(re)fashion gallery

DIY PLASTER WALL

Enduits décoratifs Colorare Stucco Veneziano

DIY PLASTER WALL

DIY PLASTER WALL

Some of you have been following me on Instagram with my home renovation projects in Lille and I have made a promise to share my diy experience. I will start today with my beloved plaster walls.

I LOVE plaster wall. I think they bring a lot of texture and depth to a surface. When I mentioned about “plaster” (“enduit” in French) to my husband, he said that it’s going to be long and a lot more expensive than the classic paint.

So I searched for someone who could do it in Lille, to see how expensive it was and….,surprise surprise…, I found no one. All painters and a few entrepreneurs who are used to building houses told me that they don’t do the type of decorative plaster I was looking for. Unbelievable…, I couldn’t accept the fact that NO ONE coud do this for me. Really ??? How come I see it everywhere on magazines? To prove that it’s not a mission impossible, I told my husband that I would try to do it myself. To reduce the risk, I started with a small room in the attic. If I fail and it turns out ugly, it’s not a big deal.

Once I had decided that I would do it myself, I started looking for the material. Another problem. I started to understand why no one wants to do it. The big hardware/diy stores like Bricorama or Leroy Merlin don’t sell the materials to make your own natural plaster. When I searched for ‘enduit” I only found the plaster that’s mixed with cement. I searched on the internet, and I found Ecobati. Yaaay, I was so happy when a saw that they had a shop in Lille. Finally, an expert in beautiful plaster ! I even saw that they organize workshop and trainings. Perfect, that’s exactly what I was looking for. I rented a car, went to the address, only to see that the shop in Lille was not operating anymore. They closed the shop permanently !

Finally I found Colorare on the internet. They sell ready to use natural plaster and after browsing their website, I decided to give it a try. I ordered a 4L of Stucco Veneziano. I was afraid that the final look would be too “polished” but I just thought that it was better than having a plaster with no shine at all.

The product arrived 2 or 3 weeks later, it was delivered by bicycle (because it’s company’s policy to be as natural as possible !!!) and it met my expectation. The only thing was the colour. I expected the colour Laguna 14 to be a little warmer but it turns out to be colder/ blue-ish and doesn’t match the colour sample on the screen BUT it’s still a nice colour so I’m fine. 

Plaster changes colour as it dries (after being applied on the wall) so don’t panic when you open the can and see that the colour is different. 

Some TIPS to apply the Stucco Veneziano from Colorare 

1) Use good quality tools made from stainless steel. Click here to see an example, you can easily buy it from Colorare or other diy stores (”magasin de bricolage”).

2) Prepare the wall, you need to have a very flat and clean wall. Stucco Veneziano is a product that has to be applied very thinly. Too thick (which will happen when you have an uneven surface), and it will crack when it dries.

If you have a wall in very bad condition, I think it’s better to ask a professional painter to prepare the wall for you. I actually had to redo totally one wall because I found some mold and the wall was full of holes with crumbling old soil. I wanted to use a natural mortar and not cement and ended up spending a lot of time redoing this wall and I never manage to have an even surface. 

Oh well, this is one of the walls in the small room so it’s fine, I can live with this imperfect wall :) I highly recommend that you ask a professional to prepare you the wall if there is a need. Anyone can apply a plaster but preparing a smooth and an even surface is a lot trickier. It takes a lot of practice.

3) Put an underpaint layer on the smooth surface before you start plastering. I used this product, from Colorare too.

4) The first layer of plaster is the base, to make the surface opaque, so you don’t have to press so hard. For the second layer (you need to wait one day before applying a new layer), you can press harder. In French they call it “ferrer”. When it dries, you will see that wherever you press hard enough after this second layer the surface will be shinier. In my opinion you will need to put 3 layers to have the perfect look. The final touch of Stucco Veneziano is very nice, it’s very smooth. The texture is only visual. 

5) Your wall’s final look will depend on how you apply and how hard you press the second and third layer. Any wall started has to be finished.

6) If you want to redo 4 walls of a normal room size (around 15 sqm) you will need to order the 12L of ready to use plaster.

If you need more inspirations, and want to know more about the different types of modern plaster walls available, check this page here, it is very well explained and there will be no secret anymore ! 

There you go..., now you can also have your own plaster wall :)

CUNNINGTON & SANDERSON

A fashion designer duo from the UK

CUNNINGTON & SANDERSON

CUNNINGTON & SANDERSON

Let me present you one of my favorite recent finds in terms of fashion designer.

I saw the work of Cunnington & Sanderson a few seasons behind at Morozzo Communication’s beautiful showroom in Paris. I was planning to shoot this brand with other models wearing the clothes but never managed to find the time and opportunity to do those editorial shootings. So, finally, when my agenda gave a green light, I borrowed some pieces and took some photos with me as the model.

I just have to show you how beautiful their clothes are !

This brand has a strong signature. They work with exquisite fabric and build interesting volume. They use a lot of draping and layering. Styling and cut are the result of extensive research with the aim to reach that perfect silhouette. 

