I would like to thank all of my follows and everyone who enjoys reading my blog. After spending over two years in Paris studying Haute Couture, I have started another blog that highlights the couture industry and those that create the beautiful one of a kind pieces. From behind the scenes at the ateliers, to front row at Couture Week, I will bring you the latest in world of Haute Couture. Glimpse can be found at www.glimpsecreations.com
Glimpse is a website dedicated to showcasing craft, and the age old techniques used in couture fashion. Craft is a dying trade, and this website aims to bring light upon handmade items and the artisans who make them. Haute Couture fashion brings together many of the remaining Parisian atelier houses that still use the same craft techniques as when they first opened their doors. Many of these craft houses have been around for over 100 years, but are being threatened by retiring workers, a younger generation unwilling to learn the work, and cheaper work being available overseas. I intend to bring light on this little known world of artists and creators and give readers an inside view of the atelier houses that support the Couture industry. From beading and embroidery to millinery and shoe making, this website will showcase artists and ateliers and even share some DIY ideas.
The DIY section will offer patterns and projects for handmade items that range from beginner to advanced. Below is an example of a project that is on the site that you can find in the Crafts DIY section on the website.
I will continue to write this blog about my adventures in Paris, but you can now also find the same stories under "A Glimpse of Paris" on my new blog. I would really appreciate it if you took a minute to check out the new site and let me know what you think! It is still in start up phase, but I will be adding projects and articles daily!
Haute Couture in Paris means beautiful handcrafted clothes, and Georges Hobeika went above and beyond this at his Spring 2012 Couture show. I was one of the lucky few who got an invitation to the show at the beautiful Le Meurice hotel. Flowing chiffon dresses and soft pastel colors showed femininity and sensuality throughout the collection. A creative touch was created with beautiful intricate embroidery and beadwork meant to reference the beauty and grace of an orchid. I was so lucky to be sitting front row at this show as I was able to see the beadwork and embroidery up close. The amount of beads used on the pieces and the workmanship was incredible. The collection showed unique embroidery and beadwork techniques, that adorned the pieces around the neck, on the shoulders and even trailing down the front.
This was one of my favorite shows for the S/S 2012 Couture collection this season. The elegant and feminine pieces were beautiful and easy to wear. I hope we see some of these pieces walking down a red carpet sometime soon! This designer knows how to create an old fashion glamor with a modern approach.
The flowing pieces created with chiffon and silk organza were beautiful, and some pieces had ripped and feathered pieces of fabric to create the illusion of real feathers. Folded and pleated fabrics had a sculptural feel, yet still remained soft and feminine. The pastel mint green color was stunning, and the pale yellow was flattering and a nice hue that anyone could wear.
Overall, this show was one of my all time favorites. It was full of feminine, beautiful pieces with fabulous beadwork and embroidery. It ended with a stunning wedding gown that was fully embroidered from top to bottom with beads and flowers. It was the perfect ending to a perfect collection.
After spending Christmas in Canada, I am now back in Paris and enjoying my window shopping once again! I couldn't resist taking a stroll along Rue Saint-Honoré and taking a few photos of the fashions and jewelry in the windows of some of my favorite shops.
My first stop was Miu Miu where these sparkling heels caught my attention.
I also fell in love with the bags in the window!
I couldn't resist stopping by Place Vendome to see the left over decorations from the holidays. The white trees placed all around the area were beautiful, and the lights above the shops sparkled brightly.
Of course, my favorite shop windows are always the ones showing sparkling jewelry like Chopard and Pasquale Bruni. Hanging jewels and diamond watches were accompanied by huge cocktail rings with beautiful gemstones.
As 2012 starts, I am filled with memories of the year past. I feel extremely lucky to be able to live the life that I have experienced over the past year. Starting out the year in Canada and being featured on CHCH Morning Live TV show was quite an adventure! You can see my "behind the scenes" video here!
After returning to Paris, Fashion Week was next on my timeline. I got invited to my first fashion shows and even found myself sitting front row at some of the venues! I got to mingle with celebrities, fashion writers and editors and loved every minute of it!
Spring time was filled with small trips in and around Paris. Monet's house in Giverny was one of the places I visited, and won't soon forget. It was beautiful and filled with spring flowers.
I spent my birthday eating cake at Laduree with my parents, then shopping in Chanel with my boyfriend!
The summer went by quickly spending 3 weeks in England, and small vacations to Venice and Ibiza with my boyfriend.
I wrote a series of articles for Canadian magazine, "A Needle Pulling Thread," and continued to make and sell jewelry from my website www.glimpsebeads.com
Before I knew it, Paris Fashion Week was here again and I was invited to some of the Spring/Summer 2012 collections. I was thrilled to be going to shows again, and enjoyed every minute of seeing the clothes come down the runway. I also love getting to see celebrities and famous editors at the shows! I photographed celebrities such as Uma Thurman, Jessica Biel, Leighton Meester and Jared Leto!
