a british influence on french cuisine?

ok, well, he's not really british, but scottish, and he's not as mean as he appears on t.v., which is probably how gordon ramsay ended up with such a great gig-- running the new resto at the trianon palace in versailles. the restaurant, which sits at the end of the gardens at the versailles palace, will serve up ramsay's famous dishes with a french twist. and the setting is a palace in itself-- the hotel has been redone and appears to be absolutely gorgeous....

soho v. st. germain

catherine malandrino, the french designer who has made a big name in nyc, has created a limited edition scarf for those of us on this side of the atlantic. the bright scarf plays up her love of the two cities-- citing st. germain and soho on the scarf. perfect for those who want to make a statement about the big apple as well as the city of light. available at galeries lafayette for 110 euros.

E + 2 = tres chic

last season, fashion team E2 made waves with their customized vintage scarves. they are back at it again this spring, this time with scarf-like tops. each one is made out of a vintage scarf, customized with flowing pieces of fabric. a one-of-a-kind creation is loads sexier than that drab old hermes in your closet, non? around 500 euros, available at colette and by order through E2 at 01.47.70.15.14.

hats off to marie mercie

famed hat createur marie mercie is the subject of a tribute starting april 5th at the bon marche. fashionable friends such as nathalie garcon and evelyne bouix sport her creations in photos taken by anne roman. a good lesson in stylish ways to wear a chapeau. [until may 10th]

uber trendy shop opening

trendy brand kitsune opens its first boutique in paris this month, featuring men's and women's collections, some home accessories, and of course, music, which is what the brand is most known for. check it out at 52 rue de richelieu, 1st.

chic & cheap paris souvenir

on my shopping tours, clients often pick up tea towels as souvenirs or little gifts for friends. i think they are great because they are french-made, easy to pack, and have wonderful graphic prints. beauville, one of the big linen brands, has just launched its spring line, which includes the 'paris magic' tea towel, above. much chic-er than an eiffel tower t-shirt, non? available at department stores for 14 euros or online in the US.

spring exposition round-up

with so many tempting expos on this spring in paris, i thought it would be best to compile them all together...here are some of the best...
Vlamick, a Fauvist painter, is on display at the Musee du Luxembourg. Combine this wildly colorful and invigorating expo with a stroll through the jardins du Luxembourg to see what spring has sprung this year. (now until july 20th)


if photography is more your thing, be sure to check out the man ray expo at la pinacotheque. this expo on the modernist master of b&w displays works and personal objets from the artist's atelier in paris. (march 5- june 1st)
95-year-old louise bourgeois' work is on display in a huge retrospective at the centre pompidou, featuring over 200 pieces of her work. her infamous sculpture, maman, a giant spider-like sculpture, is on display simultaneously at the jardin des tuilleries, a first in europe. (until june 2)

last but not least, ny punk patti smith shows off another talent at the fondation cartier-- photos, drawings, texts, & collages are on display, inspired by french greats such as arthur rimbaud & jean genet. (march 28 to june 22)

holy maloles

fresh and fun shoe maker maloles has just launched its first line of bags, with chic lucite-handled styles like anastasia [above] along with more practical oversized shoulder bags. each model corresponds to a theme in the shoe line, this season's inspiration being liberty fabrics, pop, and seventies. available at galeries and bon marche.

huit celebrates 60

lingerie brand huit fetes its 60th birthday and the 40th anniversary of may 68 to re-launch its culte model Titcha [pictured], which sold over 6 million models back in its heyday. want to be a part of the sexual revolution, even if you weren't there? pick up the Titcha bra (45 euros) and panties (29 euros) in black or raspberry to channel your inner French provocateur.

eiffel tower-ing shoes

anne valerie hash's spring collection includes these lovely heels, inspired by paris' biggest landmark, la tour eiffel. while the idea sounds kitch, the designs are anything but-- the chaussures are graphic, sleek, and shiny, just like the iron lady herself. available at galeries lafayette and l'eclaireur, 465 euros.

fashion week paris: leonard show

yesterday was the leonard show, filled with their signature flowery prints that look quite graphic and modern once again. the crowd at this show was much older-- you could see many a granny in the audience who probably wore leonard tunics and minis back in the 60s and 70s....

check out the video of the show

fashion week summary

dear csp readers,
as fashion week in paris comes to a close, i thought i'd share some of my "deep thoughts" about fashion week, jotted down while waiting for the various shows to start:

• the hardest job in this business is had by the photographers. they get there early, lug tons of equipment, stack on top of each other to get the best angle [this is clearly not a job for those who suffer from claustrophobias], and are generally treated as dirt by the fashionistas, although it is these guys [and girls] who get the best shots for the mags.

