Coco Chanel: Three Weeks/ 1962 by Douglas Kirkland

Coco Chanel: Three Weeks/1962, by Douglas Kirkland, published by Glitterati Incorporated,http://glitteratiincorporated.com

Forward by Judith Thurman

Gabrielle "Coco"Chanel broke all of the rules in fashion when she began designing in France.  Suddenly, gone were the corset and feathers. She wanted women to be comfortable as well as chic, bringing slacks, bathing suits, and her most treasured fragrance ever, Chanel #5 into being. My own Mother who could never afford a classic Chanel suit, sought out the most luxurious wool fabric and the perfect trim, painstakingly making a spring suit for herself, down to the minutest of details.

French Haute Couture Fashion Designs by Chanel

Enjoy this collection of never before seen photographs as an intimate and exciting portrayal  of her life, published to coincide with the 125th Anniversary of Mademoiselle Chanel's birth!

Mademoiselle entering The 31 Rue Cambon Boutique in Paris

A perfectionist in even the smallest of details, she was a sculptor of  her fashion designs.

Mademoiselle love to mix with her models, chatting and gossiping a bit; celebrating after a fabulous fashion show.

A joyous, adventurous woman, the first to mix high and low, signature pearls worth hundreds of thousands with costume jewels and a large over-sized watch face!

By Judith Thurman in her Forward: "He is twenty-seven, but he looks like a kid (a handsome kid) who has put on a suit for the first time. She is seventy-nine, but she wears her wrinkles the way she wears her Chanel suit: with defiant elegance."

Renowned Photographer Douglas Kirkland. His account of the time he spent with Mademoiselle Chanel is priceless!

Mr. Kirkland went on assignment to film Coco Chanel in 1962 and ended up forming a tremendous bond, actually living with her for three weeks while filming. Kirkland has photographed other beloved icons and luminaries such as Marilyn Monroe, Man Ray, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor and numerous others.

The Coveted Limited Edition including a print by Douglas Kirkland

Thank you to Glitterati Incorporated for the publicity copy of Coco Chanel: Three Weeks/ 1962.

Coco Chanel: Three Weeks/1962, by Douglas Kirkland, published by Glitterati Incorporated,http://glitteratiincorporated.com

Please do add this wonderful book to your art library; it is also available in a limited edition format at your favorite bookseller or at  Glitterati Incorporated. It is filled with some of Chanel's most memorable quotes and images.

Much thanks go out to my Family, Friends, and Followers who support The Arts! 

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xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena

Haute Couture Ateliers: The Artisans of Fashion

At the start of Paris Fashion Week, I cannot imagine a more appropriate book to offer you a glimpse into the intricate makings of couture fashions. Every page of this book is filled with lush images that will make you gasp; I certainly did! Enjoy!

Color sample book with skeins of silk yarn used from 1898-1900 Designer: Prelle; Photo Credit: Alexis Lecomte. 

Cape Dress by designer Stephane Rolland in sand colored muslin and jersey, embroidered with burnt ostrich feather flowers. Photo Credit: Olivier Buhagiar.

On white tulle ground, fuschia Rhodoid scrolls set with  glass stones and sequins. Designer: Broderies Lanel; Photo Credit: Alexis Lecomte. 

Long Bustier Dress in dipped lambskin and cloud gray chiffon. Glass petal plastron. Summer 2013. Designer: Stephane Rolland; Photo Credit: Olivier Buhagiar.

Marian Chopineau for Yiqing Yin. "Eole dress with Swarovski elements and red silk streamers. Sur le Fil Collection spring-summer 2013. Designer: Yiqing Yin; Photo Credit: Shoji Fujii.

Pink silk slip dress, edged with embroidered tulle. Designer: Fanny Liautard: Photo credit: Alexis Lecomte.

Metallic leather dress with Sophie Hallette lace applique. Eagle Eye Collection Winter 2013: Designer Oscar Carvallo; Photo Credit: Alexis Lecomte.

Design of notebook containing a list of materials, colours and dye references, as well as feather samples. Designer: Nellie Saunier: Photo Credit: Alexis Lecomte.

