulham’s Munster Road.
More recently, the couple discovered another amazing warehouse, this time just outside London, containing over ten million items of vintage 1980s/90s gold-plated and silver-plated jewellery (brooches, necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings), most encrusted with original Swarovski crystals.
The jewellery had been manufactured in England by West Products, the country’s largest supplier to stores such as Liberty, Harrods and John Lewis from the 1920s up till 1999, when the factory closed with huge amounts of jewellery left unsold.
After buying this huge haul, the company transported it over three months in 50 lorry loads to a new, larger warehouse close to Parsons Green tube.
Accessories of Old's fascinating history is now set to be told in a book and documentary coming in 2025.
Both Fulham warehouses are open to the public seven days a week from 11am till 6pm, as well as being available to hire for private parties. Find out more on the company's web site.
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