I LOVE this brand. Their clothes are slightly edgy but they are still very easy to wear. What do you think ?

JUNKO SHIMADA SPRING SUMMER 2019

The legendary Japanese designer presented her latest show in Palais de Tokyo Paris

JUNKO SHIMADA SPRING SUMMER 2019

JUNKO SHIMADA SPRING SUMMER 2019

My inspiration. 77 years old, the Japanese designer Junko Shimada created her brand in Paris back in 1981. That means 37 years of Paris Fashion Week !

Her Spring and Summer 2019 collections are very seventies, gypsy style with crochets, fringes and big straw hats. Check the total looks here.

FONTEVRAUD

The royal abbey in the Loire Valley

FONTEVRAUD

FONTEVRAUD

Another gem from the Loire Valley. If you love beautiful place, good food and, great art and amazing history, you will LOVE (yes, with capital letters) Fontevraud. The largest abbey in Europe, it is very well restored and and houses a design hotel and one of the region’s most innovative cuisine. 

History

As a quick introduction, because I don’t want to bore you with my article, this place’s history is so rich that you can easily spend the whole afternoon learning and discovering without realizing that 4 or 5 hours were already behind you. This is what happened to us. Fontevraud was a very unusual abbey, it was mainly ruled by women, and it was the home for both monks and nuns during several centuries, until the French revolution. It was then used as a prison and was considered as one of the worst prisons in France. A visit with aguided tour is highly recommended.

What is fascinating about Fontevraud is that it is also the necropolis of King Henry II of England, King Richard I of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine (Aliénor d’Aquitaine), who was the queen of France then queen of England. A fascinating story that I was totally unaware of. Eleanor was married at the age of 15 years old and her husband, Louis VII, following the death of  his father became the King of France a few days after the wedding. Their marriage was then cancelled 15 years later, officially because they were still linked by blood on the 4th degree. In reality the main reasons are because she couldn’t give him a son (they had 2 daughters together) and mostly because King Louis VII believed that she was committing adultery. Eleanor was complaining and telling everyone that her husband was more like a monk (!!). In the same year she then met the handsome Henri Plantagenêt, 10 years younger than her. They married, and two years later Henri became the King Henry II of England so Eleanor became the Queen of England at the age 32 years old, after being the Queen of France during 15 years. Eleanor had 8 children with Henry II of England, 3 daughters and 5 sons. Among the sons are Richard the Lionheart (King Richard I of England) and “Jean SansTerre” (King John of England). It could have been a wonderful love story but Eleanor’s second husband had mistresses and he didn’t treat her well. Eleanor was a very ambitious woman and she was always involved actively in the politics so she was giving her King husband a hard time. Years later he put her in exile and she joined her sons’ movements against her King husband. The rebellion movement won, her husband died, her son became the King Richard I of England and she was freed from her exile. Eleanor died in 1204 at the age of 82, which is exceptional for her period. This is a RESUME of what I understood, I hope that I got all the details correct ! Anyway, for history lovers, especially for French and English history, this place is a paradise.

Hotel

A fairly priced design hotel (it is totally affordable outside the peak seasons), the rooms are relatively small but very beautifully decorated. Each room has a lovely window, beautiful bathroom and very comfortable and clean bedding.

Art

If you stay in the hotel, the abbey is accessible for you 24 hours. You can have a walk in this astonishing place at 2 am in the morning and discover the temporary art exhibitions from very inspiring artists. These art works were dispersed and installed in hidden places. The ones we saw were very unique. My favorite artist was Julien Salaud. His works (the blue photos above, for example) were installed in the crypt, they were very grand and delicate at the same time.

Food

If you have decided to come all the way to this place, then I suggest that you book a table in advance. It is an ORDER. I don’t usually “force” people :) but this time it is necessary to insist. Food at the restaurant was excellent from the beginning to the end. It was very innovative and definitely an example of French cuisine at its finest. The chef Thibaut Ruggeri is a genius. He created an edible sheet (second photo below) that we received in the beginning of the meal. He calls it “Gustographie 2018″. It’s the essence of his 2018 collection. Just like in Fashion, where Fashion Designer has to select the season’s colours, fabric and prints, chef Thibaut Ruggieri is also doing the same with his cuisine. What’s more, price wise, it is also very reasonable (you would have to pay at least the double in Paris). You can’t ask for a better value, you’ll get more than what you pay for. 

WHERE TO EAT IN VALENCIENNES

Best Restaurants in Valenciennes

WHERE TO EAT IN VALENCIENNES

WHERE TO EAT IN VALENCIENNES

I wrote about things to do in Valenciennes and where to stay here. I also wrote about the city’s incredible bed and breakfast Le Grand Duc here, now I will share my restaurant addresses. 

Some of these addresses are also published in the second edition of l’Etincelle, the Valenciennes city’s lifestyle magazine who invited me to write some articles for them back in December 2017. 

