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.

Previous Thread

That's a great find Red, I know it's a popular model of theirs with good reason and I like that the lining is in the sleeves as well to give that little flip over option.

I haven't gotten to the Rick Owens episode yet, but I can see that. He has extensive tailoring experience and there's quite a bit of it on show in the pattern making at The Row. I've never actually seen Bella Freud's clothing beyond the jumpers (which I was never a big fan of, the Ginsberg one really soured me on the brand as a whole and had me hesitating on listening to the pod initially, but I suppose we all have our blinkers) but I assume with the uniform stuff she'd appreciate a bit of tailoring innovation. I'll have to listen to that episode for additional insight.

Hmm, not sure what you've done to warrant a Nordstrom block Flo maybe this link works better (nb I paid nowhere near that for it). I get what you mean Red with The Row, I think it often doesn't look all that great (or maybe not all that special) when photographed by the large e-tailers and can feel a bit directionless as a result. There does seem to be some added magic to it in the flesh and in their own store with the whole atmosphere around it. Although there are always some taking the piss items that even with all the atmospheric accoutrements fail to convince to be anything than what they are. (Current offenders are some plain old flip flops with a bit of ribbed ribbon for the thong bit for stupid money).

Luckily I ordered from a commercial secondhand seller so I can return it if it doesn't work out. I originally tried on this Arket silk dress in grey (but maybe it was this black with a washed finish but I swear it was a sort of concrete grey like the The Row dress) but tried it on in the only size they had in store which was an L or XL and while I liked the oversized look I figure I'd order my own size and one up just to compare. In the end I liked the larger size I tried on originally but it was sold out by then. I see they now have it in navy for this year and available in all sizes in my local store so if the The Row one doesn't work out I'll have that to fall back on. The bookshop that usually stocks The Gentlewoman is just round the corner from Arket so that's a nice two in one trip.

The link works for me Flo so I am sure it will work for you?

ah yes Flo, I wore the VW and was a success. For once, it is bloody comfortable and fits very well, knitted top and skirt.

This caught my eye too
white culottes

Those are very Hakama trousers inspired, aren't they? Love the look of them although the description of touch of wool is doing a lot of heavy lifting there

My dress has arrived on the first proper nice day out which feels very serendipitous, first impressions are very good (it needs a steam for a proper good look). This was also a few sizes up (I can never remember US sizing) which was a good thing, not sure how anyone of that size would have fit in it, it's comfortably loose on me but only just, probably why I was able to score the bargain (especially considering it's unworn with tags still on). Interestingly enough the colour is grey when you examine it up close but for all intents and purposes it looks navy I'll still try on the one at Arket but I supect the The Row one will be the keeper between the two although I do find the intricacies at the back a bit of a liability when wearing.

Saw some news that Jonathan Saunders was appointed creative chief at &Other Stories. Seems to be a bit of a new development with fast fashion brands appointing high fashion leads with Clare Waight Keller fulfilling a similar role at Uniqlo. Don't think Flo's dream of Phoebe Philo at M+S will happen anytime soon but it seems less of a pipe dream now. I vaguely recalled the name Jonathan Sanders but didn't have much of an image of it, but quick look at his now defunct brand and work at McQueen, Pucci and Diane von Furstenburg sort of reawakened it. Very into prints and colour, a bit Dries, just not as clashing, all aged pretty well too. I'm kind of excited for it at the &Other Stories price point, their clothes have gotten very blah and could use a bit of a dopamine boost. This site looks a bit random but it's one of the view that had a bit of an overview of his work Jonathan Saunders

That is exciting! I am liking what I am seeing from JS, so &Other Stories will hopefully be brought back up to my first choices of places to look for!

yes the fabric composition of the trousers is not brilliant. Love the look though.

Let us know what you do with The Row dress.

I figured you'd be into the new &OS Red. Not sure when the first items from his hands will arrive but I assume they'll make some sort of announcement.

In similar vein of fast fashion acting like high, Cos sent me a newsletter with their runway looks as well last night, held in some marble quarry with celeb guests, obligatory link to what I'm talking about.

A lot of it looks quite good on the runway but when I click through the items they look different, sometimes the opacity of material and probably sizing too. I quite like the look of a lot of it, I think it's more expensive than their main stuff though. I wonder if this is just the Atelier collection rebranded, that was made to higher specs but there's not much mention of that here. None of it is in stock near me unfortunately, might come over the next few weeks, maybe? I'll debate on putting in an order. The trainers look a knock off of the very popular Dries van Noten ones so I suspect they'll sell out quick.

