Ines’ office at Roger Vivier.
My couture week kicked off on Monday morning with a showroom appointment at Roger Vivier. In true Parisian style their flagship located on the famed Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré also houses their showroom and offices of creative director Bruno Frisoni and in-house muse, legendary supermodel Ines de la Fressange. Bruno transformed his studio using silver foil to mimic Andy Warhol’s famed Factory as the backdrop to show his mod spring/summer 2013 couture collection. He modernized classic shapes and couture techniques – such as Lesage embroidery – using fur, metal, feathers and bright colors. Ines opened the doors to her pink office/treasure trove and was on hand to speak about Bruno’s latest masterpiece collection for Vivier.
With Roger Vivier Creative Director, Bruno Frisoni.
Pink mink Roger Vivier couture accessories.
No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to Azzedine Alaia. You never know what will stand behind the boutique’s ironclad doors, such as, in my case, famed French actress Catherine Deneuve waiting with two other women outside the communal changing room for Mr. Alaia to finish an ever-important couture fitting. The building houses the world’s only Alaia boutique, showroom, atelier, countless works by artist Julian Schnabel and serves as one of Azzedine’s many Parisian homes.
Bruno’s Warhol factory-inspired studio.
On Wednesday evening it was time to play dress up with jeweler Eddie Borgo and his pre-fall 2013 collection. Borgo was showing his latest pieces for men and women in a temporary Parisian showroom located just across from Roger Vivier; he even had a few of his stunning jewelry boxes on-hand to showcase alongside his latest baubles. This season, Eddie has added new designs in silver, gold and rose gold and has reinterpreted classics like his ever-popular cone bracelets and tassel necklace in new sizes and colors.
Eddie Borgo Pre-Fall 2013.
Whether it be fashion or art, culture is ubiquitous in Paris. On Thursday once couture had concluded it was time to visit Galerie Perrotin. On view were three distinct shows by artists Johan Creten, Jean-Michel Othoniel and Pieter Vermeersch. The later is an abstract painter while the former two are both sculptors. A favorite moment of mine, however, came when seeing the adorable artist toys by KAWS and Takashi Murakami in the gallery owner’s office.
Artist toys by KAWS and Takashi Murakami at Galerie Perrotin.
Sculpture at Galerie Perrotin by Jean-Michel Othoniel.
Paris’ Left Bank is home to famed taxidermy mecca, Deyrolle, where they offer stuffed and dried animals ranging in sizes from tiny bugs smaller than a centimeter to a giraffe or elephant. Their entire back room devoted to butterflies and insects transports you into what feels more like the mind of artist Damien Hirst than a room filled with dried bugs. The shop has been around for almost two hundred years and serves as a unique source of inspiration for designers looking to learn more about the wild.
Zebras at Deyrolle.
