Fendi - New York City, New York, 1990s

 

Fendi always makes Mlle Bagatelle think of PETA protesters which makes her think of fur which makes her nostalgic for this commercial for the Ritz Thrift Shop; a commerical that played virtually non-stop during her childhood and which she absolutely loved. A sort of upscale Salvation Army for fur, this store must have supplied half the women in 1970s New York with fur coats (before they had to worry about being ambushed by animal rights activists hurling fake blood). Like lots of girls growing up then and there, Mlle Bagatelle could recite the copy by heart and knew just when to pause, caress the collar, and charmingly say, "Oh, thank you," to the imagined narrator.

And speaking of the Ritz Thrift Shop, looks like there's another commercial from 1969 with which Mlle Bagatelle was unfamiliar. Airing a few years before the iconic "Oh, thank you," spot, this one doesn't have quite the refinement of the subsequent ad. The voiceovers in this are hilarious, especially "Mr. K" saying "...and for some glamour in your life..." You'll see. (Love the way his New York accent turns "Somali leopard" into "Somali lepud." Ah...my people.)

Also, don't miss the change in wallpaper. They clearly shot both commercials in the exact same part of the store using the exact same mirrors but changed the wallpaper at some point in the years between shoots. While the first one seems to be a mylar tree theme and the second seems to be more of a camouflage pattern, they're so similar it makes you wonder why they even bothered.

You have to love that the "Oh, thank you" woman walks in on what looks to be a warm, sunny day wearing only a light jacket and comes out wearing a fur coat.