I must be getting old – I only looked at the stunning pictures of the quarry, not the clothes.

They must be frozen though - I went to a wedding once at a National Trust place with a marble hall (it since burnt not quite down, but it’s now a shell) (so marble all around you and underfoot) Standing in there I was absolutely freezing even though I was wearing a wool suit, so the photos show me scowling.

LOL Poppy, must admit that the scenery of the quarry had my initial attention too. It makes for a great backdrop, though having been to some I suspect it wasn't fun for the attendees to get to their seats without being covered in dust or otherwise having a clothing mishap. I always associate that marble marble everywhere look with crematoria, where the cold atmosphere is probably the only place that feels semi appropriate. Around the 80s the fashion for just marbling the shit out of everything really took an odd turn. It's a shame as when used with a bit of restraint it's such a lovely material but instead it just gets ripped out for something else fashionable. A lot of marble is already either extinct or going it which ironically only makes it more desirable because of price so it's a rather toxic cycle.

That’s interesting about marble going extinct - the Wikipedia article says nothing about it. The different types seem to vary quite a bit.

My first thought about Jonathan Saunders was, 'Designers at Debenhams?' and Google confirmed I was correct. (That really was a groundbreaking move by Debenhams at the time - Belinda Earl I believe.) So he should be well versed in producing for the high street - looking forward to seeing what he does at Other Stories. Same goes for the new/not new but rebranded Cos line.

As for our Phoebe and M&S, well you know what they say about a prophet being accepted in his/her own country....

I stopped in Carrara, Italy last year. There were loads of industrial places working the marble and a massive quarry towering the town. The town though, looked very tired and only reminiscing old grandeur.
As is a finite resource it is obviously diminishing, the pure white one is the more affected I think.
there js enough of the blue/grey but that might not be the case in 50 odd years

completely off topic - Pietrasanta near Carrara is well worth a visit. I have never seen so many art galleries, boutiques and cafes in such a small space.

Extinct as in finite resources, poppy it would probably take us a while to go through all the marble in the world but certain varieties are already gone. Pitch black ones that were used for fireplace mantles a lot a hundred plus years ago doesn't exist anymore. The Vatican has two giant pillars in one of their buildings, it's such a rare and extinct stone they're worth an obscene amount of money as a result. I'm not sure who would want to buy it but they've got the option, I guess.

The more veining the more fragile it is, hence the pure white stuff being a premium and mostly used for sculpture. I agree Red the surrounding towns around these quarries can be quite dreary. Quite a lot of Italy can be a stark contrast to the tourist picturesque spots but the less touristy in between spots tend to be my favourite, I really enjoyed Ferrara for example. Food never dissapoints anywhere though (well, excepted some of the very touristic spots but my rule of avoiding restaurants that match their staff uniform to table cloths saves a lot of grief).

Was the Jonathan Saunders for Debbenhams any good Flo or is it just the name alone that sparked a memory?

Cos is trying to get me to sign up for their new membership program, benefits sound good and it's free but I'm getting rather fed up with all these loyalty programs. Cos is less annoying as it's a standalone brand but I really would just prefer that all these etailers would accept that when most people shop online loyalty is to the wallet and not some arbitrary bronze/silver/gold tier membership that usually gets you benefits you weren't really looking for.

Has anyone come across Cecilia Quinn shoes? I saw them mentioned in an article today, having never come across them before. They have a huge range of shoes made in Italy & Spain - nothing terribly exciting or directional but I don’t do exciting shoes. Some have some nice details and they seem well-made, as much as one can tell from www. They have 2 shops in Buckinghamshire:

https://ceciliaquinn.co.uk/collections/new-in-1

Just bumping your post Poppy. I've never come across them but then I know nowt about shoes. Hopefully someone else can be more helpful.

I have not heard of them either poppy they do have a couple that look nice and I would buy (fellow unadventurous shoe wearer here)

Actually! I have been in their Amersham shop, I wasn’t looking for shoes so I didn’t get any. But from the brief look and feel I liked them and I did make a mental note of them, that clearly didn’t work as I had forgotten about them.
I would guess they are good, Amersham is your perfect town. That is where I got my cream leather coat last year in a charity shop.

