The Luxe Chronicles

Top Ten Reasons Why Madonna Remains The Undisputed Queen Of Pop!

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.

Books: A Very Thoughtful Gift.

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.

Well Said Indeed Olympia Le Tan!

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:

Martell: The Art of Marketing A Heritage Brand.

One of the aspects I value most about my recent trip to Cognac for the House of Martell is the opportunity to learn more about the cognac industry. Too often, luxury brands shroud themselves in mystery. Cultivating a certain reserve can obviously be a useful way of managing a brand's image and in some instances can even enhance it. As a consumer however, I find that my affection or admiration for a brand is often enhanced by being offered a glimpse behind the scenes.

Luxury: Introducing Martell's "Chanteloup Perspective".

Imagine a cold, crisp winter's night. The stars are twinkling overhead and the deer are gently grazing on the grounds of the Chateau de Chanteloup, once the home of the Martell family and now the heart and soul of the historic cognac house. As our lively little group of bloggers and writers are led up a softly lit path to the belvedere overlooking Chanteloup's graceful grounds, the excitement is palpable.

Gastronomy: The House Of Martell Embarks Upon An Audacious Culinary Adventure.

It takes a certain audacity to cast aside generations of tradition and plot a radically new course.  Cognac, a drink long associated with the antiquated post-dinner ritual where men withdrew to the library for cigars and serious discussion while women stayed amongst themselves for coffee and light banter, is being rebranded as a total culinary experience.  The move is all the more audacious when you consider that it is the work of France's oldest cognac house, Martell, founded in 1715.

Luxury: The Haute Couture Family Has Lost A Master.

Even those with nothing more than a passing interest in the world of haute couture will most likely be familiar with the House of Lesage so inextricably interwoven is the work of the legendary embroiderer with those of the great couture masters. And with good reason. The House of Lesage has been providing exquisite embroideries for couture creations since the birth of haute couture itself starting with Charles Frederick Worth. It is with great sorrow therefore that the world of fashion learned of the death of François Lesage at age 82 late last week.

It Was A Wonderful Week ...

Every once in a while, life offers you a rare opportunity to experience something truly special. As a guest of historic cognac house Martell, I had just such an opportunity this week. Comfortably esconced in the enchanting Chateau de Chanteloup just outside of Cognac, I was offered, along with a small group of food and spirits bloggers, a taste of French art de vivre and gastronomy at its very best. We toured, we ate and we drank. Alas, you'll have to wait until next week to hear all about it because simply put, I'm exhausted! But happily so.

Sincerely,

The Luxe Chronicles

Catch Me If You Can!

I'm in another one of those travel cycles where I effectively unpack my bags only to repack them again. I just got back from Paris and I'm now off to the Cognac region of France as a guest of historic French cognac house Martell. Of course, given where I'm going, who in their right mind could possibly complain? Moi? Certainement pas!

Fashion: Tom Ford And The Perils Of Hero Worship.

"In nature, nothing is gained, nothing is lost, everything changes." So uttered 18th century chemist Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, father of modern chemistry. Of course, de Lavoisier was talking about matter but he might as well have been talking about fashion where everything old will be new again if you just wait long enough. The quote came to mind as I sifted through the images of Tom Ford's Spring 2012 collection unveiled late last week on Vogue.com.