I always look up to the people (should I say the artists) who dress windows. They have to come up with new ideas, cope with the image the brand wants to promote and catch the passers by attention. That is exactly what happed to me when I passed by this Lanvin window display in the Boissy d'Anglas street. The whole setting was actually very creative and I do regret not to have been able to photograph it due to the light reflexion in the glass. PS: if you are in New York and want to meet me next week, please check this forum entry.
A dress and pearls are always very sophisticated but I wish there hadn't been a reflection so I could see the rest too! Once again, blue dominates one of Eric's photos.
ReplyDeleteWish I could meet you all in NYC. Have a wonderful time!!
Whoo-hoo. I think I got GF! Today I will take the pearls, which are obviously dying for someone to wear them, and drape them on the crown, where they will add a bit of luster - just what I need to cheer me up as I roll my eyes heavenward waiting for the whistle to sound letting me leave the grindstone behind for the day!
ReplyDeleteI just might borrow the Lanvin dress as well to make the evening a little more enjoyable and lets see if I can get some perfume to go with that. Hmm - now things are looking up!
Oh how I love Paris window displays! I took many photos of the creative windows while I was there, but nothing quite as chic as this Lanvin dress and pearls though! Very nicely framed photo Eric.
ReplyDeleteCarrie I think pearls will be a great addition to the GF crown!
Those pearls, and the brown fabric, are beautifully lit. I like the crystals in the necklace as well - very modern.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful image Eric! I, too, love store windows, especially at Christmastime. New York is a great place to see store windows - I hope you get to do a little window shopping!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about city Christmas decorations. Do they start as early in Paris as they do in New York? Can I expect to see any before I leave Paris on December 2? I would love to see the city decorated.
ReplyDeleteI love pearls. Classic!
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful photograph!!!
Aaaah, Lanvin—always chic and elegant, n'est-ce pas?
ReplyDeleteGorgeous image, Eric.
Carrie—these pearls are a perfect addition to the crown. It will look so good on you!
Ah, pearls. One day someone said I always wear pearls, and I didn't even know that about myself!
ReplyDeletecARRIE: I just got back from CDG and I saw the decoration for xmas on the facade of Galeries Layfayette in place. Don't get too excited tho. NOWHERE in the world goes as over the top for xmas like America, NOWHERE.
I love the pearl necklace. Classic! The Lanvin dress is a nice "accessory" too. ;-)
ReplyDeleteCarrie...you're working too hard these days! Enjoy the GF...one day left before the weekend hits.
I love window displays - but yes, reflecions tend to get in the way of photographing them quite a bit. This is a great shot though.
ReplyDeleteWhooo eeeee, as we say down here. This is a great take on this window display E. I plan to soak up as many window displays as I can next month. The brown silk dress, the pearls,,, fab!
ReplyDeleteThe year is 2003. I am standing at the top of a three-storey stairwell with a friend of mine, when (for no apparent reason) the thread of her pearl necklace snaps. A hundred or so of them cascade and ricochet to the ground floor like hailstones. She cries, I laugh. Then she laughs and I cry as it dawns on me that she expect ME to be the one to chase after and recover them. Which, let me tell you, took so long that I still think of her every time I pass a row of pinball machines or watch a lotto draw.
ReplyDeletePearls are indeed so chic that even an image of pearls "hanging on a hanger" is chic. I think it's because it automatically reminds us of Chanel... one of her trademarks.
ReplyDeleteLynn I think I know who gave you Amelie. I can't believe you hadn't watch it until today! I love this movie, in fact this year it was one of my birhtday gifts, along with the La Mome dvd too.
PHX I know xmas in the US, specially in NY, is something to remeber for years once you've seen it... but I'd give anything to see Galeries Lafayette's xmas façade right now!!!
SUZY sweetie thanks for your comment on FB today. I do come out and play every now and then!!! I just did in yesterday's post and today I'm here again!!!
ReplyDelete:-)
Window displays in Paris seem to follow the "less is more" technique. Quite often there is just one dress; admittedly a nice dress, with some lovely pearls Eric but not much more to entice one into the store. That said, I did post some lovely shop windows on MBOB from our walk through the passages. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you arrived safely in Boston!
So elegant, the whole thing. Makes me want to go shopping (just what it's supposed to do).
ReplyDeleteI've been so busy and I miss you all, all your blogs. But I can't miss a day of Paris Daily Photo.
Oh Coltrane, I thought for sure you would want to hum a few lines of "String of Pearls" after seeing this post. Go on now, you still have time.
ReplyDeleteYes PHX you're right. Holiday decorations here in Paris are quite subtle compared to the U.S. I think that was a subtle understatement as well.
