You’ve gotta imagine a Saint-Tropez filled with stylish girls. The first day, they would all head to K-Jacques and Rondini (including me). The second day, they would painfully experiment with the rising prices in the touristy parts of town (including me, again –> how are you going to try to sell me a pair of Alexander Wang shoes at double their price – 1000 euros). And the third day, they’d finally find happiness in an amazing thrift-shop, the Marché du Marin.

Can you imagine the atmosphere of a showroom during fashion week ? Well, the day I got there, it was exactly the same. Mademoiselle Agnès wasn’t the only one here: she’s got Emmanuelle Alt and Carine Roitfeld with her who are all happily vintage-shoppin’-it-up for their whole family, surrounded by lots of other stylists and fashion people. I didn’t take photos because I’m no paparazzi — except to get Agnès, who was just about on her knees for these too-cool shorts and wanted to show them to me.

Yep. So you’ll have to take my word for it when I tell you that doing your shopping next to Emmanuelle Alt is hell. It’s like she has an antenna for awesome outfits. Every time I saw something that could potentially interest me, from afar, by the time I got there, she would already have it in her hands. This big faded pink fleece sweater, for example. Or this grandpa shirt. Or this awesomely shiny marine vest. Pffffff.

FRUSTRATION! I let it go and promised myself I’d be back the next day, alone, far from any fashion intimidation.

The next day, I pillaged and plundered. And I usually hate vintage stuff in general but it’s like they opened up a treasure chest just for me :

- The clothes smelled good.
- The selection was incredible. Nothing overly stupid or too-much, a big section just for vintage marine wear, but done tastefully. There were also a few lacy things and college sweat-shirts, leather bags, but all was already sifted through. You didn’t have to spend three days to find something which is exactly what drives me nuts in most vintage laces.
- Reasonable prices.
- And then on top of all that, the shop was super cute.

Why isn’t there any places like this in Paris?

PS = THIS IS MY NEW IT-BAG ALL FOR MYSELF. YOU LIKE IT? YOU’D BETTER CAUSE I’VE BEEN CARRYING IT AROUND SINCE WEDNESDAY.

Le Marché Du Marin, 4 Avenue Foch 83990 Saint-Tropez.

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Cut off in the middle of my joy-fest heading toward the airport to head off to Tokyo, here I am today sending you a post right from my dear living room. No arigatos to be said!

Yeah, for three days now, seeing as I couldn’t get a flight to Japan, Japan came to me just to piss me off a little. I got invited to dinner and they made sushi for me. Someone asked me, “Would you mind going shopping with me?” and then brought me to Uniqlo. I said, “Oh look at that! The trees are flowering!” And I was told, “Yeah, it’s like cherry blossom season in Japan right now, oh you have no idea, it’s so beautiful over there!”

YOU’RE RIGHT. I HAVE NO IDEA. THAT’S EXACTLY WHY I WAS GOING. Thank you giant cloud of ash, thank you.

So, we’ll take this opportunity to tackle some of our most important topics. With no relation between them and in no particularly order…

Number One : The straightening. You always ask me for updates on my Keratin treatment, and honestly, it’s awesome. My hair pretty quickly stopped being super straight, and now is a little more wavy. If I would get myself a real hair cut and if I hadn’t continually forgotten to use the special Keratin Treatment back in New York, it would be even better. Because of course there’s gotta be a super special, super expensive shampoo that goes with it. Otherwise it would be no fun.

Number Two : The trend of the spring. My non-departure left me a little time to finally get some shopping done. I could finally get an idea of what I’d be wearing this spring, and the verdict is surprising. I don’t need ANYTHING.
I know, it’s not the most exciting thing to say for a woman who’s supposed to talk about fashion. I reassured myself thinking that I am simply in a very Emmanuelle Alt period. That when I feel better in my body, a new shopping frenzy will take over. So, no need for anything… Nothing, except for a Stella blazer. Ah! I am still a girl after all.

Number Three : The friends. The fact that I stayed in Paris gave me some time to do the most incredible thing: spend some time with my friends. It’s something that I used to do often enough back in the day, spending Saturday afternoons talking about our lives, watching terrible movies, going to try stuff on, spending four hours on the phone, planning out roadtrips that’ll never happen… I almost never have time right now.

And really, really, really, I missed it.

So… Long live giant clouds of ash? Uhhhh, oh man. At the same time, let’s not kid around.

PS : Oh, and you know who I am the most jealous of ? Of Scott, who left New York for Tokyo, yesterday, no problem, super easily… Grrrr !

Translation: Tim Sullivan

It’s true that Emmanuelle Alt is mysterious. … That she’s beautiful, so Paris and responsible for some of my most favorite fashion moments, whether it’s from a series of photos, a collaboration with a designer, or simply one of her outfits.

I love her style. I love that one of the biggest stylists of our generation is so unique in her simplicity. And she’s been like that for a while now ! It definitely hit me one day. I was perusing around on Fashion Spot, and I found this :

It’s from when she worked for 20 ans. It was quite a while ago, and I find that you get the essentials of what marks her style today from her 10 favorite style accessories. Sparse, simple, sexy. Very Emmanuelle, you know? Except for the fact that she doesn’t smoke anymore. How cool is that?

It really inspired me.

Bonne journée!

Translation : Tim Sullivan

——–

Hey all, here’s a translation of the interview, just ’cause I care.

1- Shoes : Black plastic flip flops, practical, chic and sexy.

2-Socks/Stockings : black stockings by Wolford (just because of the amazing Newton ads)

3-Trousers : Black trousers by Helmut Lang, because they are timeless, loose, but not huge.

4-Dress/Skirt : I don’t wear them but from time to time I enjoy wearing a perfectly cut black Ann Demeulmester skirt barefoot, and you gotta wear it with tan legs.

