First of all, I can boast, yes, boast, that I have seen the girl myself and she has spoken to us - to me and my friend Susanne, who is witness, that all I say here is true! We were, innocently, studying shoes at Roger Vivier in good old Paris, and, voilà, there Inès was. As I have written in my style model compilation, she really looks like in the pictures, if not better and has a wonderful deep voice. This explaines the slim figure - she who smokes does not eat. We got a very friendly smile and a "Bonjour" which makes you immediately to a faithful customer for the next 65 years.
After extensive shoe studies, we went on to the Tuleries and bought at Galignani (the english bookshop..) this red booklet, which looks like a moleskin and is called "La Parisienne", written by Inès and a lady, who is called Sophie Gachet.
As far as I know, there is an english version in preparation - "Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange" - it will be published in april. To be followed.
The book looks like some fat carnet, scribbled full with secret tips and hints, basic advice in beauty and fashion - sometimes with a tiring childish layout - which then will be shared with her best friends only. Some sort of conspiracy feeling coming up - but not disagreable, more like being in the inner circle.... I like the little bit cheeky way of writing, the slight hint of rock chick - "the wild rock never dies..." - on all pages.
Elegance here rhymes with easy going and apparently not to high maintainance - but do not be fooled, that it IS easy!!! No way! Much tought is put in the compilation of shops and tricks and hints of the trade; there is the very clear appraisal of this or that product and this or that shop, hotel, restaurant etc. All very useful and fun to read.
Especially lovely is the advice how to avoid gaining immediately 10 years: nothing we would not know ourselves... Who, anyhow,walks around in a cloud of shimmering eye-make-up? We knew this already, but it is reassuring to hear it again. She does not like nude lipstick neither....
One thing really is a pity, which is that the pictures only show Inès albeit lovely ´15year old daughter modelling the styles suggested by her mother.
Positively spoken this suggests that there is no difference between mothers and daughters happily sharing the same wardrobe, in this case happy rock chic.
But in reality, this is not so easy nor desirable. I do not want to dress like my daughter, she does certainly not want me to dress like her - appart from the body shape problem.
I think, the originally adressed audience of this book is a more a "mature" segment of society - not especially only the under 30ies. Bien sure, they all find happiness in this booklet, 20ies, 30ies and the contemporaines de Inès... But, I would have liked her to mode herself, not the daughter. This is so in the line of fashion magazines, using young girls to present images for all sorts of ages. SO depressing. Women who dress as girls are depressing, full stop.
But, all in all, a wonderful and funny book - full of ideas what to do in Paris and how to get that flair, that promises chic, easiness and elegance, all done without effort.... And a lovely gift for a good friend, who loves the good life and is intelligent enough to take out of it, what she loves and what suits her.
Indeed, I was there at the sighting of iconic Inès, right after we had our breakfast at Angelina's on Rue Rivoli ready to venture out on a day of shopping in my favorite city. And a wonderful venture it always is when the two of us get together. The bliss of sharing the things you are fond of with a true friend constitutes one of the genuine delights in life and adds to those memories you feed on when skies are grey despite it is sunny outside.
ReplyDeleteThat's why, inevitably, we have to keep on stacking up those memories.
on that note, see you soon in Paris!