The weekend is only a few hours away and that thought has put a definite spring in my weary step. I look forward to a cozy weekend spent largely indoors thanks to the relentless cold spell over most of Europe. Wherever you are dear readers and whatever the weather conditions, I wish you all a lovely, relaxing weekend. Remember to make the most of it.
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
To all those Facebook users out there (especially women who drive 62% of activity on the site) who freely share links, stream music, read the news, play virtual games, click on Facebook’s “like” buttons, express political views, meticulously update your relationship status, upload family pictures and other deeply personal information about yourselves, congratulations! You are about to collectively make Facebook, its founder Mark Zuckerberg, his early investors and key executives of his company very wealthy. Or, more accurately, you're about to make them wealthier still.
If the untimely demise of Michael Jackson cemented his title as the King of Pop, then Madonna's Super Bowl extravaganza this past weekend cemented her title as the Queen of Pop. At 53, and in just under 13 minutes, she managed to wipe away any doubts as to her ability to reign supreme over the fickle, sexist and ageist industry that is pop music. Here are the top ten reasons why she deserves our respect.
Continue reading "Top Ten Reasons Why Madonna Remains The Undisputed Queen Of Pop!" »
Shortly after I arrived in Paris this past January, I received a very thoughtful present from French friends I met a few summers ago. They had read my post about moving to Paris and my reference to that mythical creature "la Parisienne" and promptly sent me a copy of Sabine Denuelle's La Parisienne dans l'Art (Citadelles & Mazenod, 2011). It arrived at my door beautifully wrapped with a very sweet note. Of course, being in the midst of moving and surrounded by a mountain of boxes, I leafed through it briefly and reluctantly tucked it away in a safe place to resume the tedious task of unpacking.
As a consumer, I'm frankly tired of the hype surrounding young designers. No sooner is the paint dry on their studio walls that they're being proclaimed industry darlings and inking deals with Target. Sometimes, it's hard to escape the impression that a number of them are more interested in the money than the craft. Others are being pushed to walk before they can crawl by an industry that has become increasingly brutal and relentless.
Paris-based accessories designer Olympia Le Tan has been designing whimsical handbags in the shape of classic novels, milk cartons and other unusual shapes favored by discerning Parisians for years. Hand beaded by Ms. Le Tan herself, a single bag can require up to thirty hours of meticulous stitching and fetch upwards of £1000 GBP. The outspoken Ms. Le Tan was recently asked about her bags' hefty pricetags to which she rightly retorted:
I think I'll just stand still for a little while.
I often hear the expression "change is good for you." While I agree with this sentiment (in principle), I feel strongly that a caveat is required. I would add that change is good for you in a "whatever doesn't kill you will make you stronger" kind of way and as far as I'm concerned, I've embraced just about all the change I can take for a while.
Well, today is the day I begin my new life in Paris. In actual fact, I will be splitting my time between London and Paris but my primary residence will be in Paris which I believe makes me a proper Parisienne (in heart if not quite in style).
Ab Fab For Alexis Bittar? Well Why Not Sweetie?!
I love that rather than enlisting a celebrity to front her ad campaign, New York-based accessories designer Alexis Bittar has chosen the beloved Ab Fab characters "Edie" and "Patsy" in all their obnoxious, politically incorrect, drunken fabulousness to do the job. I love the statement it makes about the Alexis Bittar brand even more: Humour. Most brands have too little of it. Kudos to you for taking the risk Ms. Bittar!
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2012 at 08:51 in Current Affairs, Fashion, Jewelry, Shopping, Social Commentary | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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