Last month during Fashion Week, things were strangely normal in the capital of style. For the most part, designers provided a soft contrast to September’s violence with frilly spring fashions. In spite of the heightened security around the city, the CRS buses and bag checks, Paris continues to sparkle...
Diva Dresses
From Greta Garbo to Marilyn Monroe, the beauty of yesterday’s movie stars can be credited, at least in part, to the costumiers who transformed them into glamour queens. “Les Plus Belles Robes du Cinéma” is an exhibition spotlighting 50 sumptuous outfits belonging to the Cinémathèque Française — France’s famed movie archive begun during the 1930s. From the start, the Cinémathèque’s founder Henri Langlois had a bright idea. Why not gather together a collection of costumes, props and accessories. Thanks to his initial passion, this venerable institution now owns nearly a thousand outstanding garments once worn by film stars on set, along with stills, drawings and scripts. Situated in Les Halles, the Pavillon des Arts (Porte de Rambuteau, Terrasse Lautréamont, 1er, M° Châtelet-Les Halles) has been transformed into a motion picture studio to help visitors experience the full impact of the clothes. The display includes Dietrich’s dramatic “Kismet” gown with a black train, Betty Davis’ “Virgin Queen” dress and a luxurious sweep of pearls, satin and lace, seen on Vivienne Leigh in “Gone With the Wind.” (To Feb 24, 2002)
Etoffes Royales
Traditionally, ikat has always been the prerogative Java’s aristocratic families and highest dignitaries. In creating ikat stoles, Baron Manasong adheres strictly to the royal court’s time-honored dress codes — which means only working with artisans who use wooden looms, equipment which had well-nigh disappeared with industrialization. First of all, the warp and weave are tinted, then the yarns are assembled one by one, and a special motif based on multicolored sequences is created... This is an extremely lengthy, meticulous process — it takes several months to execute a single silk shawl. A selection of ultra-refined ikat items is on display at the Joyce gallery until November 10. (168-173 galerie de Valois,1er, M° Palais-Royal)
Tous assis pour Vitra
From November 20 to February 17, 2002, the Musée de la Publicité (107-111 rue de Rivoli, 1er, M° Châtelet) hosts an exhibition focusing on photographer Christian Coigny's black and white pictures taken for Vitra, a boutique specializing in designer chairs. Audrey Hepburn, Jean Nouvel, Maurice Béjart, Ringo Starr, Barbara Hendricks and more than 100 other celebrities have posed for him sitting on chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames or Philippe Starck. Coigny produced the Vitra ads between 1987 and 1997. The concept behind this “celebrity campaign” was to develop the furniture store’s identity by linking the world of design with that of art and culture.
La Maison Ralph Kemp
After a two-year “hiatus” — away from the fashion world — last month, Ralph Kemp celebrated his birthday by opening a boutique in the Latin Quarter. The 36-year-old fashion designer decorated the new locale himself, indulging in lipstick red floors (his fetish color) and spacious white walls with “spider” shadows (his fetish critter). Lighting by Fabrice Berrux and flower vases suspended from the ceiling add a fragrant touch to the setting, which now houses Ralph’s winter collection of tweeds, jean jackets and fluid dresses. (81 rue de Seine, 6e, M° Mabillon, tel: 01 40 46 03 22)
Second Skin
Last month, the French Leather Designers association sponsored a small exhibition of high fashion skin clothing, accessories, furniture and small objects at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs in an effort to draw attention to the know-how of France’s specialists in this field. Technological advances have given this once rough and hefty material a chance to express itself in a multiplicity of weights and textures that vary from thick and super-smooth to paper thin or lacy. This greater diversity has given leather goods fresh appeal. According to figures provided by the association, last year France exported more than 27.5 billion francs’ worth of leather clothing, bags and accessories to eight major countries including the US, Germany, Great Britain and Japan. “Ambassadors of style" such as Jean-Claude Jitrois and high fashion labels like Hermès have also helped to boost the popularity of this type of apparel.
Initially known as saddlers by appointment to Europe’s most prestigious royal stables, Hermès (24 rue du faubourg St-Honoré, 8e, M° Concorde, tel: 01 40 17 47 17), founded in 1837, carry on the tradition of timeless, top-notch elegance with a line of clothing, accessories and, of course equestrian gear. Buttery, caramel-hued tanned cowhide is the brand’s “signature,” but an assortment of exotic skins — including ostrich, crocodile and lizard — are increasingly popular with its international clientele. Here, you can buy a Kelly handbag (named after Grace Kelly), a suit made entirely of leather or even special order skin interiors for your car.
Jean Claude Jitrois (40 rue du faubourg St-Honoré, 8e), on the other hand, is a celebrity in his own right. Often photographed alongside Isabelle Adjani, Johnny Hallyday, Ophélie Winter or Janet Jackson, he’s “The” leather designer to the stars. His bright and cheerful colors, sexy silhouettes and the soft touch of his leathers and suedes keeps his firm in the spotlight. In 1993, he created “stretch leather,” a mix of elasticized fabric and pelts that literally molds itself to the wearer’s body like a second skin, and he’s also well-known for his mock jeans, made of treated suede.
If the Shoe Fits...
Speaking of leather... The Bon Marché department store (24 rue de Sevres, 7e, M° Sèvres-Babylone, tel: 01 44 39 80 00) has just opened a new 800 square meter space dedicated to fancy footwear. Luxury labels — for instance, Prada, Gucci, Dior and Louis Vuitton — are on hand, representing the pillars of Parisian chic, while a new “style” area pays tribute to cutting-edge talent such as Ann Demeulemesster, Helmut Lang, Marc Jacobs and Dries Van Noten, who rub shoulders with brands like Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Sonia Rykiel and Dolce & Gabbana. And, of course, France’s flagship shoemakers — Stéphane Kélian, Robert Clergerie and Rodolphe Ménudier — are showcased. Each season, innovative designers will be invited to present their collections at L’Espace Découverte. On view right now: the toe-tapping creations of John Galliano, plus Courrèges, Alain Tondowski and