AU BEAU’VIN

In the old town part of Valenciennes, just a few steps away from the beautiful building of the public library (a visit is highly recommended if you haven’t been there), there is a pretty town square called place Saint Nicolas. This town square is pretty quiet during winter but when the weather gets warmer this place becomes very lively as restaurants put tables and chairs outside to provide pleasant terraces to pedestrians. During some weekends cars are forbidden to circulate. When there is no car, there’s open air markets or live concerts that attract the local crowd and warm up the atmosphere. Au Beau Vin is one of the restaurants in this town square. Famous for its grilled meat, this is a local’s favorite. Try once and you’ll come back for the perfectly cooked and carefully selected meat. For non meat eaters, some fish dishes and salads are also included in the menu. You’ll also find one of Valenciennes’ local delicacies in the menu. The « Lucculus tongue »,  a terrine of foie gras layered with smoked beef tongue is served as an appetizer. For big family or group gathering, there is a private space with nice brick walls at the back of the restaurant. The friendly owner Gautier Synaeghel (pictured above) is passionate about good food and wine so don’t hesitate to ask for his advice if you need help with the menu. He’s also preparing to open a second address, with a tapas/ wine bar style in front of Au Beau’Vin.

CHEZ JUSTINE

A new restaurant concept just opened in Valenciennes. At Chez Justine you can choose between 4 differents atmospheres. They have a pink girly room for your girls night out, a businessman room for your business lunch, or a cozy room to relax with your family and friends. For lunch the menu offers French cuisine. Every dish is freshly prepared onsite with the best ingredients. In the afternoon it’s the perfect place for a tea time. You’ll find homemade cakes, fragrant  teas and hot chocolate that you can’t resist during winter. Chez Justine has a very lovely terrace, highly recommended for sunny days ! 

VIA RISTORANTE

The last photo above is Via Ristorante, a place to have Italian dish in a very nice setting. I didn’t have the chance to try this restaurant myself but I heard good feedbacks about it. This restaurant is next to Au Beau’Vin, also situated in Place Saint Nicolas.

PIER

Another address in Place Saint Nicolas that I wanted to share with you. I have not had the chance to try this address myself, but I heard many good feedbacks from locals who recommend this place with a lot of enthusiasm. I guess it’s in my to do list for my next visit in Valenciennes !

AUBERGE DU BON FERMIER

A hotel and a traditional restaurant in the heart of Valenciennes. This address is recommended by my husband who goes to Valenciennes often for work. His colleagues love to bring him and other guests for lunch here. The restaurant serves traditional dish, the portions are very generous. This is the place if you’re looking for something very traditional, in a rustic and very French setting.

DAIDOKORO

A very authentic Japanese restaurant. I LOVE this restaurant. The Japanese owner used to work for Toyota. The Iphone photo that I took below is from a lunch that I had at their place. The decoration is minimalist but very modern and beautiful. It is cozy and welcoming and as soon as you enter this place, you feel like you’re being transported to Tokyo. Every detail reminds me of Japan. You can find very good sushi and Japanese fried dish here. Their “tonkatsu” (fried breaded pork) is excellent, absolutely a must try. Highly recommended.

LES FOLIES BERBERES

A Moroccan restaurant in Marly neighborhood, very close to Valenciennes’ golf course. A typical setting, a Berber tent just like in the Moroccan dessert with refined and authentic cuisine. On the menu, homemade couscous and tajine. Their tajines are cooked in terracotta dish on wood fire and have to be ordered at least 24 hours in advance because they require at least 1 hour and 40 minutes of cooking time. Recommended for those looking for some exotic, Arabian nights atmosphere.

If you happen to be in Valenciennes and you try one of these addresses, please let me know what you think in the comment below ! 

xx Irma

KRUG CHAMPAGNE

A visit to the iconic KRUG cellars in Reims

KRUG CHAMPAGNE

KRUG CHAMPAGNE

Last month I visited the iconic KRUG cellars in Reims with my Brazilian blogger and influencer friend Erika Santos and her husband Chris Kypriotis. You can check Erika’s Instagram account here, it has more than one million followers (it’s crazy how social media can gather that level of followings for a “normal” person ie not a singer, an actress nor celebrity).

Anyway, if you are a champagne lover, you will love KRUG. They produce one of the finest champagne in France. We were greeted warmly by Olivier Krug himself, the 6th generation of the founding family. We learned about Joseph Krug, the founder and former accountant, who started his champagne business at the age of 43 years old back in 1843. Imagine ? Even today, in 2018, starting something new at 40 is not easy (I know what I’m talking about, I’ll turn 42 this year and I have been working independently since 2015). He created Krug champagne house for pleasure seekers and it continues today with the Grande Cuvée. Joseph Krug didn’t want to wait for a good year to be able to have good champagne. He wanted to have a good champagne every single year, and that is exactly the essence of Grande Cuvée today. Every year, he offered to his #Kruglovers a maximum of pleasure from drinking his champagne regardless the harvest quality of the year.

The Grande Cuvée is Krug’s signature, it is a blend of different wines from different years but with consistent signature taste. The champagne house also have another line called the “Krug Vintage”, made from the harvest of the year. Krug Vintage is the expression of the year. The Grande Cuvée can be made of hundreds of different wines coming from different years.

