With over 20 years in fashion—16 of them as the fashion and style director of W—Alex White has amassed enough fashion to fill a house. More than one house, actually, as she explained to Style.com, which is part of the impetus behind the almost-everything-must-go yard sale she’s throwing in Amagansett, New York, this weekend, where she’ll offer up pieces from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, YSL, and Marc Jacobs that she’s deaccessioning from her own closet. The other motivation: a good cause. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Ideal School for special-needs children, where her own daughter India is enrolled. White checked in with Style.com to offer a preview of what you’ll find, a few pieces you won’t, and what she’s working on now.
Alex White and the Ideal School’s fashion yard sale takes place this Saturday, July 14th, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Miss Amelia’s Cottage, Main Street, Amagansett, NY.
—Matthew Schneier
What inspired you to clean house?
I finally ran out of space to store clothes, even with a storage space in Manhattan, storage in East Hampton, and now a town house with a basement and lots of rooms…Clearly I had become a fashion hoarder and I needed to make a serious edit. All the editing of collections with designers that I do as part of my professional consulting goes out the window when it comes to my own closet.
How did you choose the Ideal School as the beneficiary?
I became involved with the Ideal School when my developmentally delayed daughter India joined two years ago. India, who is on a feeding tube and has global delays, is able to be in a classroom alongside children, some of whom may have similar issues and some who are regular developing kids. This experience has taught India so much, to be with her peers. She is now able to count to 40, knows her ABCs, and is learning to read. The children and all the wonderful teachers encourage and bring out her full potential; it is very moving.
The Ideal is a privately funded school and is relocating to a new building. I wanted to do something to raise funds and awareness. I hope that if this sale is a success there will be more to follow.
What can people expect to see at the sale?
There are pieces by many designers—a lot of bags and shoes. I am particularly fond of buying shoes that I shall never be able to walk in, and these are going. With a wall of handbags at home, the ones I never use are going to raise money for a great cause. Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Marni, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Gucci…clothing by the same, plus a more casual wardrobe selection of Isabel Marant, Alexander Wang, and so on.
There will also be a raffle. I’m trying to think what will be the prize for this. Maybe a limited-edition Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton Monogram handbag. Who can resist that? The raffle tickets are $5 each, or 3 for $10. The raffle will be drawn at 4 p.m.
Are there pieces from your own archive that you’d never part with?
I still have a personal archive, although now it’s much smaller than it used to be. There are some pieces I could never part with, things that were made specifically for me. A tartan dress by Alexander McQueen from one of his early collections when we were both just beginning to establish ourselves in the fashion industry. My wedding dress, made by Miuccia Prada with custom accessories. The divine Gosling feather cocktail dress by Oscar de la Renta…
What have you been up to since leaving W? What’s next for Alex White?
After starting in the fashion business at 19, I am currently working on taking more time to be with my children, learning to improve my French, to paddle board, and thinking about what I really want to do with the next 43 years!
Photos: PatrickMcMullan.com (portrait); Alex White (sale items)
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