Mariano Fortuny si Venetia

Alaturi de textul din Forbes adaug aici si fotografiile care il ilustreaza .

Fabrica de pe Giudecca are un showroom la intrare.

In gradina interioara se organizeaza vara petreceri,

Inapoi la Palazzo Fortuny,

Downton Abbey

Did you use any personal story for the book ?

Not my personal stories so much but some from the Fellowes family, which is mine too of course. Julian, my uncle, is the creator and writer of the show, and like any writer he looked to his own life for inspiration. So many of the characters and their plots, or even just their witty one-liners, came from family stories – such as the Dowager Countess, who is based on Julian’s great-aunt, Isie Stephenson. The rest of it comes from history itself, a huge interest of Julian’s. He was keen that the show should be steeped in authenticity, which is why we have the wonderful juxtaposition of fictional characters dealing with events that actually happened in history – such as the Troubles in Ireland and World War I.

Did you enjoy going to set ?

Yes, it’s a real privilege and not one I pass up on! It’s a treat to watch something right before your eyes and know that it will be screened on televisions to millions of people around the world. They are all consummate professionals but also clearly hugely enjoy their work, so have a lot of fun together. The only problem is that there are so many crew – around 60 or 70 at least, daily – that an extra person like me can feel a bit in the way. I say ‘sorry, excuse me!’ quite frequently…

Do you feel close to the characters of the époque ?

Julian and I have always shared an interest in that period between the wars – partly, I think, because so many of our family stories come from then. Julian’s father, my grandfather, was born in 1912, the year the first Downton Abbey episode was set – so he was certainly in that era, if not quite in that world. But we are fascinated by it too because it was, in many ways, the beginning of the modern age – with electricity, motorcars, rail travel, the rise of socialism, women’s rights, medical advances and so on – yet those who lived within it were still heavily influenced by Victorian mores. They struggled to adapt but knew they had to if they wished to survive. That’s the basic premise of Downton Abbey and the reason it is so compelling – we are going through something very similar ourselves, with the huge advances in technology impacting on our social and political lives.

Something you still use in the kitchen and you inherited.

I still use my grandmother’s cookbooks, although it’s interesting to see how fashions change with food – right now, quite rapidly, as we get into ‘clean eating’ and so on. But if you look at cookbooks of a hundred years ago, they are very similar to modern cooking, in terms of low sugar, fresh ingredients and so on. One thing that is very different is that in England at the turn of the 20^th century, French cooking was the most fashionable, and a lot of it was rather fiddly and highly skilled. Mrs Patmore may look like a simple cook but she was actually a chef of supreme ability!

Your favorite receipt in the book. Do you cook often?

My son is a huge fan of pancakes, so at the weekends the book will fall open at that page! But I love the more traditional receipts too, such as the marmalade. My father lives in Ireland, and I have been spending summers there every year since I was a little girl, so when I’m feeling nostalgic I’ll do a big Irish stew, with slices of warm soda bread on the side to mop up the gravy. Delicious!

It was a difficult research for the book ?

The research is, for me, the most enjoyable part of the process. As it was my third Downton Abbey companion book, a lot of the research had built up in layers – on my bookshelves and in my head. Even when not officially researching a Downton book, I still read around the period, particularly memoirs of that time, as I prefer to read a first-hand account to a historian’s analysis. Julian also has a huge amount of knowledge, so if I got stuck on anything, I’d just fire off a quick email to ask him.

Do you think the success of Downton Abbey will bring more politeness and elegance in the world?

It would be nice to think so, wouldn’t it? Perhaps it does – people seem to appreciate the elegance and style of the period. Whether nice people watch it or it makes people nice, I don’t know. But I interviewed the woman who lives in a house that is used for filming – as the exterior of Isobel Crawley’s house – and she was telling me that people frequently knock on the door, peer over her garden wall and so on. ‘Don’t you mind?’ I asked her. ‘Oh, no,’ she said, ‘the sort of people who like Downton Abbey are usually very nice people.’

The 1st Hermès Vintage Collector Fair

The 1st Hermès Vintage Collector Fair

 

Du 23 au 25 octobre, The 1st Hermès Collector Fair se tiendra pour la première fois à l’Hôtel du Louvre à Paris.

 Cet événement alliant la passion de la mode et celle de la collection d’accessoires vintages accueillera les collectionneurs et amateurs internationaux de la marque Hermès.

