Don't cry for me Argentina...

Photo credit: Johnny Vilagrain

For the second time in a row, we had an Argentine Fashion Week à Paris.

Thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina and the Fundación ExportAR, seven of the best Argentine designers and their favorite models traveled to Paris to present their collections in a great show on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, at the Gustave Eiffel salon.

Lucky enough, this September 29th proved to be a splendid summer day, sunny and hot. As another tourist of the crowd, I went to the Eiffel Tower and waited in line to get to the elevator... 

With enormous joy I met many dear Argentine and Brazilian friends, all gathered by Abraao Ferreira, who was in charged of the press and guests. 

After an acceptable delay, the show began with the native looks proposed by Cardón, which were then followed by the Haute Couture dresses by Laurencio Adot, Iaia Cano and Claudio Cossano (absent due to a personal tragedy, but well represented by model Liz Solari, beautiful with her new haircut...).

It was then the turn of Carlos di Doménico, always glamorous, of Jorge Ibañez, with model Ingrid Grudke, and of Gabriel Lage, who wrapped-up the show with an amazing embroidered nude dress, worn by Carolina Pampita Ardohain.

All designers tried to show their best: shocking and shining dresses to wear at night. Will Parisians believe Argentine women dress like that every day? That they always go out looking like that? Jokes apart, the runway presented a sensual, mysterious and quite fatale woman.

Photo credit: Johnny Vilagrain

The grand finale came with Madonna's version of "Don't cry for me, Argentina." And I'm so romantic, that every time I listen to it, I cry!

Do to my anxiety to attend the show, I left at home my camera... A pity!

I took these pictures with my iPhone... I apologize for the mediocre results.

P.S.: Thanks to Johnny Vilagrain, official photographer of the show, I can post better ones!

Going out on a night of "Eté Indien" in Paris...

There's a famous French song by Joe Dassin, an artist who died too young and who is one of my favorites, which is called "L'eté Indien." It talks about those wonderful days that, in the northern hemisphere, by the end of September and beginning of October, mysteriously bring back the Summer.

And this year in Paris we seem to be having a lovely "eté indien." Today we had 26°C and it is said that we'll be having a week of sun and days with 30°C.

Paris is, usually, marvelous but now, with this radiant sun, incredible light and amazing dusks, it's absolutely breath-taking.

The best part is that this meteorological phenomenon comes just in time for the Fashion Week, so it's impossible to stay at home!

This afternoon I took my friends Alessandro and Viviana, an Italian and an Argentine model, guests at my house and in Paris because of the runway show of the Argentine designers, to a cocktail and then dinner out.

First, we went to the cocktail at Ralph Lauren's boutique on Avenue Montaigne, where the brand was presenting it's new challenge: a jewelry collection. Many beautiful pieces, big golden bracelets and watches with black crocodile leather straps and diamonds on the face.
It's going to be a huge success.

All of Paris was there. I'd like to point out model Tasha de Vasconcellos, who looked amazing.

Then we went to Galignani, my favorite bookshop, where writer Charles Dantzig was presenting his last novel "Dans un avion pour Caracas." Apart from knowing Charles personally, he's a great and educated writer and I had already read the book, which I absolutely loved. It's always a pleasure to hear someone who knows what he's talking about!

To wrap the night, we went to have dinner at Mathis, which is a restaurant-lounge where you can find the most diverse of people: from actors such as Francis Huster to international artists, high-society women and outcasts of the night.

I go there because of their lentil salad and the sesame-crusted tuna.

After dinner I left my friends to enjoy the pleasures of Paris by night and went back home, as Cinderella... my carriage-blog was waiting for me to update it...

Le Bon Marché...

When it's grey outside, when I'm feeling lonely or when I simply need to rest my mind, I go to the Bon Marché: a traditional, classic but yet luxurious store in Paris.

The Bon Marché is not the typical popular department store, as Galeries Lafayette or Printemps.

Not at all.

