Jeanne Lanvin, Palais Galliera

Today was the press preview for the new and wonderful Jeanne Lanvin exhibit opening this Sunday at the Palais Galliera. Who hasn't seen the iconic perfume logo of Lanvin Arpege...actually Jeanne and her daughter Marguerite, designed by Paul Iribe.

The first gown of the show as you enter is endless repeated pleats contrasted with a huge black taffeta bow, displayed perfectly with mirrors so you don't miss any details.

Another room with mirrors.

Original sketches/prints of the day (20s-30s) illustrating the dresses.

What drove me nuts were divine black robe du soir (evening dresses) shown against dull black felt backgrounds. I'm thinking if only I could say something to fabulous Lanvin designer, Alber Elbaz  and assistant curator of the exhibit, how wrong this is.

Course no one else seemed to mind about the black backgrounds.

Then in waltzes Monsieur Elbaz, giving US Vogue Magazine editor and chief Anna Wintour a private tour of the exhibit! Well it is Fashion Week.

Her helmet-hair is utter perfection at all times. And how appropo to wear a red-belted coat?

Voila.

Needless to say I didn't complain to Alber about the black backgrounds. All the wall placards, in both French and English are at eye-level btw.

Lanvin's dresses are swoon-worthy.

Dreamy wedding gowns.

All very soigne whatever that is...

Sumptuous embroideries.

A wall quote particularly fitting from Dior:
'World War II was looming, but the summer of 1939 saw haute couture in one of it's most glittering phases. Romantic evening gowns, ample and diaphanous, were an 'invitation to the waltz,' Christian Dior recalled. 'People flitted from ball to ball... Dreading the inevitable cataclysm, they hoped desperately to avoid it; and whatever happened, they wanted to go out in style.'

These beaded daisies were an homage to Lanvin's daughter, Marguerite(Daisy), her muse and source of inspiration. “The little gowns [Lanvin] designed for her own ‘petite,’ ” Vogue explained, “were so fetching that admiring mammas who saw them insisted on the same models for their own little daughters. Soon the elder sisters followed, then the mammas themselves.”

Jeanne Lanvin began her career designing hats? The gowns came in 1908.

Photos from Lanvin's atelier are fascinating.

Lanvin exudes elegance and sophistication.

Paris was almost Spring-like today. I wish I hadn't worn my puffy coat. Of course the Fashion Week types were dressed to the nines.
Don't miss the Jeanne Lanvin exhibit if you're coming to Paris!
Or you can browse the 150+ photos I took on Flickr.
Bon Weekend!

HM Lanvin

 I was 'READY' for the HM Lanvin sale on Saturday.
I was NOT!

I arrived rather leisurely at 8:15 AM.

This sale was nothing like the Sonia sale.

I had not read the fine print nor seen the flyers nor carefully checked the HM website. Here's the deal: the 1st 320 people to show up get timed different colored bracelets (see above) with a specific time slot when they can shop. Twenty people at a time get to shop for 15 minutes is the deal.

People started lining up at midnight the night before. We were lucky to even get a colored bracelet at all Eeek who knew?

And to think I was worried about not getting my morning walkies in. I raced around to 4 different H&Ms to check out the situation. Thank you PBers for making me get my daily exercize in! If I didn't have to report in I probably would have stayed in bed and missed all the excitement.

Quelle zoo!

Actually it was well organized and thought out. Only TWO garments of each style were allowed to be purchased.

How come the staff always get to wear the best T-shirts? I offered to buy the shirt off his back but he said,  "Come back after 3 PM."

Here's a lucky ducky with all his goodies (Oh jealousie!) who must have arrived at the crack of dawn. I went into Prete a manger for a coffee to kill time until my time slot of 12:20 I chatted with Brit sisters Jean and Dorothy, visiting New York for 4 days, so I drew them a little map of NYC-not-to-be-missed highpoints on a napkin
 

Finally my chance to grab some Lanvin came!

The adorable glasses I'd dreamed of owning were gone the first 2 minutes after opening I heard tell. Wouldn't it be spectacular if all of New York was walking around wearing Alber Elbaz nerdie glasses? What were you thinking Lanvin putting out so few pairs...sob...sob

I passed on this bracelet but did find a Lanvin lipstick, not even mentioned.
 

Ah the beloved glasses/lunettes again....sniff

I walked away with quite adorable T-shirts ($39.95) with a bow/noeud attached.

A shopper asks last minute advice from the sales girl..."Should I or shouldn't I?"
 

The shopping bags alone were worth the trouble. And they did have tres charmant cotton bags with Elbaz drawings scrawled on them for a mere $3.95 donated to Unesco - I got a few as gifts etc.
 

So not a bad haul all in all, though I am still pinning for those AE glasses. Will trade a painting or just about anything for THOSE lunettes!

BONJOUR H&M LANVIN!

Haremhab + des Gateaux et du Pain

Has this happened to you? You go to the Metropolitan's Haremhab, the Egyptian general who became king and all you see are chausson aux pommes?

 There is an uncanny likeness to divine chausson aux pommes in Paris.

 Beautifully designed striations inedible and edible.

 Unfortunately the 1st time at des GATEAX et du PAIN they were ferme - mardi bien sur.

I only got a look in the open laboratoire.

My second visit was more successful.

Les viennoiseries d'or are irresistible.

 

And the interiors.

 

Elegance personified.

Could have been designed by an Egyptian of Haremhab's time.

I'd planned on Le Figaro's prize-winning chausson aux pommes but the chausson aux agrumes made my heart race. 

Pâte feuilletée au beurre frais et sel de guérande caramélisée, crème au jus et zeste de citron et pamplemousse

And my camera shake. miam-miam

 Perfect for these Egyptian beauties. 

At the Met another uncanny French likeness...

 To Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz 
There are many museums in Paris.

Don't miss this one.

Bonjour Haremhab + des GATEAUX et du PAIN!

63 Boulevard Pasteur  75015