YANINA COUTURE IN PARIS
The Museum of Modern Art of the city of Paris was far too small to accommodate the Russian diaspora present. All the Russians from Paris were there, except for Countess Ignatieff, my friend, who was not invited, “Don’t worry, you will get an invitation when she will make real Haute Couture, and when you will be a real Countess”.
In reality, this collection was a bit confusing, because you can find the worst as well as the best: some dresses are quite badly finished and cut by a model who obviously doesn’t know her trade and probably works the “feston” stitches with boxing gloves, and, at the same time, you discover a marvel that appears to you like this yellow dress with a bustier of flower petals straight out of Monet’s gardens and of the most beautiful effect. The dichotomy between the two pieces is so obvious that you can only think that there are two designers in the house.
One could imagine that the very transparent black dresses of the models, who paraded before me, lifted the veil on the hot nights of St. Petersburg. Continue reading
ZIAD NAKAD PARIS 2020
SORBIER THE RIO GRANDE OF HAUTE COUTURE
And the horse rode along my page with his rider and shaded what I wrote. Slowly he turned its head, and as if it was afraid that I would read into its beastly heart, stretching out its muzzle to touch the Mexican sun. It sets off like a king playing with its eternal freedom, galloping even faster without worrying about the world around and brushing against the aficionados of Fashion Week, mixing the wind with its golden hair, but above all coming without knowing how to make Franck Sorbier’s dress undulate in the horizon of Neptune.
Today the space is splendid, without bridle or spur, but above all without restraining our spirit. Like two angels tortured by an implacable silk of organza, in the crystal blue of the morning. Oh, What a beautiful Mexican Amazon! Her young forehead radiates with pride, and the pleasure burns her feet with the happiness of galloping in such a place. Amazons born as daughters of “La Caballera” by Mario Luraschi’s Warrior Nymph, it’s not something you can make up. In the past, they lived near the Rio Grande and here they are alone to defend our poet of Haute Couture, Franck Sorbier.
I keep in my heart the tenacious imprint of the Maestro of Haute Couture, a French cultural exception, of which he remains to this day the sole custodian. You are a Great One, Sir, and no one will be able to take your place, so be it. Continue reading
DIOR, MY MOTHER’S WIFE
Dior comes to pose a structure of the lying woman’s body, Here is a structure that is more reminiscent of an extravagant sculpture by Anish Kapoor posed like a big piece of excrement in the middle of Paris.
It is in this same museum that Camille Claudel had shown through her creations all the femininity of the world. Does Maria Chiuri dream of this one? As a tribute to her Roman upbringing, the mannequins, all sails floating outside, remind us of the Roman virginal vestals, the very ones who took vows of celibacy to honour the goddess Vesta.
Yet, under the invisible tutelage of an angel, the creator is drunk with sunshine. Here is the ambrosia and the nectar of vermeil running between the dresses of her predecessors (Josse, Franck Sorbier and Hervé Léger) remixed with a dress from the 1930s; a nod to Judy Chicago, a visual artist and activist of her state, to end up making a collection worthy of Louisa Spagnoli. Continue reading
RABIH KAYROUZ PARIS 2020
CRAIG GREEN PARIS 2020
DIOR, BLAME ON YOU !
He was the eccentricity although there was no snobbery in him. He created his accessories by recycling everything he had on hand; already an ecological visionary. Judy Blame was a sweet, punk London nutter of his own kind. Judy… for Judy Garland and Blame came to cling to his name, laughing about it, he said, because it’s better to laugh than to cry. Here is a wink from Kim John, who has drawn heavily on this legacy for her collection. And, because of the designer’s passion for sewing, the show was a parade of dandies wearing moiré silks cut with large cocards, precious wools both knitted and used for bulky coats, and Opera gloves that complemented every look. The first thing you could see was the jewelry (characteristic elements of Judy Blame’s look). Continue reading
THOM BROWNE PARIS 2020
The collection, on display in his Paris showroom, was heavy on custom-made Harris Tweeds, which he worked into navy blue plaid blazers with fringed lapels and casual quilted puffer vests. There were also gray flannel wool coats and blazers, and a one-button, black-tie jacket, dotted with little animals, from the jungle and the barnyard, floating across them.
YOHJI YAMAMOTO PARIS 2020
VIKTOR AND ROLF IS BACK
Five years after shuttering their ready-to-wear business, Viktor & Rolf are returning to men’s wear with a new collection that combines their signature dandy style with a more conscious approach to design.
The label, which belongs to Italian entrepreneur Renzo Rosso’s OTB SpA group, has entered into a worldwide licensing partnership with Tokyo-based Shiffon Co. Ltd. for the production and distribution of the new Mister Mister line, which will be presented to buyers from Jan. 15 to 22 during Men’s Fashion Week in Paris.
In addition, Viktor & and loungewear for women and men that is 100 percent compostable billed as the first of its kind. The line is due to be presented at the Salon International de la Lingerie in Paris from Jan. 18 to 20.
AMI ALEXANDRE MATTIUSSI 2020 Paris
JOKER OSCARS NOMINEES
The Academy revealed the full list of 2020 Oscars nominees this morning, with “Joker” leading the pack with 11 nominations, including best actor for Joaquin Phoenix, best director for Todd Phillips and best picture.
Netflix also racked up a number of nominations for the 92nd annual Academy Awards with “The Irishman” receiving 10 nominations and “Marriage Story” receiving six nominations.
The 2020 Oscars will be held on Feb. 9 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The awards ceremony is going without a host for its second consecutive year.
Read on to see the full list of 2020 Oscars nominees. Continue reading
SALVATOR FERRAGAMO MILAN 2020
TANFIN THE FEATHER OF KINGS
Babylon boasted its brick walls, Rhode had its colossus renamed proud, and Egypt made peaks with admirable masses of stone. For my part, the work of the pen comes from a miracle from heaven. But, who knows that the feathers of crows, heather cockerels and ducks were used for fine writing and the feathers of vultures and eagles for writing with broad strokes?
The goose quill is known to the Romans for writing on parchment and papyrus in the 4th century, but the Egyptians preferred calamus, which is where the calami slip comes from: a written slip, as opposed to the linguae slip, spoken.
The plumage is probably as old as human societies. The art of plucking is a sacred art and this manual craft requires great dexterity and concentration. Valérie Tanfin works the feather in all its forms: from the most meticulous and delicate to the most gigantic and extravagant. Her rare know-how blends both tradition and modernity. Continue reading