So Lynn, when do we get to hear who sent the DVD? I want to put my orders in early for the holidays in case this admirer wants to admire someone else. hehe
Lucio: I thought you were going to end with the quote "geez, me beads" attributed to Marion Davies when her string of pearls (Glenn Miller, anyone?)came unstrung.
ReplyDeleteA little fashion tease, Eric? I am so curious to see the rest of this dress!
Michael: if we both thought of that song you know Coltrane did.
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely, lovely.
ReplyDeleteThis is an exquisite combination. It definitely hits the X chromosome. Chocolate brown is a luxurious colour - entirely delicious.
ReplyDeleteAnd what would you ask for Michael?
ReplyDeleteOooh yes the understatement of pearls is classic. I often wear them - some my parents bought me when I was about 18. These ones look very white, perhaps they are freshwater pearls or maybe it's the window lighting. Sorry - I get carried away with jewellery. More please Eric.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is a Zazzle moment. Girls of all ages would buy this as a greetings card for girlfriends. Men would buy it for ladies. Trust me. :)
I really love this beautiful shot.
LOL Michael! That made me laugh. I shall tell you by email I think. Probably this kind person would admit it here if he/she wanted it to be known.
ReplyDeleteMonica so La Mome? Is this another I should see at some point? I've never heard of it.
Lucio I love your story about the pearls breaking, but at the same time I was horrified at the thought. Wait a second... you... LAUGHED? you LAUGHED? Eek. Of COURSE you were expected to help pick them up! Pah!... Soto voce: A lady's pearls break and the man stands there laughing....mutter, mutter.... ;)
he he Anonyme...:)
ReplyDeleteMichael, EVERYONE admires you. x
Lynn, La Mome is that film about Piaf that came out last year. Remember the actress (Marion Cotillard) won an Oscar for it?
ReplyDeleteOh this is a MUST SEE, no doubt about it!!!!
Let's keep it quiet Lynn. Very quiet.
ReplyDeleteBut "anonyme" I want a present too!
ReplyDeleteTrès chic photo Eric. I already imagine myself in this sexy dress! I've never worn pearls...Because I don't have pearls!
ReplyDeleteLucky Lynn! You have a secret lover...
(It's Rose! It's Rose! She's lovely... :) )
Monica, nice to see you here. :)
Petrea, I understand what you mean! I've been far from PDP for the last few days and I missed it a lot.
Lucio, I love your story, this situation would have made me laugh too (well, if it was not MY necklace!), I especially like the fall of your story "I still think of her every time I pass a row of pinball machines or watch a lotto draw" LOL
Guille
ReplyDeleteI'm not Lynn's secret admirer, but I know who it is... he he he...
Lucio you are a great story teller. No wonder I missed you so much while you were away.
Coltrane
Accessory? I know what you mean... something like "Darling, you don't need to worry with all these accessories. The necklace will be enough!"
Monica oh yes I DO want to see that very much.
ReplyDeleteRose ;) and LOL !
Guille..... ! A secret lover huh? Goodness. I couldn't possibly comment.
Oh and Guille - you will have pearls one day, of that I am sure, you just don't have them yet. They are part of the make-up of true ladies, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteCali: I'm so glad I was able to surprise you!
ReplyDeleteLynn: I swear, if it hadn't been funny, I wouldn't have laughed, and if I hadn't felt genuinely sorry for her, I wouldn't have stopped. That said, I was probably lucky not to have copped a summary beating for my bad form, as she had a reputation for smashing mirrors when they answered incorrectly to the question: "Whose the prettiest of them all?"
Guille: A humorous anecdote without the right punchline is like a love affair without the right ending: one knows it’s over, but can’t be sure exactly why.
Rose: My grandmother was a master storyteller. Compared to her, I will always be a novice. But this hardly matters when one has such generous and appreciative readers.
*Who's*
ReplyDeleteGosh Lucio, sounds like you narrowly escaped with your life! Brr. Some pearls are just not worth picking up. I reverse my strategy; you should have just RUN!
ReplyDeleteRose...I see my dry attempt at humour wasn't lost on you. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMichael and Cali...we are on the same wavelengh aren't we? That is a scary thought!
I see pearls and I can't help but think of Audrey Hepburn...now that's lovely enough to top the tune "A String of Pearls" in my wee brain.
Coltrane: great minds, blah, blah, blah. :-)
ReplyDeleteCarrie, don't expect too much about Paris Christmas decorations, nothing compared to New York.
ReplyDeleteMostly because the city hardly pays for them, the shopkeepers do most of the job.
You'll find some big stores like Le Printemps or Les Galeries Lafayette doing gorgeous things, last year it even snowed every day at 5 PM in front of the Galeries.
And some local tradesmen associations pay for decorating their street, like rue du Commerce, de la Convention, de Buci, de la Contrescarpe....