I also admire their CEO, an amazing woman Margareth (Maggie) Henriquez, who had a key role in defining the brand strategy and turning the company around during difficult period back in 2010. Today, Krug is healthier than ever and considered as the most successful and respectful champagne company in France, and, by definition, the world, because champagne is only produced in France :)

I tasted a few of their champagne creations, I am definitely one of #Kruglovers too !

A WEEKEND IN VALENCIENNES

What to do, Where to go, What to visit

A WEEKEND IN VALENCIENNES

A WEEKEND IN VALENCIENNES

Have you heard about Valenciennes ? Do you know where it is ? Well, if the answer is no it’s actually quite normal, you’re not alone. Even my French friends can’t really tell where it is. Some of them even think that it’s in the south of France. 

Valenciennes is in the north of France, near the Belgium border and near the capital of the north of France Lille. It is about 40 minutes drive from Lille, 2.5 hours drive from Paris or less than 2 hours trip by train from Paris.

In December 2017 I went to Valenciennes twice, the second trip I went there because I was invited by the Tourist Office of Valenciennes to write some articles and take some photos for Etincelles, the city’s leisure magazine so now I can write a blog post with the list of THINGS TO DO and what to visit while in Valenciennes :

MUST DO

1) THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

This place is beautifully restored, especially the old Jesuit library inside it. There is a free guided tour every Saturday morning, I highly recommend it.

2) THE OLD TOWN

A stroll in the old town is very pleasant. The city has some pretty streets and facades. You can find a lot of places for your Instagram posts easily.

3) MINING HISTORY CENTER IN LEWARD

We LOVE this place. Family friendly, your kids will not give you a hard time here. It is a fun museum, very interactive, and you’ll learn a lot of things about the mining industry in the region. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED & SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES. You need to have a car to come to this place (it’s in another city nearby).

4) “L’OBSERVATOIRE DU TERRIL DE SABATIER” (spoil heaps/ a hill formed by mining waste). The north of France has some spoil heaps, this one is very close from Valenciennes. It’s quite impressive and offers a pleasant place to have some nature walk. The view from the top is definitely worth the effort.

WHEN YOU HAVE SOME EXTRA TIME :

4) GOLF

One of the oldest gold course in France. Located in Marly (5 minutes drive from Valenciennes), the golf course has 9 holes on 3 hectares of hilly and woody domain.This family friendly local golf has some very friendly staff. When the weather is great, clients can enjoy some drinks or meals with very green surrounding.

5) MUSEE DES BEAUX ARTS DE VALENCIENNES

I didn’t have time to visit this place myself because my teen kids are not too keen to visit museums but the building is very impressive and it has a good reputation.

6) PARK LA RHÔNELLE

English style garden dated from 1904, this is the biggest park in the city. 

WHERE TO STAY

- Le Grand Duc - A very unique bed and breakfast. I already wrote a blog post about this place here.

- Maison Mathilde - it is also a very nice bed and breakfast, we stayed there during our first trip. 

FOOD AND WHERE TO EAT

I will cover this with another blog post because there a lot to discuss about :)

The Mining History Center in Leward:

View from the top of a hill formed by mining waste:

Golf of Valenciennes:

SPINELLI KILCOLLIN & MARTA

Two cool jewelry brands from LA, #PFW2018

SPINELLI KILCOLLIN & MARTA

SPINELLI KILCOLLIN & MARTA

I was away during the weekend, so today was actually my first Paris Fashion Week for this season, and it started with a visit to a showroom that just blew my mind. The showroom itself was very beautiful, it’s in a beautiful Parisian apartment with impressive ceilings, marble fireplace and ornamented doors.

I discovered two brands, Spinelli Kilcollin and Marta. Two very cool brands from Los Angeles. 

Spinelli Kilcollin is famous for its galaxy rings, it’s a set of linked rings that can be worn on your fingers or worn as a stacked rings on one finger. The brand Spinelli Kilcollin uses mixed metals (sterling silver, yellow gold, rose gold...) and mixed diamonds (black, white or other diamonds with different colours).  Everything is handmade in their workshop in LA. They also have adjustable necklaces, bracelets, earrings, you can mix and match their pieces easily. 

If you have special occasions and want to add a ring to your linked rings, they can also do it for you. Every jewelry is customizable, and that is a real plus. I love the idea. 

I never heard of this brand before but I just discovered (I did further research to write this blog post), that A LOT of celebrities are wearing this brand and are sharing it on social media. The brand was created in 2010 by Yves Spinelli and his wife Dwyer Kilcollin but it started to take off in 2014 when the press like Vogue and celebrities are actively supporting Spinelli Kilcollin. Jennifer Lawrence, Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey are now in their fan list.

I also love the fact that the two founders don’t come from the jewelry world. Yves was working in a company and had a management job. He decided to quit his job to develop Spinelli Kilcollin. Dwyer was and continues to work as an artist today. 

After Spinelli Kilcollin, Yves and Dwyer decided to create another brand, Marta. Marta is a line of necklaces and bracelets made with pearls and leather. These are not your mother’s pearls. These are cool pearls that will not make you look “vintage”. You can wear it with your ribbed jeans or linen dress. The leather coverage gives them the modern touch.

