The Luxe Chronicles

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:

"Let Them Eat Warm Biscuits ..."

A household staff of one-hundred-thirty-three, sixty bespoke suits at three thousand pounds each, more than two hundred handmade shirts at three-hundred-fifty pounds each, fifty pairs of handmade shoes costing over eight hundred pounds each, solid gold and silver collar stiffeners, a predilection for shoelaces ironed by hand and biscuits heated just so … all courtesy of the taxpayer ...

Jacqueline Kennedy: The Substance Behind The Style.

I finally had the opportunity to immerse myself in "Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life With John F. Kennedy" over the weekend. What a remarkable historical record! And what a shame none of the reviews I've read of them do justice to either its content or its subject.

Here's To You Mr. Cunningham!

Before the countless blogs, the sponsorship deals, the brand collaborations and the never-ending self-promotion, there was one man, his bicycle and a camera. My copy of Bill Cunningham New York (Zeitgeist Films, 2010) arrived yesterday and so last night, I was finally able to watch this brilliant little film about the inimitable Mr. Cunningham. It is a fascinating glimpse into the world of the man who pioneered the concept of street style photography and who is, as far as I'm concerned, unparalleled in the art.

Weekend Plans ... A Date With Diana Vreeland.

My copy of Lisa Immordino Vreeland's Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel arrived yesterday so naturally, my weekend will be spent immersed in the world of the legendary former Vogue editor.

Carine Roitfeld: "There Is a Very Fine Line Between Accepting a Gift and Being Bought."

Unless you live deep within the caves of Afghanistan with little or no communication with the outside world, you no doubt are aware that "Irreverent", the tribute book dedicated to former Paris Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld penned by Olivier Zahm (Purple Magazine) is set to drop just in time for Paris Fashion Week. Ms. Roitfeld is therefore currently doing a series of press interviews for the book including one in which she graciously sat down with a group of French fashion bloggers.

Must Read: Anne Sebba's "That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson Duchess of Windsor".

I know what you're thinking. So much has been written about Wallis Warfield Spencer Simpson aka Duchess of Windsor already that the idea of reading a nearly 300 page biography seems somewhat redundant. Not so! In fact, after having devoured Anne Sebba's excellent new biography entitled "That Woman: The Life of Wallis Simpson Duchess of Windsor" last weekend, I can honestly say that my understanding of "That Woman" and her place in history was approximate at best and in many instances just plain wrong.

Why Don't You ... Pre-Order This Book Immediately!?!

The unmitigated success of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's record-breaking Alexander McQueen exhibit would no doubt have made Diana Vreeland smile. It was after all she who pioneered the concept during her post-Vogue reincarnation as special consultant to the Met's Costume Institue from 1972 until her death in 1989. For me, it serves as a reminder of just how forward-thinking Vreeland was in her conception of fashion and it's place in society.

Books: Summer Reading List

I used to be a voracious reader. These days, like most people, I rarely have the time to read as much as I would like. I therefore cherish my annual Summer vacation to catch up on the many books that accumulate throughout the year but which I'm rarely able to crack open until August. As usual, my list is top heavy with history as I love historical biographies and historically accurate novels (perhaps I'm just a frustrated historian/anthropologist at heart?).