Less Is More…The Givenchy Ad Campaign for F/W 07.08

The Givenchy Ad Campaign for F/W 07.08 with Lara Stone photographed by Inez & Vinoodh demonstrates that less is more, especially to put fashion in scene.

What Lara wears is still in the center of the photo playing the major role. Using fog as special detail, is great and it differs this campaign from many others which show a dressed-up model lolling on a sofa (the amount of photos like this is really eye-catching when going through a fashion magazine at this point of time). I also like that they choose black/white photography for the kind of fashion which is being presented. To provide the label name in a decent dusky pink is like the ice cream on my warm gateau de pomme! Manifique!

A Step In A New Life - A Step Towards Yourself

The latest photos and post on the Blog of The Sartorialist is about THE STEP and THE STYLE.

Scott Schuman writes about a personal experience he made on the streets of NYC where he once photographed a girl at a Sale Opening Ceremony and asked exactly the same to take photo again but ONE YEAR LATER. He really didn't realize that it was the same girl because she simply changed so much (the result - photo of Kara - taken from the Sartorialist website).

Further on he starts to think what are major factors why people change their style when moving to a new city Besides better shops and being influenced by street style, he considers "not knowing anyone at the new home" as a huge factor. This means that people who knew you for a long time will think they knew who you are, how you have to dress and to behave. To satisfy their expections you just behave "soundso" (soundso is german and means in this context to behave like the think you should do). If you are away, you are anonymous and especially in a metropolis no one will care about your appearance. You can find new friends, new inspirations and, what is most important, yourself…which leads me to a song text called "Soundso" of the german rock band "Wir sind Helden". I have to post this text because it deals exactly with this subject.

Soundso - Wir Sind Helden

Sie wissen genau wer du bist

Du bist uns so einer

Sie sagen es so wie es ist

So gut kennt dich keiner

Und zwar bist du vom Wesen soundso

Soundso so irgendwie

Verstehen sie dich,

das macht sie froh

So einer ändert sich nie

[Chorus:] Aber nichts davon bestimmt dich,

weißt du Nichts davon verglimmt nicht mit der Zeit

Nur du bestimmt nicht,

weißt du Nichts davon ist wirklich

Nichts davon soundso

Und sowieso bleibt nichts davon soundso

Und sowieso ist nichts davon soundso

Glaub mir nichts davon bist du

Soundso warst du schon immer

Genauso, nur kleiner Im Alter wird sowas nur schlimmer

Genauso, nur alleiner

Wie gut wenn man geliebt wird,

wie man ist Soundso,

und so allein So wie du warst,

so wie du bist Bist das du,

musst du das sein?

[Chorus]

Dein Vater ist froh,

Weil er weiß, Du bist soundso!

Und Mutter ist froh, Weil sie weiß, Du bist soundso!

Dein Haustier ist froh, Weil es weiß, Du bist soundso!

Dein Lehrer ist froh, Weil er weiß, Du bist soundso!

Die Freunde sind froh, Alles klar, Du bist soundso!

Auf Arbeit alle froh, Alles klar, Du bist soundso!

Zuhause alle froh, Alles klar, Du bist soundso!

Du gehst k.o.,

Weil du weißt, Du bist soundso!

Wirklich nichts davon...

Soundso Und sowieso bleibt nichts davon soundso

Und sowieso ist nichts davon soundso Glaub mir nichts davon... bist du!

From my own experience I can say that facts are exactly like Scott Schumann wrote.

When I was living in Germany I always had the feeling of not fitting in this country/in this society/in this youth culture. I always was totally addicted to beautyful things from any area. This is not highly appreciated in Germany, where everything needs to be convenient, especially clothes. For example one episode of my last week-end:

My german friend was there to visit Rock En Seine and I wore a short dress with ballerinas. She said that it looks nice but she would never ever wear it or feel comfortable with a dress like that in Germany. Isn't that sad?

She has great legs and I nice body but is afraid to show because of the judgement of other people.

For me, living in Paris changed my style with regards of now having the pleasure to wear what I had kept in my closet for a long time. Here people will honor when you made an effort on your external appearance. Women will aks you which vanishing creme you use or for the name of your coiffeur. The best about all this is: You musn't feel guilty. While talking about german tabu subjects which would consider you being artificial and stupid, you in France you are simply a woman talking about her coiffeur. How cool is this? Here you can female, sexy and INTELLIGENT in one. This is what I love most about this change (beside 1000 other aspects of course) and which makes me probably never want to go back.

I also took two photos of mine (the first taken in Paris in March 2006 and the second taken during summer vacation in August 2007). This is the first time I realized: I had changed, not only emotionally but also externally!

Claude Chabrol "La Fille Coupée En Deux"

Living in Paris as a german girl means also learning to understand french society. When Claude Chabrol's "La Fille Coupée En Deux" started running at cinema La Pagode just across the street from my apartment, I thaught it would be a good chance to enhance my knowlege on french cinema.

La Fille coupé en deux deals with the life and tragedy of a innocent lyonaise girl who fells madly in love with a popular 20-year older writer who uses her to assuage his phantasies. After having used her as a pawn in his sleeky game he throws the love she has for him away without any hesitation or scruples.

In parallel the rich son of a lyonaise fabric owner sees her and starts to long axiously for her love. From the beginning of his presence he gives the impression of a completely disoriented, poor and vunerable person who has no glue what life is all about and will probably never have. At the end of the film, the big tragedy arrives and La Fille gets lost between two worlds of this men consisting on one site of luxery and comfort, but, what is even more prevailing, cruelness and inhumanity.

Being braught up in decent but protectful and loving environment the observer can be sure that she will have the strengh to find herself again.