Anyway, enough saying, I want to show you how cool these two brands are. In the photo above you can see me wearing a Marta’s choker. What do you think?

Price wise, Spinelli Kilcollin is more expensive than Marta. Marta is very affordable, their retail price starts at 250 USD (less than 200 EUR). Spinelli Kilcollin starts at 500 USD but it can go up to thousands of euros when there are a lot of diamonds.

IRIS REBELLE

Atelier Cologne Perfume Press Day

IRIS REBELLE

IRIS REBELLE

Today is St Valentine’s Day. I just think that it is the perfect day to talk about Atelier Cologne, because the foundation of this perfume house is an incredible  love story between its co-founders Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel.

I was very lucky to be part of the press day in Paris for their perfume Iris Rebelle. Thank you Nathalie ! Iris Rebelle is a sophisticated and elegant scent yet very easy to wear. I LOVE it and highly recommend it. You have to try it on your skin.

I learned that the extract of iris doesn’t come from the flower. It comes from the root of iris plant. The root is then peeled, dried, crushed and distilled to produce the iris essence. The price of iris essence is very expensive because the extraction process is so long (it takes at least 3 years to dry) and complicated, for a very small quantity of essence produced in the end. Every kilo of iris costs 100000 eur ! When you smell the iris essence,it smells like dry paper, but on the skin it becomes powdery, that gives a perfume the chic and sophisticated feel.

Now, let me go back to the love story of Sylvie and Christophe. When they met in 2006 in New York, Sylvie was married, a 34 years old Mom with 2 very young girls. Her youngest was 6 months old. She was working for Hermes in New York. Christophe was also married with two boys. He was a successful young entrepreneur. He co-founded a successful company at 26 years old. This company manufactured and distributed perfumes for famous brands like Sonia Rykiel, Burberry or Agent Provocateur. When they met it was business reason and there was no love at first sight. Christophe hired Sylvie and she became part of Christophe’s company. Sylvie was based in New York and Christophe in Paris. Two years later, Christophe told her that he was going to quit the company but told her that she could and should stay. Sylvie then told him that she actually had a plan to create her own company as well. So Christophe flew to New York. They discussed about the Atelier Cologne project in a Japanese restaurant in Soho. Drank a lot, champagne according to Sylvie and sake according to Christophe (they actually don’t remember what they actually drank during that historical night) and at the end of the night Christophe declared that he would love to help her to build a brand (remember, he’s a true entrepreneur and building a brand is his expertise), under one condition. So what’s your condition, Sylvie asked ? That you marry me and become my wife, Christophe replied. Imagine, these two were purely colleagues until that moment. They never flirted, never kissed, both were married with young kids. I could see Sylvie’s eyes getting wet when she told us this story. She said that they started to discover each other when they took a flight together and shared stories about their families. That was the spark that turned into flame. 

So they started Atelier Cologne together in 2009. The adventure is going well and the brand was acquired by the giant L’Oréal in 2016. 100% of the shares are acquired by L’Oréal but Sylvie and Christophe remain in the company. Their status changed from owner to employee but they continue to do what they’ve been doing from the beginning.

I can imagine that the decision to become a true couple back in 2008 was not easy and required a lot of personal sacrifice. Their family and friends didn’t understand what happened. It was the period of “us together against all”. But they survived the experience and are happier than ever. Today Sylvie takes the plane to New York every two weeks to see her daughters. Sylvie and Christophe live in Paris and together they now have 5 children as Sylvie and Christophe also have a child together.

Every perfume they release is about a love story. Iris Rebelle is no exception. It’s about an unexpected encounter. A meeting between a drawing artist and a ballerina in a plane. «He was drawing obsessively, invading her space as if he were alone. But when she changed her seat he could not stop staring at her... Days later backstage, she was nervously breathing as the crowd was waiting for the ballet to start. At that moment, she unexpectedly saw him in the front row. All at once, she felt strong and calm, as if they were alone.»

HAPPY SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY

SAYA DESIGNS

Handcrafted Hair Sticks from Recycled Wood

SAYA DESIGNS

SAYA DESIGNS

Hairstick. Who has tried to use it before ? Believe it or not, this is the first time I use it. It is actually very easy to use, and definitely a practical solution when you’re having your “bad hair day” or when you’re too lazy to wash your hair.

Mine is from Saya Designs. It’s 100% handmade in Bali, from recycled root wood. 100% sustainable and eco-conscious.

I LOVE their visuals and branding.I think they have it right from the beginning. I can’t wait to watch them grow because I think five years from now, everyone will be wearing a hairstick to look good !

Quality of the product is amazing, lovely packaging, fairly priced, definitely a nice gift idea, for someone you love or for yourself !

Thanks to Saya Designs, I am now a hairstick user and I invite you to try one, it’s easy to use, it’s fun, and I guarantee that people will want to talk about your hairdo every time you wear your hairstick !