To begin with, it's on the Rive Gauche, on the 7eme arrondisement to be more precise. That makes it different. It's less touristic, more intellectual. It's never crowded. It has only three floors, not very large, and everything is in it's right place.

Today, as soon as I heard that the Gala at the Opera, which I had to attend at 6:45 pm, was cancelled due to a strike, I fled to the Bon Marché.

Fall is here and the new collection are in store already. And, till October 15th, there's a special exhibition dedicated to London and a special floor to promote British designers. 

I went straight there to check out two dresses by Mary Katranzou, a new English designer, of Greek origins, who specializes in prints.

Unfortunately, one was too big for me and the other too tight around the shoulders... A pity.

I spent some time admiring the new shoes by Charlotte Olypmpia, one of my favorite designers. The new Smythson's notebooks in (fake) emerald crocodile leather also caught my attention. Still bare-handed, I went down to the second floor.

The Bon Marché is very "tendances," so next to designers such as Lanvin or Pucci, I could check the collections of newer talents, such as Anthony Vaccariello and Bouchra Jarrar (a French-Moroccan much talked-about these days).

I saw a black dress by Vaccariello, super sexy, but with too much cleavage for winter.

Anyway, there's nothing as Lanvin's dresses... It's a pity that my sister already has the one I liked best (a red one with a cape on one shoulder).

I went then to the ground floor, the one with the cosmetics and perfumes, and also accessories.

I bought a superb pair of semi-long gloves in black leather, to have them ready for the colder days. And I came back home to take my tea, listen to a sonata by Liszt and write my post...

Taking the plane to Paris...

With a mixture of feelings (joy, fear, tiredness, curiosity) I jumped into my "plane" dress: a black, super classic, sleeve-less, 1998 Chanel dress. Chanel. together with Lanvin, is one of the few Maisons that include the production date on the labels of their clothes, so you can always tell when they were done and know how old they are...

So, back to my post, with my LBD, my three huge suitcases and my carry-on, I sped to Ezeiza to board Air France 417 flight, the one that every day, in the afternoon, connects Buenos Aires to Paris. For me it's like a branch of my house. I always know where I'll be seating (by the aisles, because I'm claustrophobic), what I'll be eating (I take my own food from home: soy burgers, veggies and fennel tea... what they serve on the plane is usually too salty for my taste...), what I'll be reading (the last issues of the main French magazines will be available on board and I devour them with passion...), etc.

After so many years of "hopping" from one country to the other, this travel routine is part of my life. Luckily I'm not afraid of flying: the plane can shake as a cocktail maker that I won't notice.

This time, the only difference with previous flights was the VIP service I was offered by Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, courtesy of Jorge Lukowsky... a pleasure.

The rest went by as usual and as soon as the "fasten your seat belts" sign was off, I ran to change into my "plane" sweat pants and my black cashmere cardigan, also for "plane use." That's when I realized it needed replacing. This one is from 1997, when my bag was stolen at Roissy's Airport and the one I had, disappeared with it... 

I love the time alone I spend on board. You get to see everything from another point of view, judge what you've been doing, what you'll be doing and what you want to do. That's why I always carry my red Filofax with me, to jot down thoughts, ideas, lists of things to do... In spite of considering myself quite "cybernetic," there are certain things I prefer to write in my own handwriting.

After putting my watch 5 hours forward, one of my secrets to avoid jet-lag, I saw one of the movies, "Blue Valentine" (really sad love story), and fell into a refreshing sleep...

... Which was interrupted when one of the passengers opened his window and the sun invaded the cabin...

We were close to landing.

And there was Paris, splendid this time of the year, by the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter, waiting for me...

I'm listening "Vedo Nero",,,

This is the IT song in the Italian and European Summer. Adelmo "Zucchero" Fornaciari has been one of my favorite artists for many years now and he's a genius.

Enjoy this beautiful video...

I like Lanvin...

I want to share with you this video done by Steven Meisel for Lanvin... A unique piece of humor and style.
Enjoy...