Photos By Gail
In 1903, French couturier Paul Poiret made his first loose dress with hints of the kimono shape, and by 1906 he had presented his first collection to be worn without a corset. Poiret’s self-confessed lack of sewing skills pushed him to experiment with sculpting fluid garments directly on the body. Continue reading Eye On Design: Paris Opera Coat By Paul Poiret
Photos By Gail
Check out this cool custom gate that caught my eye as I was walk around in Chelsea the other day: the design is based on the iconic image of the Man in the Moon (with a space capsule embedded through one eye) from the 1902 French adventure film, A Trip to the Moon.
Spotted on 21st Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in Chelsea, NYC.
A Chair Fit For Royalty! (All Photos By Gail)
It took a little bit of hunting but, after a couple of hours on the floor, we found the Oh, Wow! item at this year’s ICFF show at Javits Center: this breathtaking bespoke Art Deco Arm Chair by designer John Landrum Bryant.
John explained to me that by stripping the signed Paris circa 1925 chair that he and his wife had purchased from the Steinitz Gallery in Paris many years ago, he created this one-of-a-kind piece, which belongs in his Exclamation! collection. The first step in the chair’s dramatic transformation was stripping and cleaning its intricate carved wood frame, which was first covered with a vibrant bluish lambskin to preserve every detail, and then a metallic pink finish.
Upholstery and Finish Details Above and Below
The chair was partially upholstered from one piece of cowhide, both plain and also embossed with good dots, in an indescribable shade of pink.
With this as the starting point, things really became interesting: lambskin in silver, in green and in pewter, an antique Japanese silk obi, and turquoise python all dance about this incomparable creation.
Dimensions are as follows:
Length: 30″
Width: 30″
Height” 36″
This chair, which is unique and will not be copied, retails for $18,950 ($13,265 to the Trade). For purchase inquires, please visit This Link!
Photo By Gail
Spotted On Madison Avenue near 76th Street. Have a Lovely and Loving Valentines Day, Dear Readers!
Above Image Courtesy of Jubilee, All Other Photos By Anne Raso.
Do you like French food? I sure do. Recently, I was invited to dine with a couple of friends at Jubilee, an authentic French eatery that’s just a short trip up First Avenue from my east village flat. Owned and operated by Eric Macaire, head chef Luc Holie (formerly of the late, great L’Absinthe) and his amicable wife Ilda (the couple hail from Montpelier and Paris, respectively), Jubilee is a neighborhood gem whose warmly decorated interior is elegant while remaining comfortable, cozy and charming. I felt welcome right away.