• does france need a model law against overly thin models, like in italy? i wonder how some of these girls can actually walk-- and they could all use a sandwich, as my friend caroline would say

• the biggest fashion show accessory? cute kids in tow

• international language of fashion is english, even when in paris

• can't make it? fake it! if you can't get yourself an invite, fake it, and book lunch at a cafe where there are sure to be fashion editors and models hanging out. try the cafe marly or le saut au loup, both near the louvre [where many shows are held] or even one of the posh hotels

• everyone has a noticeable bag...maybe it's an old chloe, a vintage birkin, a manbag [even man purses!], the coveted latest from YSL, or a simple tote from marc j., but you must have a bag. or none at all...but this still doesn't give you the right to dress like crap [see below]

• having an It bag does not give you the right to wear tennis shoes, however, if you wear a fur, you can get away with jeans

• in a sea of black, where brights to stand out. i spotted cherry red coats with oversized hoods, an enormous fuschia faux fur [on a man], neon pink patent platforms, and more

• if you are thin and belle, you can wear the craziest outfits and people will think you are cool; and if you are not, attitude is everything

rue du mail opens on rue du mail

martine sitbon just opened her first boutique for label rue du mail, on a street with the same name. [how chic!] the large, exposed-stone space is comprised of a shop, studio, and showroom, accessible only after you are buzzed in. short, flowy dresses in sheer neon colors are the hit of the moment, woo-ing clients such as sofia coppola and vanessa paradis. 5 rue du mail, 2nd, monday- friday 12-7pm, saturday by appointment only.

vintage auctions for luxury goods

i just came across some fab sites listing upcoming auctions in paris--
check out gros-delettrez for listings on upcoming louis vuitton [monday, april 7th] and hermes [may 26-27] vintage auctions, and romain rea for info. about auctions on vintage watches and others taht are sold directly through the site. a vintage birkin or used tank watch, anyone?

classical music for the kiddos

the cite de la musique now has a saturday a.m. concert series to introduce les enfants to the finer things in life, i.e., classical concerts. tickets are only 8 euros, and the mini-concerts [1 hour long] are timed just right for the short attention span of the littlest music aficandos. a nice way to sneak in a little culture, rather than saturday a.m. cartoons. tickets and more info. available here.

givenchy's new flagship

givenchy's new paris flagship opens this friday, seated in a prime location between hermes & boucheron on faubourg st. honore. the roll out of the new shop is meant to reinvigorate the brand, which has fallen behind some of paris' others more famous labels. the shop will carry women's and men's lines, along with shoes, bags, and small leather goods in a space designed by the brand's designer Riccardo Tisci and architect Jamie Fobert.

salon d'agriculture

paris is all about contrasts-- you can't get in to the fashion shows, for example, so you go to the cow show instead. pourquoi pas? the salon d'agriculture is on right now, until march 2nd, at the porte de versailles. check out all the raw materials that become our favorite french foods--over 600 cows and bulls are on display, along with wine makers, foie gras specialists, and beaucoup plus! [by the way, don't go saying "moo" to a french cow- they say "meuh" here!]

gaspard yurkievich

today at high noon was the gaspard yurkievich show in the carrousel du louvre. the show's theme, the beautiful fall, was taken from a book by the same name by alicia drake, about the fame and fashion in 1970s paris. the look? flowy dresses, printed tights, big exposed zippers, ladylike blouses, and short skirts with big pockets, all in tones of royal purple, black, and gold. the setting? a glittery gold runway, with sam sparro belting out his new single, "black and gold"

doggie couture

yes, the french are obsessed with their pampered pups-- i just saw a woman on the metro pull down a seat for her pooch when other people were standing due to lack of seats! want to spoil your canine a la francaise? check out the precious-stone encrusted collars by les parichiennes. made with pearls, amethysts, etc., and fine leather, you can have a bracelet made to match your chien's collar- oh la la!

af vandevorst show

my first show of the season was that of af vandevorst, which took place at the maison des metallos in the 11th. the champagne flute invite said 8pm, we were seated by 8.30, and by 8.50 the photographers [pictured above] were hooting and hollering 'let's go'-- i was in total agreement, as it was tres chaud in there!
here are a few shots from the show, which featured lots of men's wear inspired layered suits, quilted jackets and skirts, and some cozy wrapped knits, paired with silver platform heels and studded platform boots.

at 9.15pm, the show ended with waiters bringing champagne around
[normale, as the event was undersigned by piper heidsieck]-- enfin!

a short video of the show in action


and our take home treat-- a 'delicious' box of chocolates with af's logo on them. if the duo doesn't woo the fashion scene with its fall-winter collection, maybe the champagne and chocolates will do the trick?