A book collector's dream, Haute Couture Ateliers: The Artisans of Fashion by Helene Farnault, forward by Hubert de Givenchy may be purchased at Amazon or your local book seller.  You will be thrilled to see the work of the artisans who behind the scenes, assist in  making these couture confections come to life!

Thank you to The Vendome Press for providing me with the publicity copy.

Thank you to my Friends and Followers who support The Arts!

Please do leave a comment as they make my day!

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xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena

A Classic: C.Z. Guest: American Style Icon by Susanna Salk

In her book C.Z. Guest, American Style Icon, Susanna Salk delivers an intimate portrayal of one of America's most legendary style tastemakers. I find this is a perfect book to pick up for summertime reading. CZ was a woman who loved the outdoors and her favorite pastimes of riding, gardening, and  playing tennis. Entertaining seemed to come naturally to her and she was always the supreme hostess. Guest was a woman with the gift to make everyone comfortable around her,  in part because she was completely at ease with herself. She always exuded confidence and self assurance, and though a Boston socialite, she loved wearing her gardening togs just as much as a couture ballgown. 

At Templeton, Old Westbury, New York, C.Z. rode nearly very day of her life, a dream she had from early childhood.

C.Z was a syndicated garden columnist for 351 newspapers, author of 3 books on the subject and even created C.Z.'s Bug Spray. Ahead of her time in marketing, more than 1200 pairs of her Goatskin Gardening Gloves sold on QVC!

On their wedding night, C.Z. with her new husband Winston at the home of Earnest and Mary Hemingway in Havana. Hemingway was best man. C.Z and Winston had two children together, Cornelia and Alexander.

C. Z at age 36 styled in Mainbocher , one of her favorite fashion designers. Jewels by Tiffany

Salvador Dali's infamous portrait of C.Z with a framed note from the artist hang over a fireplace at Templeton.

Cosmetics Entrepreneur Estee Lauder and Guest attending a wedding at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in New York City, 1989. 

C.Z.'s Charles II gold vermeil dressing table collection, including many family photographs and of course fresh flowers from her garden!

In the grand salon at Templeton, there are two large portrait paintings by John Singer Sargent, this is of Amy Phipps Guest, Winston's Guest's mother. Guest often gave formal dinner parties for many friends, including Yves Saint Laurent, Rudolf Nureyev, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (her children's godparents), Nancy Reagan, Truman Capote and other social stalwarts.

C.Z.'s daughter Cornelia in her Manhattan office with a portrait of her Father, Winston Guest. (a three time world Champion Polo Player) Cornelia and her brother have since sold the family home in the Spring of 2014.

Guest died in November of 2003 at the age of 83 after valiantly fighting cancer for some time.

Including hundreds of photographs and contributions from many of Guest's nearest and dearest friends, you will love having this book as part of your library! Susanna has painted us a very personal portrait of  this iconic woman.

C. Z Guest, American Style Icon is published by Rizzoli New York and may be purchased at Amazon. 

Visit Susanna's website at http://www.susannasalk.com 

Thank you to Susanna for the signed copy of her book and to Rizzoli New York for the images included.

Thank you to my friends and followers who support The Arts!

Please do  leave a comment, they make my day!

xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena


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Benvenuto in Italia

Please join a special group of bloggers as they show you their favorite places in Europe! Starting with Anita of Castles Crowns and Cottages!

Today I am reminiscing about a very special trip taken to Rome and Florence a few years back and will let these beautiful images speak for themselves!!

The Trevi Fountain Detail

The Cathedral at Orvieto

The ceiling of The Sistine Chapel by Michaelangelo

In the Borghese Gardens

Lanvin Couture 

Victor Emmanuel II Detail

Il Pagliaccio Restaurant 

A Swiss Guard at St. Peters Cathedral

Galligani Pasticceria The Best!

The Colosseum at Night

From the lovely Anita, lets spread the Magic always!

I truly believe that one could spend months in every fine city of Europe and never see enough. However here is just a snippet of some of my favorite things about Rome, its history and romance, and the surrounding region!

Thank you to my friends and followers who support The Arts!

Please do  leave a comment, they make my day!

xoxo

Karena

The Arts by Karena


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