Their tagline is “Turning Heads for all the Right Reasons”. Go out there with your hairstick, impress your family and friends and at the same time you’re supporting a company who’s turning wood waste into something beautiful and useful. Not to mention that they create jobs as well.

#irmaloves

LE GRAND DUC VALENCIENNES

Philippe Collet's unique mansion

LE GRAND DUC VALENCIENNES

LE GRAND DUC VALENCIENNES

About one month ago, just before Christmas, I was invited by the Tourist Office of Valenciennes to write some articles for their new magazine Etincelle. The experience was amazing, I really enjoyed my weekend there. Today I will start sharing my experience by talking about the place we stayed.  

If you’re looking for a place to sleep and dine in Valenciennes with a lot of charm and character, look no further, Le Grand Duc is the place to stay. Built in a beautifully restored mansion, the home of a previous Director of the local Charcoal Mining Company, it has 5 rooms with poetic names. This is a one of a kind, a baroque-and-roll style bed and breakfast. The whole place and each of the five rooms are tastefully decorated because the owner Philippe Collet is also a professional interior decorator and a sculptor. Celebrities (David Bowie and Fanny Ardant to name a few) have stayed here, and the singer Babet even created a song « la chambre des toujours » (« the room of always/ forever ») here. Le Grand Duc is very inspiring as arts are everywhere. The stunning decoration is updated regularly by the talented owner. Next to the kitchen there is an ever changing giant chandelier, that follows its owner’s mood and season. Luxury designer furnitures share space with vintage, antique and fun trinkets from flea markets. The result is captivating and gives an out of the world and fairy tale sort of feeling to its visitors. The whole place can be booked for private events, and they regularly organize cooking class, concerts or other festivities. Le Grand Duc has a spacious beautiful garden, with some interesting art works dispersed in some corners. Our favorite is the red door at the back of the garden. The door to nowhere and elsewhere, the symbol of a new beginning. The food is exceptional, as they have Alexis Vache, an in house chef who cooks amazingly beautiful and delicious gourmet French food for the lucky guests. Art and food lovers, Le Grand Duc is the place for you.

(FR)

Il y a un mois, juste avant Noël, j’étais invitée par l’Office du Tourisme de Valenciennes pour découvrir la ville et écrire quelques articles pour leur magazine Etincelle. J’ai évidemment accepté cette mission.Voyager et prendre des photos, ce sont mes deux passions.... ! J’y suis donc allée pour un weekend et c’était vraiment très enrichissant. Aujourd’hui je vais commencer à partager mes adresses avec un endroit vraiment exceptionnel.

Si vous êtes à la recherche d'un endroit pour dormir et dîner à Valenciennes avec beaucoup de charme et de caractère, ne cherchez pas plus loin, Le Grand Duc est l'endroit idéal pour séjourner. Construit dans un manoir magnifiquement restauré, la maison d’un ancien directeur de la compagnie des mines, il dispose de 5 chambres aux noms poétiques. Il s'agit d'une maison d’hôtes de style baroque-and-roll. L'ensemble du lieu et chacune des cinq chambres sont décorées avec goût car le propriétaire Philippe Collet est aussi un décorateur d'intérieur professionnel et un sculpteur. Des célébrités (David Bowie et Fanny Ardant pour n'en nommer que quelques-unes) y sont restées, et la chanteuse Babet y a même créé une chanson "la chambre des toujours". Le Grand Duc est très inspirant car l'art est présent partout. La superbe décoration est mise à jour régulièrement par le talentueux propriétaire. A côté de la cuisine, il y a un lustre géant en perpétuel changement, qui suit l'humeur et la saison de son propriétaire. Les meubles design de luxe partagent l'espace avec les articles vintage et amusants des brocantes. Le résultat est captivant et donne à ses visiteurs un sentiment d’être dans un autre, comme dans un compte de fée. L’ensemble du lieu peut être réservé pour des événements privés, et ils organisent régulièrement des cours de cuisine, des concerts ou d'autres festivités.

Le Grand Duc dispose d'un jardin spacieux et magnifique, avec quelques œuvres d'art intéressantes dispersées un peu partout. Notre favori est la porte rouge au fond du jardin. La porte de nulle part et d'ailleurs, symbole d'un nouveau départ.

La cuisine est exceptionnelle. Alexis Vache, le chef cuisinier de la maison fait une cuisine française étonnamment rafinnée pour les heureux invités. Les plats sont aussi beaux que délicieux.

Amoureux de l'art et de la gastronomie, Le Grand Duc est un endroit que vous allez adorer.

ZOE FELIX x PLAYTEX

Face to face with a French actress

ZOE FELIX x PLAYTEX

ZOE FELIX x PLAYTEX

The Playtex event was one of the highlights of the week ! We were offered a delicious lunch in a Thai restaurant Bambou while discovering the Playtex’ new collection. The interior of Bambou is very nice, there’s a very warm and welcoming atmosphere and the courtyard is amazing during sunny weather. The food is good, it’s a kind of Thai fusion food. They call it Thai food but for me who’s Asian, it’s very much adapted to French taste. 

