Walking into Grand Palais for the opening of the exhibition of forty years of Hermès windows by Leïla Menchari was magical. There was competing chickism at Paris Photo next door where J.P. Morgan had a private evening. I ran into Hugues Gall an old friend of Leïla Menchari, the creator of magic and Andrée Jaigu who is always on top … Read More
The House of Worth, or the birth of Haute Couture
It is an extraordinary book that Chantal Trubert-Tollu, the great grand daughter of Charles Frederick Worth has just published with Françoise Tétart-Vittu, a costume historian. The House of Worth, 1858-1954 tells the story of four generations of fashion designers and it is mostly the history of a hundred years of Paris society through fashion.
Peter Paul Rubens in majesty
There is a true sense of excitement when one enters the first room of the magnificent Rubens exhibition at Palais du Luxembourg in which two paintings featuring Queen Marie de Medicis visiting Rubens’ studio and a large Gobelins tapestry are hanging : all are 19 th century works and they tell us how important the Flemish painter remained in art … Read More
Mariano Fortuny, remembered in great style
Fashion genius Mariano Fortuny was born in Granada in 1871, but adopted Venice as his home after a stint in Paris. The son of a famous Catalan painter, he invented new kinds of printed fabrics for dresses, took photographs, made oil portraits and is mostly famous for his Delphos gown which has inspired Issey Miyake. Palais Galliera is showing more … Read More
A Colombian feast at Colette’s
There was a double news that evening at Colette, the it store on rue St Honoré which is celebrating its twenty years. Kristina McLean was presenting her alternative guide book to Bogota, Columbia’s trendy capital city which is a hip destination with Carthagena and its music and book festivals in January. And Colette was announcing its closing at Christmas. A … Read More
Christian Dior at Musée des Arts Décos, don’t rush!
The event of the summer in Paris is the Christian Dior exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs. So obvioulsy, having missed the opening on the Fourth of July, I went to see the show as soon as I was back from celebrating with fireworks in Marblehead, Ma. And little did I know ! There was a line all the way to … Read More
Chloé-Bourdin a winning team
There was a discreet article advertising the Bourdin exhibition at the couture house of Chloé’s new headquarters on the discreet rue de la Baume in the eigth arrondissement. One had to reserve a time during the day and I did. And good for me because now, it has become difficult to get a slot before September 6 th when the … Read More
Summer (Duvelleroy) fans are in!
The adventure started in 2010 when two clever Parisian school friends decided to buy the Duvelleroy fan brand which was asleep. They revived it so well and developed so methodically both couture accessories and ready to wear or paper fans, that they are now able to celebrate 190 years of Duvelleroy fan making.