Acne jeans are popping into a new line of chinos inspired by iconic chino-wearers David Hockney and Robert Rauschenberg. The POP line (for both men and women) is to be available for preview from tomorrow evening, at a special cocktail in their new galerie Valois boutique.
Acne Studio, 124 galerie Valois, 75001 Paris, Tél: 01 42 60 16 61, M° Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre
www.acnejeans.com
My lovely and way-awesome fashion friend Zack Ashley, who has just moved to Paris from New York, took some pics at the Just Cavalli opening Tuesday evening on the rue du Faubourg St-Honoré. I love his description of the new boutique, which he calls “very fairy tale slash space ship”. Only in fashion! The opening was celeb-low but the after party warmed up with Kanye West, Dita von Teese, and current Cavalli poster boys Rock&Roll (who are also going to be playing a secret set tonight at the Truskel – shhhh!)
Just Cavalli, 50 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, 75008 Paris, M° Concorde
One of the biggest scoops of this week’s fashion week is all about who is DJing and for whom! It seems everyone wants to thrown in their musical two cents! Last night English designer Gareth Pugh was a surprise addition to a Richard Mortimer (of Boombox fame) party. This weekend will see French actress Joana Preiss promoting her new album and spinning at a Rock & Republic party at the Hôtel de Crillon. And Saturday night’s Colette/Self Service party at Le Lup will feature two very hush-hush guests: YSL designer Stefano Pilati and actress/designer Chloë Sevigny!! Get your groove on!!
Last night Cacharel founder Jean Bousquet invited fashion press to a cocktail to view the upcoming collection under new artistic directors Mark Eley and Wakako Kishimoto of Eley Kishimoto fame. I can’t think of a better partnership and I love the quirky universe they’ve already created!
The cat’s out the bag: American sisters and local Parisian expats Bianca and Sierra Casady (AKA CocoRosie) will be the hot-band-to-watch performing at Prada’s New York fashion week party tomorrow night. It’s not a Prada first for the girls, who were also featured on the Spring 2006 runway soundtrack created by Frédéric Sanchez. Those of us in Paris shouldn’t feel left out however, on February 14th Bianca Casady will be celebrating the opening of her art-meets-fashion-meets-everything-else tea room called Mad Vicky’s Tea Gallery! Mariage Frères beware!
Mad Vicky’s Tea Gallery, 3 rue Nicolet, 75018 Paris, M° Château Rouge
The champagne was flowing at last night’s Louis Vuitton launch for Blason – the new line of fine jewellery designed by Marc Jacobs gal-pal Camille Miceli and rapper/producer Pharrell Williams. A wild start to Couture week!
Camille Miceli and Pharrell Williams launch Blason
Pharrell Williams and Ludivine Sagnier
Sophia Coppola, LV President Yves Carcelle, and Virginie Ledoyen
Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson
Elodie Bouchez and Romain Duris
Welcome back in 2008! First of all I’m convinced this year is going to be amazing – remember how lucky 8 is in Chinese? Yesterday I was chatting with a friend about how sad it was that January was going to be so slow and then of course I remembered – duh! that both Men’s Fashion Week and Haute Couture will soon be upon us! One of the most hotly anticipated events coming is going to be the launch of the new Blason line of fine jewellery at Louis Vuitton! Designed by Camile Miceli and rapper Pharrell Williams, this event, which is being held at a private mansion on the avenue Foch on January 21st, is sure to bring a super bling-bling beginning to 2008!
Leading up to Christmas is always a fun time to go to charitable auctions in Paris! The combo of fashion designer/celebrity + charity always works wonders, and has the added advantage of making everyone feel good!
Tomorrow evening Dessine l’Espoir will be holding their vente aux enchères featuring 20 designers like Sonia Rykiel and Alber Elbaz, in an effort to raise awareness and support for their charitable actions throughout Africa. Fashion cares? Sold!
Everyone’s favourite shop (or maybe just mine…!) Hermès, located at the famous 24, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, is getting ready to kick-off their new extended shopping space with a 24 hour party which starts at 8 pm on October 23rd. There will be dancing and musical performances throughout the night, which leads into breakfast and shopping the next day. While there’s no official stance, who’s to say that getting your favourite sales associates a little bit tipsy might not help with your advancement on the Birkin waiting-list (hey, it’s worth a try isn’t it? 
)
More artistically inclined clients will want an invite to the opening of H Box, the new itinerant art show by Hermès, which will open at the Centre Pompidou on November 28th. The show will run to January 5th, and features the work of artists like Alice Anderson, Yael Bartana, Sebastian Diaz Morales, and Dora Garcia; all exhibited within a massive space-pod-like structure designed by the artist-architect Didier Fiuza Faustino!