The Playtex presentation was so perfectly organized and I am so happy that I got the chance to have a chat with the super beautiful French actress Zoé Felix. Zoé is not only the brand’s ambassador, for this season she’s also the designer of a capsule collection (all of the underwear photos above are from this collaboration). These bras are not for me because I prefer to wear rigid bras (because I’m a cup A person), but I love the style and think they’ll look good on someone with a cup B or more. I think Zoé signed a very sporty and trendy line for Playtex. It’s modern, young and playful but at the same time still keeps the DNA of the brand.

Playtex is a famous American brand that has been around for many years, they have a good reputation of providing outstanding support and a flattering, comfortable fit for women, especially for women with bigger cups (lucky them !). Their signature is bras being sewn with the cross/ overlapped at the front (like the burgundy ones above). As for their new collection pieces, they are classic, timeless and beautifully made. I love the colours they chose for the next season. 

Now, let me tell you why Zoé and me were laughing so much together. I told her that we’ll move to Valenciennes next summer. Yes, my husband just got promoted and his new job is based in Valenciennes, so we’ll move as a family to Valenciennes. If you don’t know where it is, it’s in the NORTH of France, part of the region that’s called “Les Hauts de France” (literally means the top parts of France). The area where it rains a lot and where no one dreams to go...., a bit like the opposite of St Tropez or Santorini...

There is a famous French comedy called “Bienvenue chez les ch’tis, released in 2008. It is one of the most successful French films of all times, and it talks about all of the clichés of this region. Zoé did one of the main roles, she played as the wife of one of the two main characters of the film, so bottom line is..., she KNOWS Valenciennes and she knows the region ! So we started laughing about it but she told me that in the north, the sun is not up in the sky..., it’s in the heart of the people who live there...:)

My kids and I learned that we have to move to Valenciennes recently, about a month ago so we actually watched the movie a few weeks ago for the first time to prepare ourselves (I didn’t even watch it back in 2008 !), so it’s still fresh in my mind and meeting Zoé at the event was so unreal. 

Is it called destiny ? I don’t know..., maybe..., there are other things happening in my life at the moment that make me think that maybe the North is my calling and that something great is going to happen.

Let’s cross our fingers xx

MAISON JOHANNA BRAITBART

Hat customisation workshop in Paris

MAISON JOHANNA BRAITBART

MAISON JOHANNA BRAITBART

If you live in Paris, I invite you to come to discover Maison Johanna Braitbart this week (16 - 23 November). If you go tonight, you will be offered a drink from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. 

My talented friend Johanna is organizing a workshop in her pretty shop so you can customize your hat and make something exceptional. A true couture piece, a one of a kind hat, just for you. The shop is full of treasure, pearls, beads, furs, colourful fabric straps, lace.., Johanna used to work in the haute couture industry for many years and her French “savoir faire”/ know how is really amazing. She knows how to work on feather and to make it stick and looks good on your hat ! Last year, the ultra famous Blake Lively wore one of her head pieces to the Dior show (photo below). Now you know where to go to have that “Blake Lively Parisian Look” :)

Surprisingly, prices are very affordable. I’ve seen couture hats that cost hundred of euros. Johanna’s hats are made in France, in excellent quality and are fairly priced. For this event, she’s actually selling many hats at reduced prices because she wants to clear her old stock. So if you read this, I highly recommend that you give her a visit. Tell her that you come on my behalf. I guarantee that you’ll have fun and your hat will be AWESOME.

My gorgeous friend pictured above is Natalia from Mascarada Paris. The model on the invitation is Paula from Parismechama. All photos featured here, including the invitation, except the one of Blake Lively are mine.

xx Irma

A (not so..) ORDINARY KING IN PARIS

A story for BIOTICO

A (not so..) ORDINARY KING IN PARIS

A (not so..) ORDINARY KING IN PARIS

This is definitely one of  my favorite editorial shootings. When fashion meets sustainability, with inspiring people, incredible art pieces and Paris by night as the backdrop (it was almost midnight when we did the shooting), we created magic.

I wish I can share more of these on this blog. This is what Refashion Gallery was meant to in the beginning. I wanted to share designers and artists who do amazing upcycling and transformation work. Re-fashion something. Make something fashionable out of trash.

This cape is of course not so wearable in real life. It’s an exhibition piece, that belongs to go to a museum, but it makes us think and it shows the infinite possibilities that we can do. It is possible to produce something more sustainable and by only using what has been produced already. The planet has to handle too much waste already. 

Biotico is transforming used plastic packaging into something beautiful. This cape was an example. Their current project is to make some fashionable and cool bags out of used plastic packaging or some accessories out of discarded pieces of leather. I can’t wait to see the bags !

What’s even better with Biotico, their workshop employs people with down syndrome. My youngest sister has a down syndrome so I know how life is not easy for these people. This means that Biotico is not only upcycling plastic bags into incredible pieces, they are also bringing a lot of happiness and some income to its employees and to many families, because feeling proud for the work done and earning some income is something not so easy to achieve, even for normal people.

So I am a huge fan of this brand and am supporting them fully. I just can’t wait to see their new collection of bags and accessories !

