Les Parisiennes des Mamansnet: It's French charm, you know, beheaded people, red wine and blood all over the place - it's romantic, it's normal.

[botemp]

Lovers of Parisian style and fashion with a conscious mindset and lots of chatter in between.

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More designer appointment news, Matthew Blazy is leaving Bottega Veneta (rumours have been going strong for some time that Chanel wanted him so I guess that's where he's headed next) and Louise Trotter (of Joseph when it was still good, currently at Carven) is replacing him. I liked Blazy at BV a lot but I think Trotter will do really well there, might be some direct competition for Phoebe Philo.

Blazy at Chanel, tbh I have been struggling to envision it since the rumours started but we'll see, I guess. He's strong on material innovation and artisan craft so that part of it fits well with Chanel at the couture show levels but I just don't really see it translating down well to prêt-à-porter, bags, cosmetics, etc. that generates the bulk of income but maybe that's the strategy, the accessible stuff just regurgitates as it ever has and the shows deliver the PR?

As an aside, as thrilling as being in a velvet factory sounds Poppy the 'dying room' sounds rather ominous...

Good point!

On the velvet front, I have a gorgeous vintage M&S burgundy real velvet suit, which I will fit into one day (the jacket is fine, the skirt goes round one leg).

I also have a lovely Monsoon black dress which has been worn for Xmas or New Year almost every year since I got it. Low back, forgiving stretch. But it is modern velvet and I know it’s going to pile in very soon. Might have to start rationing the wears!

I have to admit to be a bit lost with all the appointments. I do not really recognise the names or would know what characterises them either.

On the velvet chat, I don’t own anything in velvet … I am pretty sure that is the case. Except for a green 60-70’s pair of flared green velvet, but I only fitted in them when I was in my early 20’s and a small size 8, my aunt gave them to me and I wouldn’t part with them.

I keep getting those ads for the Reinventing the runaway. I recently went to one of those immersive experiences and I was utterly disappointed. Worst thing ever. We were actually bringing some teens, so we thought let’s give them some ‘culture’ but a bit more engaging in this digital age… what a mistake, for me it was a very poor attempt to show the artists work, almost an insult and for the kids it was a mockery of interactive space.
I am not sure if they are all the same but I won’t be rushing to another one of those experiences.

Yes, those immersive experiences do feel a bit of a con. I think we've discussed this previously on here, I'm on board for when it's an artist medium like the mirror rooms by Yayoi Kusama but those projected paintings by famous artists just feel like an odd form of entertainment. And it's expensive too, isn't it? I think a day out with the family probably would take you to more exciting places for the same money?

To a point, the names at all the houses don't matter too much, I enjoy seeing what comes down the runway when they get to it but it often doesn't ever reach down to the retail level so it's the only entertainment I get out of it.

Yes it wasn’t cheap, on my defence I didn’t wan to go but was the other family’s choice for one of the kids bday, in the end they had to pay the kids to go and do something else as they didn’t enjoy it at all.

Re immersive art experiences my son told me many years ago that visiting the van Gogh museum on magic mushrooms turned out to be quite scary.

Thanks all for warning me off immersive experiences - I've toyed with going a couple of times when in London so that's useful to know - not to mention mixing magic mushrooms and art!

So I'm going to wear my cotton velvet jacket today and give it one last chance....

Yeah, I have to say they do annoy me when they're presented as art when they're not when it does exist as an actual art form and I've always really enjoyed those. They never charged me twenty quid just for the art versions though, so I guess it's an easy thing to distinguish between commerce and the real deal. One is subsidised and the other exploitative, pretty much the art world in a nutshell... (Sorry, I get gloomy with the weather).