Hermès, 24 rue du Fbg St-Honoré, 75008 Paris, 01 40 17 47 17, M° Concorde or Madeleine
H Box from Nov. 28 2007 – Jan. 5 2008, Centre Pompidou, Place Georges Pompidou, 75004 Paris, 01 44 78 12 33, M° Rambuteau or Hôtel-de-Ville
Monday the Fendi’s turned out en masse to support Delfina Delettrez Fendi’s (pictured above with family friend Karl Lagerfeld) new jewellery line available at Colette. Everyone was talking about two things! Supermodel Irina Lazareanu’s recent engagement with the ex-future Mr. Kate Moss (a.k.a. Babyshambles front-man Pete Doherty); and Charlotte Gainsbourg’s big Vogue announcement: she will be guest-editing the upcoming holiday issue of Paris Vogue! Both events will no doubt be of epic proportions!
This summer there was only one place I wanted to go on a Saturday night! My memories are of a secret idyllic party universe, where everyone is beautiful; the champagne never stops flowing; the music is fun, fun, fun; and even though you might have to sacrifice your favourite shoes, you wouldn’t blink an eye! Just as you would think, the Institut de Bonheur is true joy, true fun, true happiness!
Unfortunately, all good things must come to end, and this Saturday’s edition will be the last! I’ll cry when it’s over, but for the moment, I just want to dance! 
PS - Tomorrow night le déguisement est obligatoire!
Institut de Bonheur, rte de Sèvres, Jardins de Bagatelle
Tonight I am organising a group of friends to attend the fabulous Gentry Lane’s Gentry de Paris Burlesque Revue. However, since this weekend, I have been wondering what to wear! This season I have adopted dressing up for the simple pleasure of dressing up. That means leaving the jeans at home, and always putting in that extra effort that makes one feel pretty, and ready to be charming at a party.
On Saturday night I decided to wear a fuschia empire baby doll dress to Rossy de Palma and Etienne de Swardt’s party in the Orangerie de Bagatelle. After all, the theme was about roses, so it seemed obvious! But tonight, with burlesque on the menu, and “tenue glamour exigée”, I have been thinking about which Fall trends would be most at home.
Though this season was more subdued, stand-out accessories are really the perfect recourse to create an effortlessly glamourous look.
I am thinking of Roger Vivier’s Rose ‘n’ Roll sandal:
Or Burberry’s black matte leather corset belt:
You can’t really go wrong channelling Dita von Teese’s cinched waists and 1950’s glamour. In fact John Galliano’s Fall 07/08 collection for Christian Dior would be perfect!
In any event, half the fun of dressing up is seeing what others are wearing, so I can’t wait to see people’s interpretations of tenue glamour tonight!
Gentry de Paris Burlesque Revue, from 20h00
Divan du Monde, 75 rue des Martyrs, 75018 Paris, M°Pigalle or Abbesses
A few times a year the fashion pack is known to descend on Paris. This involves a lot of work, from a lot of very talented people; and for a freelance journalist (comme moi) a huge headache! It’s in times like this that I thank God I only cover Paris, because I’m not certain how I could get anything done (without an assistant) if I was also in New York, London, and Milan.
I sent out my first requests over three weeks ago, but had only a few responses. Being polite, I waited until this week to follow up on my initial requests (which really means waiting for the press offices to devise a clear pecking order). Some people might inexplicably say no the first time, which means emailing back attaching tantalising stories I have already written, which they might miss out on if they don’t allow me access!
Aside from the official fashion week, there is also an “off” calendar; and if that weren’t hectic enough, many designers will choose to show only in a private showroom presentation (like this season at Ungaro, who currently have no Creative Director). This means creating a complicated schedule of appointments and shows, for all of which you are likely to be at least 45-60 minutes late!
The other headache involved in fashion week is planning your fashion week wardrobe. Anything really goes if you wear it with style, however it’s not one of those times that I just let myself wake up in the morning and put on whatever I feel like. Outfits (yes, real outfits – especially in the Fall) must be meticulously thought out in the finest detail.
Despite all of this effort, there is nothing more fun than attending a full calender of shows! My survival tips include champagne, hors d’oeuvres, taxis, and a good fashion week buddy. Let the games begin!
Paris Fashion Week, September 29th-October 7th
Above : murals by Valery Chtak; Below : collection of objects by Alexandre Brodsky © Louis Vuitton images
It’s not every day that Russia comes to the Champs-Elysées, so if last night’s “Moscopolis” vernissage was any indication, having received the royal Vuitton welcome, Moscow is here to stay (or at least until December 31st!). You don’t need to grab your furs for this exhibition, but the air is defintely fresh, as the Espace Louis Vuitton exhibits 11 Russian artists who will transport you through their unique vision of the capital.
Espace Louis Vuitton, 60 rue de Bassano, 75008 Paris, 01 53 57 52 03, M° Georges V
If the name Coming Soon doesn’t whet your appetite, the man behind the new label will almost certainly pique your interest: Yohji Yamamoto is the force behind this forthcoming ”supercasual” line for men and women, slated to be unveiled this January. But for Yohji fans who can’t wait, the new Y-3 store in Paris is certain to be a huge hit, the opening of which will be celebrated at a party on October 4th during Fashion Week!