5-Jacket/Coat : A black coat by Costume National, totally modern.

6- Underwear : A sheer ‘Glossies’ bra by Gossard, either in black or beige, like tights, no couture there.

7- T-Shirt : An APC black T-shirt, short sleeves, and because it’s small, it looks like a 70s T-shirt.

8-Sunglasses : Armani black ones, totally Bono.

9-Accessories : Air King watch by Rolex because you could never do better.

10- Absolute basic for an evening : A long black dress by Galliano, chic without being granny-style, sexy and pure with Manolo Blahnik sandals

Yeah okay, t-shirts are all good and well. But what if you started wondering what you’ll be wearing come winter? After I got back to Paris and had a night of about 72 hours of sleep, I stuck my nose outside and I definitely felt it. There’s a cool breeze out there. Yep yep, early in the morning, in the shade, it’s chilly.

So now it’s high time for me to get out my little notebook, my wish-list for autumn, which, I am convinced, will bedazzle you as much for its originality as for its realism. Aaaah Garance, your originality bedazzles us just as much your realism.

- Ever since I saw Emanuelle Alt in her Marant thigh-high boots, I’VE WANTED MARANT THIGH-HIGH BOOTS. Last time, I called Carole, “Carole, I think I’m gonna have a break down over a pair of thigh-high boots.” She says to me, “Oh no! Garance, not you!” Oh yes me. She says, “Yeah, okay, they totally work sometimes, don’t they?” To Scott, “They aren’t too fashion-y are they?” He says, “Yeah, but why not? It’s good to have a super fashionable thing or two every season!” Villains! They’re playing my heart strings! Am I keeping you up to date or are you just really tired of hearing about thigh-high boots? I’d understand, oooh would I ever understand.

- Ever since I saw Taylor Tomasi wear a little coat with short sleeves to let the striped sleeves underneath show through, I’ve wanted a little coat with short sleeves to let the striped sleeves underneath show through. It was in February 20008, pretty much the same as saying the stone-age in fashion talk. Ever since, I’ve been looking. And finally, I’ve found one. It’s waiting at MaxMara. I WANT A MAXMARA COAT.

I want a woman-of-the-world clutch, a collection of cashmere sweaters, an iPhone just for the app that tells you where all the bike stations are in Paris (c’mon Garance…), some grey pants, a little gold cross (I’ve been looking for one for at least 4 years. I’m letting it be known, sending out an SOS!), a new apartment (I’ve been looking for one for 3 years, I’m letting it be known, sending out an SOS!), new white t-shirts, and a detox getaway at the Caudalie spa.

…

Yeah…

…

Kids, nothing works out anymore. According to my wish-list, I’m ruined. I think I’m going to have to cross something off immediately. Hmmm… Ah! I’ve got it! The white t-shirts! Yep, poof, done! Gone. That was almost too easy. All the happiness in life in the stroke of a pen.

Okay, off we go! Big hugs! Bonne journée! And remember remember remember: Stop rampant consumerism!

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Seated in front of my coffee, I was making my way through British Vogue. There, Alexa Chung talked about her style. She was saying that she’ll always be a tomboy and gave a Valentine Fillol-Cordier quote, “Dressing like a boy and you’ll get way further with the boys…”

I close the magazine, swallow a huge gulp of coffee and get myself ready for a shoot. Except this time, I’m the one in front of the camera. A perfect excuse to wear my feather skirt, with super high heels thrusting my body forward and a little jean jacket all adding up to a rather spectacular result.  I’m thinking that off in the distance, in the urban jungle, you could easily enough confuse me with an ostrich.

Two and a half hours later, photos are done. We’re taking a break and Bruno, the photographer, shows me a few of his photos.

I told him which one was my favorite, a girl with baggy jeans, hair in her eyes, total tomboy, super sexy.

He says to me, “I always prefer tomboys. They’re always the sexiest girls.”

“Oh yeah. À la Emmanuelle Alt. It’s so sexy,” I say to him, noticing my feather skirt the color of a pale rose and my heels that would give the Eiffel Tower vertigo. I think for two seconds of making a hole in the parquet to stick my head in, but decide that in the end, not a good idea. I don’t want to scuff up my manicure.

I say goodbye and thank you very much, hop on my bike and leave in a flash.

At a red light, a guy also on a bike rides right past me with a little impish smile.  Irritated, I pass right back in front of him. The light turns green and poof, he passes me again. Offended, I pedal like crazy to catch up to him and pass him yet again. Look, it’s a question of pride here. Taken by the game, he’s almost breaking his back trying to catch up to me. But hey, girls, I got to the next red light first. In heels. And in feathers!

So for me, I’m saying that tomboy, it’s an attitude. And you were right, Valentine, for what I’ve seen, at the very least, it’ll at least get you to the next red light! Boys, what do you think about that?

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Here’s a question for you, folks. What do you think these three silhouettes share in common? Go ahead, take a look.

And don’t be afraid to say whatever’s on your mind. I’m pretty good at it, fact is, it’s my favorite pastime.

EDIT AT EXACTLY 12 NOON : Time’s up. (I don’t want you to miss your lunch because you still haven’t solved this intriguing mystery). So, the answer is: RICK OWEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNSSSSSSS!!!

Thanks for your participation. Great game, everyone. You all played very well. To those who said, “Rick Owens, of course”; to those who immediately noticed something very special about the cut and drape of the garments; and to those who simply said, “I WANT ONE!”, I believe we all understand why this brilliant designer is favored by fashion editors, models and stylish (not to mention, moneyed) girls alike.

When in Paris, I encourage you to pay a little visit to his shop at the Palais Royal where his life-size wax figure bids you welcome and bespeaks of his incredible and unique personality. Bonne journée!!!

Translation : Magali Eva Suárez.

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