garance doré

Do you remember ? Here and here. See you later !

It’s cool to observe the coming-and-going of style inspiration. Today, I braided my hair on the side without even thinking about, just because why not?

When I ran into Giorgia with the exact same hair-style, I really thought something was up.

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There’s something really interesting going on in style in Florence. It’s a place called Luisa. It’s is a multi-designer boutique that’s been on the Via Roma for two generations. When you get inside, you find a very distilled selection featuring edgy designers and couture pieces to fall for. It’s not exactly what you’d expect from the Florentine cliental, really chic but not exactly ready-to-wear like à la Mark Fast or anything. So… What’s the secret?

Luisa’s secret is it’s online store, Luisa Via Roma. The site is a good example of internet success. It’s known by fashionistas the world over. Voilà. I’m not going to write you a thesis, but I think it’s cool that the internet brings style to life outside of the world capitals.

So quick. There I am, blissing out on Manish Arora’s awesomely flashy collection when I see a tall thin girl, wearing blood-red patterned tights and boots that exist somewhere between thigh-high land and Wonderland, and I think to myself that her insane view on style reminds of me something.

And then suddenly I recognize her: It’s the same girl I saw on that London train wearing sex-shop garb.

Et voilà! Ania is the assistant buyer for Luisa Via Roma, Silvano. She has the coolest style, body conscious and fun, always with a detail that’s “a little too much.” A little too bright, patterned, or clashy. I love that she’ll put it together with some chic sportswear.

You know what though, she’s a little more toned down in these photos than usual. But she told me we’re in for a treat during fashion week… And that’s she definitely going to let loose! And are you going to have your dog with you as well? Cool!

Translation : Tim Sullivan

I love big sweaters. I definitely like them on me, but I like them even more on a man. It just does it for me. Especially when it’s worn as well as this.

For the extra part of the story, click on continue. But just so we’re on the same page, you should know you really don’t have to.
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So… Traveling is good, and to be stylish while doing it, even better, but what’s left of my style after two long weeks of hotel rooms ? …It’s simple, it’s a total mess. Continue »

Aha!  I did end up running into a girl in Pitti. Ilaria. I saw her long mysterious silhouette pass by and right away, she reminded me of pictures of my mother from her golden age in the ’70s. I went to go meet her.

We got along instantly. It had to be the hats that brought us together.  With her vintage Aquascutum coat and her Borsalino, Scott had a good laugh when he saw us together: we were practically wearing the same thing.

But this was not the case the next day: she showed up wearing this huge sweater. Vintage Ferragamo. Aaah.

Ilaria loves getting inspiration from the late ’70s, early ’80s. Back then, Bardot was wearing big hats, Birkin, flowy white shirts and high waists, and Rampling was in sweaters and turbans… And all of them were in boots and the cinched coats that I love so much. Ilaria and I kept talking…

We ended up with the same thought: Hats are fun. You get so many compliments, lots of attention and when you finally take it off, you feel naked. It’s really addictive!

Conclusion: I went back to Borsalino yesterday in Milan, and I tried on these two hats… I think I’m gonna get this one, top & bottom image. I like that it’s very feminine, I like the rounded top, the soft texture and the elegance of its ribbon. What do you think?

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Sometimes I wonder what exactly I’m looking for traveling all the time. Scott was asking me, “Come to Pitti*!” and I was all, “No. I want to get home… What am I going to do there?  There’s no where for me to go. It’s not my scene. It’s not my style.” And he said, “But we’ll be together!”

Aaaaaah… If you’re gonna sweet talk me like that… Of course, I went.

When I got there, I found myself completely lost in an ocean of virility with no idea what to do with my camera. When it comes to guys, ask them for a picture and they tighten up a little. They either try to charm you or they get really timid. But to watch them go by, see how they live, talk among them or even catch them staring at me like some kind of exotic creature, I was beginning to see what was going on there in Pitti… an atmosphere that can’t be found anywhere else.

So I decided that it’s up to me too look at them like exotic creatures. I started to take pictures of them when they weren’t looking.

I like observing men in Pitti. They’re not scared to like fashion. I like how much goes into it, how refined it is, the elegance and the panache that Scott knows how to photograph so well. There’s an attention to every last detail.