I also love this short video I produced for them. What do you think ?

Music by Ivan Tregub.

RICK OWENS SPRING SUMMER 2018

Paris Fashion Week Rick Owens Ready To Wear

RICK OWENS SPRING SUMMER 2018

RICK OWENS SPRING SUMMER 2018

Each show, each Fashion Week, Rick Owens manages to steal the press attention. He is definitely not an ordinary fashion designer. People who come to his shows are part of a family. Rick Owens is a cult.

His shows are always spectacular and always has deep thoughts behind it. He’s a true artist and clothing is only a mean to translate what he has in his mind.

The ready to wear collections worn by his models are hardly anything that we can wear in real life, BUT who cares ? He manages to communicate the story. People buys the story and they will buy the items that are “wearable” in real life. I have a few pieces of his clothes and I can tell you that these are my favorite pieces in my wardrobe. They are timeless, edgy, beautifully cut, made with exquisite fabric and extremely high craftsmanship. I wore a Rick Owens sleeveless jacket to the show as a hommage.

Among the crowd, there were many people who wore past season’s collections and I must say that those people look very elegant. 

Look at Vera Wang’s look above. I would love to have her jacket !

xx

Irma

FROM PARIS TO SHIRT by FLORIANE FOSSO

A new sustainable brand from Paris

FROM PARIS TO SHIRT by FLORIANE FOSSO

FROM PARIS TO SHIRT by FLORIANE FOSSO

In Paris there is a new clothing brand called Floriane Fosso. The shop is very nice and cozy, located next to Palais Royal and its collections are timeless, fun and easy to wear. Most of their collections are made in France using leftover fabrics from French couture houses. 

Last April they launched a t-shirt and sweater line made from organic cotton and produced ethically in a fair trade workshop. The photos above are from the launch party. Many French celebrities came, the national French television TF1 (50 minutes inside) and the OOTD Paris were also there.

The cotton is very soft and the tshirt is fun to wear. Every one needs a thirt from Paris, right ? Floriane also makes the tshirts and sweaters with some other fun texts such as “First Lazy”,“Man Shaker”, “Norm Coeur” or “Lady Ghana”.

Below you see my Brazilian blogger friends Paula and Erika and myself wearing the tshirt :)  I think it’s a cool tshirt. What do you think ?

Tshirts and sweaters can be ordered online here or in her Parisian flagship store.

BRUSSELS IN 2 DAYS

My addresses for a family trip

BRUSSELS IN 2 DAYS

BRUSSELS IN 2 DAYS

I visited Brussels recently with family, it was very short, 2 days, but well worth it. If you live in Paris, it’s one of those trips that you just HAVE to do. It’s very convenient and close to Paris (1 hour and 20 minutes by train !) and I guarantee, for a short weekend trip, Brussels has a lot to offer.

WHAT TO DO

- Atomium. This place is a MUST visit if you come all the way to Brussels. Amazing structure, interesting exhibition inside (when I visited it was on Sabena Airlines, the national airline company) and very fun as you go through the complex architecture, there is even a tunnel of lights at the end of the visit. I recommend this place for all ages. 

- Comic Museum. If you love reading comics and you want to see more of behind the scene/unpublished sketches, and how the comic industry operates, then this place is interesting to visit. My kids love to draw and they find it interesting to see the tools that the professionals use and learn about the publication steps. 

- Manneken Pis. This statue is so UNIMPRESSIVE and so FAMOUS that you just HAVE to see it to believe it. It’s quite funny. I think the reaction of most people when they see the statue is “all that for that?” You see the tiny statue, then you see the crowd in front of it, and you just want to laugh. Hey, it’s fun. It’s actually an identical copy of the original. The original (dated from 1620) is now kept in the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles.

- City Center & La Grande Place. La Grande Place is the heart of Brussels. It’s quite impressive and during summer there are concerts or other festivities with lots of chairs to sit on. A great place to have a break during your visit. You can grab a local beer or other refreshing drink and do some people watching. It’s a nice thing to do when your legs need some rest.

WHERE TO STAY

- Jam Hotel. There are many nice and affordable hotels in Brussels. We chose Jam Hotel because it has a rooftop swimming pool but the options are endless. As for the Jam Hotel, I do recommend this place if you like easy going atmosphere. It’s a fun place to stay. The elevator is fun, the room is fun, the swimming pool is fun...You’ll see different types of people staying there: young backpackers on a budget, a group of friends having a weekend getaway, families with children (young children and teenagers) or millenials on a short business trip. All sorts of people basically. The rooftop bar is very nicely decorated and has an amazing view over the city. 

WHAT/ WHERE TO EAT

- Waffles ! There are many shops selling waffles, in my opinion they are all good..., the experts will disagree with me but I’ve tasted the 1 eur waffle and I find it delicious. I also tried the more elaborate waffle with chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream and it tasted like heaven. Yum yum...The Belgians really know how to make waffles !

- Pin Pon. An old fire station transformed into a nice bar and restaurant. For simple and classic Belgian food served in a nice terrace. Service is quite slow but people are very friendly and the food is good.