If one is interested in sociology and social structures the film should provide a nice view on the upper class of Lyon (of which someone told me that it should be worse than in Paris if you are not born there).
So when the cinema enlightened again and I saw the golden paintings of the pompous show room I thaugth to myself that I can be happy having grown up in a more equal society and now enjoying les belles choses de la vie francaise as 27 year old femme who lives, loves and works in the capital.

Picture of the beautyful little garden of the Cinema "La Pagode". Doesn't things like that just exist in Paris?

Un très château experience at Lake of Geneva

I recently returned from a très agrèable summer vacation in Switzerland.
We spend a wonderful week including fresh air (I learned to revalue since living in Paris), green mountains, turqouise water and the perfect view at the Lake of Geneva. We stayed in a really beautyful château hotel in Divonne Les Bains "Le Château de Divonne" and could now imagine how it must have felt being a princess during the 19th century sleeping in a four-poster bed with walls made of flowery silk every night - really a recommendable experience!

The chateau was build in 1860 and consists of 30 tasteful and authentic decorated rooms, "très château" like the receptionist said. The Château is sourrounded by a beautyful garden and whether you relax outside with a book in the garden, go for a swim in the hotel pool or just relax with some vintage wine and michelin-star food from the hotel restaurant, you will have a unforgetable stay. If you miss city life you can go for a stroll to nearby Geneva which is just 9 miles away.

Divonne-les-Bains is a very small and charming village with little bakeries, delicatesse shops, fromageries and - a Spa as well as a Casino, "que fait becaup de plaisier" of course.

One evening, we decided to eat in the restaurant of the golf club "Le Pavillon du Golf" just across the street. I normally don't like the whole "golf environment" but I thaught this golf course was somehow charming build harmonically in the woods. Everybody walking around was friendly and greeted you with sympathetic "Bonjour". The restaurant, belonging to the "Grand Hotel de Divonne" was really one of the most tasteful experiences I have made since we live in France. Food was great and reasonable priced - compared to Paris Restaurants. We ate there once and the next day we decided to go again. If you should ever stay at Divonne, don't miss this restaurant and make sure to arrive hungry for eating a whole menu - otherwise DOMMAGE.

Le Chateau de Divonne

115 Rue Des BainsDivonne

Les-Bains 01220

Rhone-Alpes

France

Beautyful Hats For Heads...hut-salon.de

Yesterday my friend Julsie, prospective bride in 3 weeks, send me the link to the homepage where she ordered her hair decoration. If you feel your head deserves more than just a good coiffeur, read this:

In 1998 Susanne Gaebel's dream of her "Hut Salon" became true and she opened her own shop in Germany's capital Berlin. After her education as tailor she worked for different designers as well as in Paris. She managed to live her dream now, as mother as well as designer. If you understand german, you should read the preamble on her homepage, which is very personal, special and down-to-earth. Her collection is divided in Spring/Summer, Automn /Winter, Wedding and hair decoration. The collections itself are very much inspired by the 1920's, which are Susanne's main inspiration source.



Details:
web: www.hut-salon.de
email: susanne.gaebel@hut-salon.de.
Tel: +49 (0) 30 - 88 67 64 92
Mo-Fr 11:00-18:30 Sa 11:00-15:00

Bleibtreustraße 40

Entrance: Mommsenstraße

10623 Berlin

More Than Just A Shop...Dries Van Noten

The belge designer Dries Van Noten has a boutique in Paris' St. Germain de Près, which is a bit more than just a shop. It is located at the Quai Malaquais directly on the Seine at the left bank in a historic building. When you open the door of the two-storied shop you feel like entering a cosy living room in which you want to lay down on the couch and start reading, sleeping or just enjoying the atmosphere looking around at thefresh flowers, pictures and pastel-coloured targets. The decoration is perfect in every single detail and for a moment you can feel like living in a bohemian parisian home and enjoy the comfort of high-class clothes and shoes everywhere.

Dries Van Noten Store

7, quai malaquais

75006 Paris

M: Rennes

I Don't Like LES GRANDS MAGAZINS...But I like the ADVERTISEMENTS

Paris invites you to Paris Moments..."The French Fashion Touch"

PRINTEMPS HAUSSMANN64, bd Haussmann - 75009 - Paris - France - M: Havre-Caumartin - Tél. : 01 42 82 50 Monday to Saturday: 9h35 à 19h - Thursday until 22h

Lunch in Paris: Le Musée Jacquemart-André

Last week I felt very privileged: I live in Paris plus I have a super-nice boyfriend who invites me for a "surprise" during lunchtime. Hmmm, what is it? When you are female and over 25 years old you sometimes have strange ideas...

We crossed the street and entered the front building of the Musée Jaquemart, which is not only a museum but also a handsome town villa where you can lunch inside and outside. This town house was owned by art collectors Edouard André and his fiancé Nélie Jacquemart during the 19th century. After the death of Edouard André it becam e a museum in 1913.
I cannot really state what is more beautyful the view from the outside terasse on the leafy courtyard or the painted salons with pitoresque lights and paintings. We sat down inside and I was not talking for a few minutes to just enjoy the atmosphere…les très chic parisian crowd ordering lunch, elegantly dressed waitresses taking orders, the buffet with delicious pastries, everything a bit old fashioned where you seem to step in a picture of 1920 where business people would have lunch in an old coffeehouse. We ordered our meal which was very tasty and of course we did not miss to get pastries afterwards. This was my first but not last Mille-feuille I ate there, if you know what I mean...

Expositions: 3 October 2007 - 13 January 2007:
Le Bicentenaire de la mort de Fragonard : l’occasion d’un hommage attendu

Musée Jacquemart-André
158, bd Haussmann
75008 Paris
Tél. : 01 45 62 11 59
Fax : 01 45 62 16 36
message@musee-jacquemart-andre.com
Métro Miromesnil ou Saint Philippe du Roule