The Vogue one might be good though as it's not pretending to be art and I think the theme is runway so it probably includes video. But on the other hand anything curated by Vogue (including more conventional exhibitions) have always been a bit of a wash for me so I suspect it's just a money grab mixed with a last ditch effort for relevancy. Drug tourists can get in the bin though, bunch of idiots trying to get themselves killed at every corner. Actually, dumping them all in those commercial immersive experiences might be a good idea 🤔

I got stoned in central Amsterdam just walking and breathing. It wasn't particularly enjoyable either. I don't know how locals put up with it, or how anyone gets any work done.

Most of Amsterdam is an outdoor smoke free zone for weed. Then there's the general anti smoking legislation pretty much everywhere. I don't honestly know where the tourists are smoking. Hotels don't allow it and Airbnb's have been seriously cracked down on. I can't remember when I last smelled anyone smoking weed, you only get the occasional whiff of someone who has just smoked, but it's rare.

Is that recent bo? It's probly 6 or 7 years since we were there.

Total smoking ban must be at least a decade old, the outdoor weed one is maybe five years old?

Sounds like we were there before then - could easily have been 10 years ago when I think about it

I don't recall Amsterdam being smelly for weed. I must have been there at least a dozen times since 1996 but I wouldn't have been looking for that. The last time was about 2 years ago.

I used to go every 18/24 months to buy tailored jackets and skirts that came with instructions from Pauw for office wear. The dress that looks a bit like Sarah Murdoch's dress at Rupert and Jerry's wedding came from Pauw.

To be fair to my son, he was only 18 and was with a bunch of friends. He'd been in Amsterdam before and since and knows there far more to the city than that.

The stench of weed in the street is actually very noticeable in Edinburgh in the summer.

The stench of weed in the city centre, here (East Anglia), especially the park, is very strong! I'm sure when I was a teenager it was done much more secretively!

If you were going to buy a shopper bag, would you do Longchamp?
I need to replace an old Zara one. I am not a huge bag person and hence don’t spend a lot or very often on bags.
I want it to be lightweight.

Personally, no, I really struggle to understand the appeal of them, but I know they're much loved on here and elsewhere so what do I know. What do you need it for (I assume not grocery shopping), and which size would you need?

@Redandblue11 , I have a couple of them but don't really see the appeal either. As pp, they're much loved on here.

Yes, not grocery shopping 😀
I want sometimes a large bag in case I go out for the day (London, or city location) and might buy something or need to carry a few things that don’t comfortably fit on normal bags.
thinking about it, I tend to use a tote bag for such occasions… I could just upgrade my old very cheap ones …
or I could have a soft brown leather tote…

Think tote type size, or slightly bigger.

These are really popular here to the point I'm a bit annoyed by their ubiquity but they do offer something original. Very eco conscious and all of that. Some are packable, the 24/7 one is surprisingly roomy.

Marimekko also always has some good what I call hand luggage bags, as in, slightly oversized and stuff-able bags that are lightweight. (Lovely as soft leather totes are, you regret all that luscious leather when you have to deal with the added weight of it when it's packed).

Rains tote bags might also be an option.

Parfois if you just want something cheap and cheerful, but probably on par with your old Zara in terms of lifespan.

Oh and Arket have some handy packable bags of decent sizes too, I think some are in the sale. They're always in the men's section of the store, not sure if it's like that online too.

Thank you Bo really good suggestions there.
Yes, lightness is more important than good looking luscious leather , imo anyway.

I have a medium Longchamp bag with short handles that I find useful for precious things when I'm on the tube as it's got a good zip top.

But for portable shopping bags I recently went to Sainsburys and pay £5 for some of their thick nylon bags that fold into themselves in simple black and white prints. Hema used to sell similar and I bought one when I was in Amsterdam last year. They fit into handbags so easily which a Longchamp one wouldn't. I was also tempted by this slightly upmarket version from Tate Modern:

shop.tate.org.uk/louise-bourgeois-spirals-bag/27286.html?cgid=Bags%20and%20Fashion%20Accessories

I mostly just use cloth totes which fold/scrunch up into next to nothing and so don't take up much bag space. If I go to an exhibition or similar I sometimes buy a branded one for posing purposes. However they're no use in the rain.