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IT’S EDIE SEDGWICK’S BAG

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Special to The Times

WITH mod running amok in recent seasons, what with leggings and pixie cuts and flat boots, it seems the ‘60s aesthetic of style icon Edie Sedgwick is new again. But to create the New York party girl’s look for the upcoming “Factory Girl,” costume designer John Dunn turned to the old -- handbags from the era by Italian house Rodo.

Dunn chose several pieces from the accessory brand’s archives in Tuscany for the film’s star, Sienna Miller, including a canary-yellow, leather slouch bag with chain-link strap, which she wears in a scene in which Edie visits the Factory and meets Andy Warhol for the first time.

“It was exciting to locate high-end vintage goods -- these were virtually untouched -- because it’s often difficult to do in the costume rental houses and many times fashion houses are very protective of archival pieces,” Dunn says. “Instead of wearing a knock-off of a knock-off, we got to use the real thing.”

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This is the first time the family-run company, which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary, has made its vault of more than 700 handbags and shoes available to the industry. “We felt it was an interesting way to showcase part of our retrospective,” says Gianni Dori, whose father, Romualdo, founded the line.

Rodo, which boasts Elizabeth Taylor and Charlize Theron among its fans, has built a reputation on its boutique approach. Every bag and shoe is produced by artisans, who also custom-made some shoes for Miller, including classic black spike heels. It’s this craftsmanship that lured Dunn. “Coming from a society background, Edie really understood quality fashion,” the designer says. “These are from that lineage of very exclusive Italian goods, and Edie always wore the best, so they would’ve been completely appropriate for her.”

-- Ginny Chien

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