The Luxe Chronicles

Art & Culture: Tamra Davis' 'The Radiant Child'

If you're going to wear the Reebok sneakers featuring the graffiti scribblings of Jean-Michel Basquiat (see yesterday's post), at the very least, make a point of learning about the artist himself. Tamra Davis' critically acclaimed documentary film "Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child" would be a good place to start.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Art & Culture: Does Art Really Belong on Sneakers?

Someone will have to explain to me why splattering Jean-Michel Basquiat's motifs over a pair of Reebok sneakers is considered "cool" or even "tasteful" whereas Monet's "Water Lillies" on an umbrella or tote bag is tacky or ringard (as the French would say). Weren't Impressionists the bad asses of their day?

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Sorry, No Post Today. I Have Spring Fever.

Dear Readers:

Spring has arrived in London. Today is the second warm, partially sunny day in a row and since one can never take anything for granted where the weather is concerned in Britain, I've decided to make the most of it. I could make up an excuse about workload or something but the truth is I have a bad case of 'Spring Fever' and so all form of work will have to wait until tomorrow. I trust you understand.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Art & Culture: Product Placement and the Recession

"Are you getting all of this? The red soles too?"

Do you remember one of the early product placements in the Sex and the City television series? Carrie is running to catch the last Staten Island Ferry back to Manhattan and loses a shoe exclaiming "Awe! I lost my Choo!!" As blatant as it was, I found the reference to the luxury shoe brand rather clever. And cute. At the time, it gave a measure of just how powerful a marketing technique the right product (a Jimmy Choo stiletto) associated with the right celebrity or character (Carrie Bradshaw) could be. The Jimmy Choo sandal with a delicate feather across the toe strap featured in the episode in question reportedly sold out. A coup for both the brand and the series' producers.

Fashion: Best Wishes Mr. Deacon

Dear Mr. Deacon:

Or may I call you simply Giles? If Sunday's Twitter feed was correct, the rumors which have been circulating since late last week have been confirmed and you were anointed over the weekend the new creative director of the once-esteemed house of Emanuel Ungaro. Congratulations.

Luxury: The Limits of Five Star Service

"By the way, you're not black are you?"

Luxury hotels are no doubt accustomed to all manner of special requests from their pampered clients. A rare vintage champagne available upon request, special access to the hotel's kitchens for one's private chef, an adjoining room for one's precious pets. I doubt anything of this nature would even raise an eyebrow in any of the world's finest hotels. But what of a request deemed demeaning to an employee or group of employees of the hotel? Apparently requests of that nature can be fulfilled just as easily at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples Florida. All one has to do is ask.

Luxury: Progress, One Ad Campaign at a Time

Back in March 2009, I wrote a post about the growing stature of mature women and how their purchasing power was prompting some luxury brands to reconsider their obsession with youth. Madonna for Louis Vuitton and most recently Dolce & Gabbana (notwithstanding the utterly silly mise-en-scene), Julianne Moore for Italian jeweler Bulgari and now Tilda Swinton for Italian jeweler Pomellato. While the recession may not have ended the luxury industry's obsession with celebrity associations, at the very least, brands are choosing their spokesmodels more thoughtfully - actresses with a solid track record rather than starlets with a dodgy reputation. I believe this is what we call progress, one ad campaign at a time.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Fashion: Celebrities on the Cover of Paris Vogue. Et Tu, Carine?

Enough said.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Society: Where Celebrity Worship Leads

Two news stories which surfaced last week struck a cord with me. The first involves French president Nicolas Sarkozy and a display of questionable judgement during his state visit to Washington. The second involves an unauthorized biography of U.S. television host Oprah Winfrey and its treatment by media outlets in the U.S. The two events sound unrelated but actually stem from the same seed: celebrity worship. More importantly, they should all give us pause for concern.

Fashion & Politics: Get Over The Pantsuits Already!

"Seriously Ms. Betts!?"

Nearly two years have passed since the historic lead-up to the last U.S. presidential election that pitted a woman against an African American man. The African American man now occupies the Oval Office and the woman in question is his loyal Secretary of State whom he has entrusted with the task of furthering the foreign policy objectives of his administration. And what are fashion editors and writers such as The Daily Beast's Kate Betts focused on? The Secretary of State's pantsuits of course.