Little by little, I started to understand what I was looking for traveling so much. It’s what I love most: a good surprise. To find myself in a different universe, meet new people, learn how to dive head first into a new atmosphere.

Find inspiration: it’s as simple as that. And of course, above all, traveling, for me, it’s to be a little closer to…

my man.

Bonne journée!

——

*Pitti is a Menswear trade show.

Translation : Tim Sullivan

If I never talk to you about interior design, it’s not because I don’t like it.  Oooooh no. It’s because I live in an apartment so small that I could be getting work done while cooking and taking a bath all at the same time, and then on top of that, any new piece I get forces a different one out. Okay, out the door you go. Poof.

Granted, this doesn’t apply to shoes, OF COURSE, which, for some reason, give me a malicious pleasure to accumulate. And don’t even get me started on how I store all of them. Maybe one day I’ll make a post about it and we’ll all crack up. BUT NOT BEFORE I FIND AN APARTMENT, otherwise it’ll drive me nuts. Oh goodness…

If I never talk to you about interior design, it’s also because I have some mega-complexes: I know nothing about it. My sister, who has the classiest house and enough furniture to sink a ship, (It’s in her blood. She bought her first Napoleon III era table at 19) can tell you the designer of any and every piece of furniture including the year and design-house as if it were perfectly normal. Hmmm. Laeti. I love your science.

SO how is it that I can write you thousands of words on whatever subject, even if I’m a total dunce about it?) So. In Rio, I had the chance to get to the hotel Fasano. This isn’t the first time I’ve been in an awesome hotel… But the design there got me particularly excited. I was like a little kid. Wahoo!  So I thought I’d take some photos.

Nope. I’m not even going to start telling you about what this is supposed to be, but you’ll get soon get that I like scandinavian design and wood.

Wild flowers, the kind you’d bring back from a long walk — ok ok ok, So at Fasano, maybe it’s more of the kind of bouquet that you’d put together after you took a long walk in a rainforest. Yeah, that’d help. But I like lilies and roses. Oh and peonies. Yeah, I have no design personality at all.

All you need is to put out some wood, some carpets, something a little rough around the edges, and some scandinavian accent furniture and I’ll be swooning. Oh and some old photos too. I can’t believing I’m sitting here describing my photos to you. Okay, I’ll hush up.

AAAAAH NOOOO! I just can’t. I have to show you the pool. It’s in the dreamiest spot, perched on the roof where the stars frolic and I try to play it cool in my bathing suit scarfing down coconuts. I’ve gotta give you a post about that as well BUT LATER or else that’ll drive me nuts, TOO.

No but seriously, this pool is awesome.

This is the little set you get with your room key. A beautiful little notebook and a map of Rio painted with watercolors and lots of good ideas on where to go. I took 12. What did you expect?

So yeah, I just realized I only took pictures of wood. Goodness, I’m obsessed. It’s not good to be a monomaniac like that Garance. It’s unfortunate because you only get to see a little part of the hotel design. No, damn, how stupid was that?

Yeahhhhh oooooh. That was definitely my downfall. Fasano, my photos haven’t done you justice. Pffffff…

Oh darn, I’ll just have to go back. You coming ?

Translation : Tim Sullivan

So as I was saying, the heat… What’s better than white coton when it’s gettin’ up above 104? I came across a whole bunch of girls wearing these long light blouses. While I was suffocating in my shorts, their cotton shirts, whenever there was even the smallest of breezes, the shirts would fly up ever so slightly.  So sensual.

Then yesterday, I went into a men’s clothing store with Scott (Scott, he’s a guy and he goes to more boutiques than I do)(And he buys more magazines than I do too)(oh and he knows how to sew!)(Okay, enough)(Oh, and I’m in Florence!)(Come see us at his booksigning tonight at Luisa!) and I bought a big white pajama shirt, and it’s so beautiful I’m going to wear it as a dress with a belt as soon as the sun starts shining through. Even if here, errrrrrrrggg… IT’S SUPER COLD OUT!

I’m guess I’m the girl who never quite left Rio… But you gotta understand where I’m coming from: this is the first time I’ve ever gotten out of the cold in January. And I still feel like I have the sun in my eyes and sand in my hair.

Summer in winter… It really is just too good.

Translation : Tim Sullivan