H&M's Runway show in Paris...

Paris' Fashion Week is already here, it's the most important of them all and follows the Italian and the American fashion weeks... The amount of invitations this year has been impressive, but I've decided to attend the usual shows: Saint Laurent's, Chanel's, etc. 

However, there was one invitation that caught my attention: that of H&M's. Mainly because it's the first time the brand presents a collection with a show in Paris, and then, because I'm a huge fan of the label. I always stop by at the store on Champs-Elysées, I find its low-cost fashion quite fun and that in itself it represents a visionary concept.

For all those reasons, I went last night to the wonderful show at the Musée Rodin.

The crowd trying to get inside was very diverse: from the typical fashionistas to Asian people à la "Gangnam style." I even saw one with a pink wig.

It must be said that choosing the Musée Rodin was an excellent decision. In one of the lateral pavillions they created an enormous appartment, where guests could seat at the tables, or on the couches by the fire... or even in the bathroom!

An army of "soubrettes"(that's the name given to the ladies that attend a house), one nicer than the other, served rivers of Champagne while we made ourselves comfortable.

The show was fresh, young and fun. The models, all of them extremely beautiful, were the IT girls of the moment: Cara Delevingne, Arizona Muse, Joan Smalls, Isabeli Fontana, among others. They could not have looked any sexier...

Transparent dresses, with shorts underneath, knee-high boots (as seen on many other shows this season), and casual and long skirts for the night.

Not many looks, but enough to reflect the trends of the season according to H&M.

At the very end, the music transformed the place into an "improvised" disco!

I loved it, but I left, leaving my friend Abraao (he is from Brazil) to enjoy the night...

You can watch the show here.

Academy Awards: looks 2013...

These were, for me, the best dressed at the Academy Awards ceremony, held last night in L.A.

- Jane Fonda, in a yellow Versace which looked great on her. 

- Emmanuelle Riva, very elegant in Lanvin.

- Jennifer Lawrence, with a pink Dior Haute Couture, very beautiful... However, the dress looked too much bridal to my taste.

- Charlize Theron, stunning, also in Dior, and with that pixie cut that looks good on no one!!!

I did not liked Halle Berry's Versache...  Too structured.

Jessica Chastain looked pretty, but everything seemed in the same hue: hair, skin, dress...

I didn't like Anne Hathaway's pink Prada either... so lacking of color.

Catherine Zeta-Jones' golden dress was not at all fitting, and her hair, so black and long, was not a good choice.

The same goes to Jennifer Aniston, who wore a very beautiful Valentino, but her loose hair looked messy...

Another one committing the same mistake was Kristen Stewart... the hair!!! Nicole Kidman seemed to baroque.

As for the men... they were all so handsome. Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Richard Gere, Daniel Day-Lewis...

Goodbye to another Oscar ceremony...

Dîner des Amis du Musée d'Art Moderne...

For those who wanted photos of the Dinner at the Centre Pompidou, here you have some...

My quinoa salad...

In response to the request of my readers, here's the recipe for the quinoa salad I offered my guests this summer in Punta del Este...

(Serves two)

Soak a cup of quinoa in water for at least three hours, although it'll be better if you leave it all night,

Rinse thoroughly and then boil for 10 minutes.

Strain and let cool.

Fix the salad with a cup of toasted and chopped almonds, cashew nuts and macadamias. Add some tomatoes (with no skin nor seeds), cut in cubes, green and black olives, cut in cubes also and, to add more taste, some pickles in vinegar.

Season with chopped coriander, parsley and mint, and some lemon juice and olive oil.

You can also add some dry cranberries (chopped) to give the salad a sweet flavour.

Place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

It's really tasty!!

Hermès and Sports...

I want to share with you the spots made by Hermès to celebrate sports and... "no sports"! This year's theme at the Maison is "Vive le Sport," so I found them very appropriate and fun... Hope you enjoy them...

Ping Pong

Croquet

Salto Ranita

No Sport!

Oscar de la Renta's Runway show...

I’ve been using Oscar de la Renta’s dresses for more or less thirteen years now. As an Italian, at first, I felt attracted to Valentino, but I must say that I’ve spent my adult life (in the occasions that did matter to me at least) dressed by Oscar.

I cherish each of his dresses because they remind me of unforgettable moments. They are all kept with care and extreme love.

But in all these years I’ve never been able to attend one of his runway shows. I’ve always been invited to them, I know each and everyone working with Oscar. With Debbie, my buyer, we are close friends.

However this time there were no doubts, I’ve organized all my schedule, convinced my sister (another Oscar devotee) and we met in New York to be witnesses of the event that was catching the interest of all the Fashion world. All the buzz was mostly due to the fact that the collection had received the collaboration of John Galliano who was returning after a two-year hiatus to detox from alcohol and drug abuse. He had now the chance to show his talent and prove that he has not lost it somewhere… And he did!

In front of a very-Oscar audience, headed by Anna Wintour with Mario Testino, Mercedes Bass, Annette de la Renta (so elegant!), among others, the collection did not disappoint.

As always, his usual classic style was present, but with Galliano’s touch, which reminded me of his very first and glorious collections at Dior.
However, now everything looked much younger and modern: Oribe’s hairdos (very original), Gucci Westman’s make-ups and Sebastien Perrin’s music arrangements, featuring the great version of “I’m in the mood for Love,” by Bryan Ferri… Everything was great.

The long dresses were, as usual, stunning…

Only 49 looks, but enough to outline his style… which is that of one-of-a-kind elegance.
We had the pleasure of greeting and congratulating him before going out in the cold yet luminous night of New York.

PS: As for Galliano… He was nowhere to be seen…

My sister, at the show, wearing De La Renta.

Grammy Awards 2013: My favourite looks...

Beyonce, wearing Lorraine Swartz's jewels. And Rihanna, with an Alaia Haute Couture dress...

Dines à Versailles...

One of the most important Benefit Dinners in Paris is the one held for fifteen years now, at the Chateau de Versailles, by the AVEC (Association pour la Vie-Espoir contra le Cancer).

Thanks to Professor David Khayat, which is an specialist in the fight against this terrible decease, every February 4th, more than seven hundreds donors and benefactors gather every year at the magnificent salons of one of France's main monuments. 

It always brings me great joy to go to Versailles and be able to walk in peace and without the usual crowds the royal apartments (and even be able to take some photos!).

And this time we've even got the chance to listen to a concert of classic music at the golden Chapelle Royale: Mozart and Puccini, among others, performed by soprano Patricia petition and Erika Guiomar at the piano.

After a very interesting speech by Professor Khayat, a leader of great generosity, passion and energy, we were directed to the Galerie des Batailles for the Grand Dinner.

Thanks to Jean-Pierre Vigato, a three-Michelin-star chef, we enjoyed an extraordinary menu. And we were more than 700!! It's a challenge to serve so many at the same time and do it properly...

To wrap-up the evening, there were many auctions, from trips and stays at the Ile Maurice to Goyard luggage.

Everyone was happy to help to raise funds for such a noble cause...

PS: As usual, glamour in service to good aims... I wore an Oscar de la Renta dress and a Roberto Cavalli coat (it's cold in Versailles!).

Memories from Punta...

Memories from Chandon's White Party in Punta del Este. Dress by Versace.

(Photo by María Teresa Alvarez) 

It all seems so far away...