the Goddess alive and well at Paco Rabanne Spring 2012

Manish Arora says he found something about himself when he explored the Paco Rabanne

archives for his wonderful futuristic Spring 2012 in Paris a few days ago. I think he found something about the female body, such sensuality, power and beauty, even

though there was so much structure, which is not what I would normally associate with femininity.

The above ensembles were the ones which got to me most, but his ending of frill-necked lizard cup-cake style constructions were full of life and humour, and reminded me of the early eighties when Issy Miyake's sculptural ensembles looked like they might take flight.

Alber Elbaz at Lanvin ~ such a master

The Fall/Winter 2011 collection at Lanvin, is such a beautiful mixture of structure and flow. I always find something which makes me stop in my tracks. He somehow captures that formality of Lanvin, and yet the feminine and intuitive flow of fabric and colour together, which I think is a rare feat.

a moment in Paris 1911

I saw an exhibition of Jacque Henri Lartigue at the Pomidou Centre in Paris when I was last there in 2003.
I loved the life and humour his photos were full of. And in this photo, you could just change the fashion, and it could be a scene from any city today, the rush and movement. And  guess the fashion is rather like 'slow food' or 'slow music', it would have taken more time to make, more time to put on, more time to take in all the details. Such was the way of that world.

The ARt of Robert Frank

Yesterday was my birthday and my brother took me into my favorite bookshop and told me to choose whatever I wanted. So I chose a beautiful little book: Robert Frank - Paris. I wasn't familiar with his images of any European city. I've always associated him with America. (the above image is not in my book). So now I will spend the next weeks dipping in and out of these exquisite minimal images, evocative narratives.