Attending fashion week, I was lucky to be featured in the Hamilton Spectator newspaper along with my jewelry inspired by the runway looks! During fashion week, I was also able to meet a couple of fashion icons! Anna Dello Russo and Rachel Zoe were kind enough to stop and talk and take a couple of pictures with me!
I spent Christmas in Canada with my family, but made it back in time for New Years Eve at the Eiffel Tower! It has been such a wonderful, adventure packed year! I can only hope that 2012 will be just as exciting!
At Paris Fashion Week, while I was outside of the Chanel SS/2012 show I was introduced to Sama and Haya Abu Khadra. The identical twins are 18-year-old sisters who are quickly becoming recognizable faces on sartorial blogs and fashion week front rows alike. Daughters of Rula Abu Khadra, founder of "The Art of Living" lifestyle boutique in Saudi Arabia, the girls currently live in Dubai.
They began generating buzz when they started buying for their mom’s store at international fashion weeks in 2008 at the young age of 15. Haya and Sama caused a fashion-blogger-frenzy when they showed up at events this year. With their beautiful cascading curls, model-like figures and, creative style choices, combining designer choices with colorful vintage picks, the two are definitely a show-stopping site.
Not only do the twins forecast trends for The Art of Living, they also occasionally hit the catwalks themselves. In 2009, they were personally invited to model for the Sonia Rykiel Spring collection in Dubai.
At such a young age, these girls are the image of stylish fashionistas, classy and sophisticated. There are definitely two stylish twins to keep an eye on for trend setting styles.
December 1, 2011 was a sad day for those in the fashion industry. Master of Couture embroidery, François Lesage, aged 82 passed away after a long battle with illness. M. Lesage was a true visionary in the fashion industry.
Tucked away in the attic rooms of a five story building, overlooked by Sacre Coeur, you will find Lesage, Europe’s most celebrated beadwork and embroidery house. These tiny rooms hold drawers and boxes filled with more than 60 tons of beads, sequins, threads and 100 year old jet. Here, over 50 women are employed to create the intricate embroidery and beadwork seen on the haute couture gowns that line the Parisian runways.
Since taking over the family business in 1949, François had been the head of the world's most famous embroidery salon. Although he admitted that he could not thread a needle let alone sew a button, the Lesage atelier produced over 80% of all beadwork and embroidery seen on the couture runways. Under Lesage's leadership, the house had acquired such prestigious clients as Dior, Yves Saint Laruent, Givenchy, and Christian Lacroix.
When hard times hit Lesage in 2002, Chanel bought up the atelier along with four other atelier's of the industry’s key suppliers as part of its bid to ensure the survival of the "petites mains," or artisans. François still stayed on as head of Lesage and oversaw the daily productions of the house until his death.
With an embroiderer father and fashion colorist mother, Lesage joked that he was "born on a mound of pearls and glitter". Mr. Lesage was revered for maintaining the couture craft and its tradition of making every stitch and attaching every bead by hand. Unfortunately, hand beadwork and embroidery is a dying trade. The number of artisans is diminishing for a few reasons including, crafts workers retiring, a younger generation unwilling to carry on family tradition, and cheaper labor being available overseas. M. Lesage was a leader in trying to revive the craft and keep the tradition going when he opened Ecole Lesage.
Lesage founded his embroidery school, Ecole Lesage, in 1992 next to his Paris workshop to pass on the craft to the next generation. I attended Ecole Lesage in 2009 for the Professional Couture Embroidery and Beadwork course, and was truly lucky to meet M. Lesage a few times. There were two times when he walked through the classroom and personally checked my work and embroidery stitches. I feel honored to have been able to meet such legend. Inside the Lesage atelier, I had the opportunity to see hundreds of vintage embroidery samples originally made for designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.
Even though M. Lesage no longer owned the atelier, he was still very much involved in the designing and daily running of the atelier. I also saw him attending the past few Chanel runway shows in Paris where he was known for sharing insights with front-row neighbors on the craftsmanship in the clothes.
A week before his passing, Lesage was awarded the title of Maître d'Art, "art master" by the French culture ministry, giving him a chance to "say goodbye", said a spokeswoman for his workshop. He was also made an officer of the Légion d'Honneur in 2007.
I hope Lesage will continue to thrive as France's oldest and most well known embroidery atelier in honor of François Lesage. Couture beadwork and embroidery is one of the most beautiful and intricate art forms that transforms fashion into wearable pieces of art.
The atelier will continue on under the direction of Chanel, and continue to produce beautiful couture embroidery pieces for the fashion world.