But if you have time, go look the window displays of Le Printemps and Les Galeries, still if you manage to reach them, or the prestigious shops of the Champs Elysées, every year, it is a new theme and a new show.
It is quite a nice moemnt of "lèche vitrines".
What a great suggestion, Marylene! I never knew about the other decorated neighborhood streets. I love these great Paris tips !
ReplyDeleteI love pearls.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of women in pearls, first comes to mind, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, then Queen Elizabeth I of England. In so many, many pictures, they are wearing pearls.
Lucio, The reason they put a knot before and after each pearl is so that if the strand breaks, the pearls will not fall all over the floor. However, fake pearls, they do not trouble themselves to knot (only if they want them to appear as real pearls). In China Town, San Francisco, all the jewelry stores will knot pearls for about $20.00 and it takes about an hour or so. I drop them off and come back after having a nice Chinese lunch. BTW, Do not be dismayed if they tell you they do not knot pearls -- they are fickle.
Eric, When I photograph a fashion store window in Paris, I do it from across the street -- no reflections. However, I saw an interesting photo of a Russian grocery store window taken in San Francisco's Russian neighborhood -- it had the reflection of a Chinese restaurant sign in the window. It was so beautiful the way he made that reflection work for him.
Lois: The pearls in my story were definitely fake: just like their owner. Indeed, my laughter - and initial reluctance to retrieve them - were probably the result of believing that one should never stoop to picking up pearls that have been cast before swine (in this case, a sow).
ReplyDeleteADVERTISEMENT!
ReplyDeleteJust got an email from Zazzle saying they are having a 40% off sale on 2009 calendars (including PDP) by entering the code CALENDARSAVE. The fine print reads:
40% off calendars discount is applied to orders of one or more qualifying calendars and applies to the price of the product, not to shipping, taxes, and other charges. The coupon code CALENDARSAVE must be entered during checkout to receive the offer. Offer is valid from October 1, 2008 through October 31, 2008 at 11:59pm PST.
The photo is perfect just as it is!
ReplyDeleteLucio, Are you a writer? Or, just an intellectual? Oh, or both? BTW, I liked your pearl story.
ReplyDeleteMichael, This is really good news as I was going to give PDP calendars to my colleagues during the holiday season this year. Merci and as Lynn would say, x
Lois: That is a good, but ticklish, question.
ReplyDeleteExperience has taught me that if one writes without thinking the result is typing, and that if one thinks without typing there is absolutely no hope of ever becoming a writer: which is why I try to both at simultaneously (although I am not always successful - or as pleased with the results as my readers). In short, I am opposed to there being a hard and fast distinction between a “writer” and an “intellectual”. This has sometimes landed me hot – no, scalding – water, as a distinctive “voice” in academia is about as welcome as a clown at a funeral. Still, I soldier on, defiantly.
I suppose I could also answer your question by saying that one can be read as a writer without being an intellectual, and be an intellectual without being read as a writer, but that it is always far more satisfying (at least, it is to me) to attract readers whose liking for an intriguing thought is at least as great as their appetite for a lively use of language.
As a coda to what I said earlier about clowns and funerals, if the funeral were that of a clown there would obviously not be a problem. There are always exceptions to the rule - and who, I ask, would rather be the flunky of rulers and rule-makers than truly unique and exceptional?
Correction: "...which is why I try to both simultaneously..." (sic).
ReplyDeleteCorrection: "...which is why I try to do both simultaneously..." (sic!).
ReplyDeleteCan't believe I almost missed this photo, Eric, it's a gem!
ReplyDeleteLucio, "if the funeral were that of a clown there would obviously not be a problem." Very original -- you are "truly unique and exceptional" (and FUNNY TOO):-) Merci for all the laughs and smiles.
ReplyDeleteI'm about to lower the tone here & say 'hmm pearl necklace eh' hee hee
ReplyDeleteLois: Je vous en prie.
ReplyDeleteSue! lol. I may be one of few here who would get that. Er... I mean understand it. Of course.
ReplyDeleteOh Sue and Lynn, it took all day, but you finally got it, I mean, went there with that. I hesitated and though, "Er, no, I'll let someone else do that first." I guess I'm neither a writer nor an intellectual.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it possible to be both? Hopefully I am. LOL. Yeah I got the pearl necklace thing a while ago. he he no, just for fun, I'm not going to amend that sentence...
ReplyDeleteOh Michael how saucy
ReplyDeleteYou, Sue and I; naughty!
We couldn't resist
and couldn't desist
From lowering the tone
On Eric's sweet tome
But what will he say?
Will he send us away?
Will he jump and shout out?
And scurry about?
I hope he will smile
Indulge us a while
So come on, let's verse
If a little perverse!
Pearls and a little black dress!! Tres manifique!
ReplyDelete