        Organisé par Catherine Lecomte, le salon réunira une dizaine d’exposants français, belges, italiens, allemands, espagnols ou anglais. Ils présenteront la grande diversité d’objets Hermès allant de la sellerie, à la maroquinerie, aux carrés mais aussi d’autres accessoires comme des bijoux, des montres, des articles de bureau…

The 1st Hermès Collector Fair présentera bien sûr des pièces vintages iconiques de la marque Hermès tel que le Kelly et le Birkin mais l’objectif sera de montrer des pièces rares, des séries limitées illustrant la fabuleuse créativité et le savoir-faire de la Maison Hermès.

        Un service d’expertise sera mis sur pied avant le salon pour le contrôle de la marchandise (vetting) et durant les jours d’ouverture au public. Les visiteurs pourront en effet faire expertiser des pièces Hermès qu’ils possèdent déjà, ou qu’ils achètent sur place. The 1st Hermès Collector Fair accueillera aussi une exposition intitulée « Musée des collectionneurs Hermès », réunissant des pièces d’exception issues de collections privées. Tous les jours, Genevière Fontan et Paul-Henri Studler dédicaceront leur nouveau livre Carrés d’art II. A noter également la dédicace en avant-première du livre : Guide et Codes des sacs Hermès de Geneviève Fontan (Arfon Edition). A cette occasion également, le Cercle des collectionneurs des carrés Hermès sera officiellement lancé par Paul-Henri Studler (CCCH). Liste des exposants (provisoire) Bernardini Luxury (Italie - Hong-Kong), Corrado Luxury (Italie), Les Editions Arfon (France), Monika Gottlieb & Siggi Spiegelburg (Alllemagne), Heritage (Espagne), Katheleys (Belgique), Rennies (Grande Bretagne), Patrimoine Joaillerie (France), Maia Luxury (Grande-Bretagne), Martine Vaysse (France), Tara Vintage (Italie) et Tropissime (Belgique).

ANNE SEBBA

Interviu aparut in revista TABU octombrie 2014.

 

How you choose your subjects?

Obviously they have to intrigue you and you have to want to know more but sadly these days you have to get the publisher to agree that the world also wants to know more about them. In my case it was the history of the period as much as anything and the sense that nobody could really understand Wallis. She needed to be explained not seen as  a one dimensional caricature.

How long  did you work on your book about  Duchess of Windsor?

In one sense just 3 years , in another all my life as I specialized in history of the 1930s at University and have read lots about her over many years.

Sometimes you seem to be a bit cruel . Do you think the author must have a sympathy for her/his subject ?

I don’t think I am cruel but I think until very recently when people were extremely deferential to the Royal Family nobody dared say anything negative about Edward 8^th. However I think the present royal family admit that h3 was something of the black sheep of the family and that once you understand how weak and defective a personality he was, you are actually being very kind and sympathetic to Wallis. You are turning the whole story on its head. I do think a biographer must have sympathy with your subject to the extent that you care about them or you will end up just bashing your person unfairly but I don’t think that sympathy should lead you to create a warped version of the truth , More important than sympathy is a feeling of responsibility to the truth.

Is it possible to create a bond between you and your subject?

Yes but that is dangerous in some ways. You must not believe you are the savior or the interpreter or the one person who can tell their story as human beings are far too complicated and there are many aspects of a personality. It is dangerous to identify with your subject, I believe

How difficult was to do the research ? What involved this ?

The research is fun…I spent a lot of time in libraries in England and America, read a lot of diaries and other books but I also went to Mexico to interview the son of Ernest Simpson which was fascinating in my quest to understand Wallis and Ernest and why they let this royal liaison take over their lives. Family

Was Wallis Simpson  a good or a bad woman in your opinion ?

No one is pure god or pure evil. She was weak in some ways in that she craved money and jewellery and recognition but it was created by her insecurity as a child. She became strong once she realised there was no way out and that turned her into an unpleasant personality as far as many people were concerned. But she was loyal and believed that her new found status and money was in  some ways recompense for her mother’s struggle and insecurity. To understand is to forgive I believe. Or it can be!

Do you own things which belonged to her ? Or do you wish to have one?

No I don’t own anything and I don’t crave jewellery, it isn’t part of my life style.

What was the most difficult thing or situation while working on your book ?

It is the same as it always is; not to hurt minor characters who happen to be swept up in the story and who never expected to be part of history or to be public characters.

Are you a fashionista ?

I love beautiful clothes but no not a fashionista as I spend most of my working day in trousers at my desk or in the library and in yoga or gym clothes! But every so often I appear on TV and then I have to look smart! I love to have something striking when publication comes and I was lucky that the designer Roland Mouret made me a fabulous gold dress for publication of THAT WOMAN which he called THAT DRESS because he was inspired by Wallis rags to riches story.

What was always in the Duchess purse ? And in yours ?

Oh she had lipstick and compact and not much else…me you don’t want to know my bag is so heavy…I have notebooks and dozens of pens and pencils and a wallet and make up bag and keys and a book in case I am stuck on the metro and a spare set of glasses and a phone and a diary and much, much else  JUST IN CASE!

Did you meet people whom are living  at the same addresses as the Duchess ? Are they  disturbed in anyway about the fact ? Or are they proud about this ?

No not really…Only Mohamed al Fayed who lives in her Paris house but he is very proud of the association

Do you think the Duchess was a trend setter ?

Yes definitely what she wore others copied …if they could e.g. the jewels she wore as dress clips became a fashion accessory but were very expensive!

What  you discovered at her and become something for you ( a place, a thing, a custom)?

After finishing book did closed the door between her and you ?

No not at all new material kept emerging and other people told me things that I thought were probably true but not sure about and they confirmed these. You can read about some of these on my blog.

www.annesebba.com

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Photos: Anne Sebba,  and Cartier.

James Sherwood - The Perfect Gentleman

Aparut in Forbes Romania.

Daily Routine

I live in the American Gardens Building on W. 81st Street on the 11th floor. My name is Patrick Bateman. I'm 27 years old. I believe in taking care of myself and a balanced diet and rigorous exercise routine. In the morning if my face is a little puffy I'll put on an ice pack while doing stomach crunches. I can do 1000 now. After I remove the ice pack I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower I use a water activated gel cleanser, then a honey almond body scrub, and on the face an exfoliating gel scrub. Then I apply an herb-mint facial mask which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an after shave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.
Bret Easton Ellis - American Psycho

De citit neaparat (8)- Nancy Mitford

GORE VIDAL

Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say and not giving a damn.
Gore Vidal

photo : ISTANCOOL

Marie Antoinette: "I Want Candy"

Zile si nopti - martie

I wish to be Queen 's guest

Each couple arrives between six and seven o’clock, to be greeted by an equerry and lady-in-waiting and escorted to their suite in the Lancaster, York, or King Edward III tower. The customary accommodation includes two large bedrooms and bathrooms, a ladies’ dressing room and commodious sitting room furnished with desks equipped with writing paper and pens, tables laden with mineral water, decanters of whisky, sherry, and gin, cornucopias of fruit, bowls of peppermint candies, jars of biscuits, and vases of fresh flowers. ... She assigns a footman and housemaid to serve as each guest’s valet or ladies’ maid Their job is to unpack the suitcases, fold underwear in gauzy organza bags, line up cosmetics and perfume bottles in perfect order, whisk away clothing for washing and ironing (“better than any dry cleaner in London,” said the wife of a Commonwealth diplomat), draw the bath at the guest’s requested temperature, drape a large a towel over a nearby chair, lay out clothes, and before departure time repack everything with tissue paper. Sally Bedell Smith "Elizabeth the Queen; The Life of a Modern Monarch ".

Blithe Spirit

Nostalgie

Aura Urziceanu

De citit neaparat (4): Selina Hastings

Jeeves

Nancy Mitford in the Savoy Museum

I hung a Bassano portrait of Nancy Mitford in the Savoy Museum having written to the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire to ask about her reminiscences of the Savoy in the 50s. Bear in mind the Duchess was by far the youngest and Nancy the eldest so they didn’t exactly socialise until both were full-grown. Also, Nancy spent most of her adult life in Paris. However, the Duchess did distinctly recall that she, Mrs Rodd (Nancy) and Lady Mosley all danced the night away at the Savoy to the sound of Carroll Gibbons and his band. I understand the Grill was a favourite of Mrs Rodd’s and her Parisian lover the General during World War II. James Sherwood

Elegance

Proust la Christie's

De vinzare in citeva zile. PROUST, Marcel (1871-1922). Lettre autographe signée "Tendrement à vous, Marcel" à Lucien Daudet. 2 pages in-12 (175 x 112 mm) sur un feuillet replié. Papier de deuil, enveloppe avec suscription (traces de pliures, bords de l'enveloppe abîmés). Sans date (cachet de la poste du 20 avril 1905).

Regina Maria