Those shoes look good @PoppySeedBagelRedux I particularly like the espadrilles and sandals - I absolutely don't need them, though.

Cecilia Quinn is new to me, tbh it looks a bit like a private label setup whereby they slightly alter stock models (colours, different soles, etc.) from factories to sell as their own. Penelope Chilvers seems to operate like that too. I get a bit annoyed with how the definition of designing is stretched by such companies but I don't begrudge anyone their business and CQ seems to have a very good understanding of her target audience.

I finally managed to get The Gentlewoman mag (and then promptly spilled a drink on it just after I decided niche independent magazines should be my new indulgence 😑). Arket dress was a miss though, the quality of the silk is not great, especially considering the asking price and it had that sanded/washed look which I'm not a fan of and probably why I thought the black was grey. I'd already somewhat decided on sticking with the The Row one anyhow, it really wasn't a fair comparison to begin with, but the contrast was rather stark.

I did stumble across a new to me brand from Ukraine in the nicer consignment shop, a lovely dress but a bit too complicated to get on and off and get regular wear out of, but I enjoyed browsing their website when I got home Eternal Store.

Also came across a rather dispiriting read, but worth a read regardless, Tariffs Won’t Kill Fast Fashion, But They Might Kill Sustainable Fashion

Edit: link seems to gone haywire I'll try it again as a simple paste:
12ft.io/www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/tariffs-wont-kill-fast-fashion-but-they-might-kill-sustainable-fashion/?utm

Eternal Store has some beautiful clothes. I can imagine Elizabeth Debicki wearing them. Sooo elegant and interesting. Cos do seem to be skimping on fabric these days, although they would never be able to compete with the Row.

I’ve just come across this brand which offers all manner of interesting clothes in good quality Irish linen. I think most of them would drown 5’4” me, but I like the zest:

https://kindredofireland.com/products/linen-tutu

I think I came across Kindred on a Cabbages and Roses thread Poppy and I keep going back to check out the long, straight herringbone linen skirt. It reminds me one from La Redoute that I wore to pieces in the 90s. But a) It's over £200 and I'm delusional enough to think I could make it myself - I've even got some similar fabric in my stash and b) It's been sold out for months.

I've also got the Gentlewoman now bo but not read it yet - we can compare notes!

Edited because, sorry bo, I missed your question upthread, no I'm afraid I can't remember what Jonathan Saunders for Debenhams was like, I just recognised the name.

2nd edit (how many of these are we allowed?) cos I forgot the link to the Kindred skirt:
https://kindredofireland.com/products/herringbone-skirt

Interesting Poppy, I do love a bit of linen but they have that bit of flopiness in the designs that just never works for me, other women can carry that off, Elizabeth Debicki types strike again

I have faith in you that you can rustle up a skirt like that Flo. I made a copy of my pilar skirt to wear in summer as I enjoy wearing it so much. They come together quite quickly, trickiest bit is the zipper and jetted pockets and I always do those first so after that it's a doddle. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the exposed lining at the pockets on the Kindred one, would make for much easier sewing though.

Came across another new brand, a shoe one, I think they're UK based but shoes are made in Portugal. Jude, I quite like the look of their flat sandals (definitely borrowing inspiration from The Row there) but feel the prices are a touch ambitious but without seeing them in the flesh it's hard to judge that entirely. If they are really well made with lustrous leather and that slight design touch then they'd probably be a fair price.

Notes on The Gentlewoman so far Flo, I've only gone through the first fifty pages of ads, which usually I'd complain about but they all seem to be brands I'm at least quasi curious about. Thoughts on Carey Mulligan in the Prada ads, please, for I have many...

@Floisme I like that skirt. I had a black gap one, similar in the 90s, that I wore until it fell apart (and was beyond mending).

I have that skirt in red. It's very wearable.

This is the tweed skirt. It looks very louche with slingback stilletos and socks
Tweed skirts

If money were absolutely no concern I'd buy these socks.
Linen tied socks

I also spotted Kindred on that same thread. For me too, love the look but It would need careful consideration what pieces would suit me, I am not a natural with linen.
I have a MH red linen skirt that I bought in a sample with a couple of you around, and I wear it sometimes but I have to admit I never feel ‘fully me’ on it.

Flo, I bet you can do a skirt similar to that.

I am enjoying the shoe links here too.

what I am not enjoying is the Guardian
posh on a budget article, is just so done to death and boring. I probably shouldn’t even mention it to be honest.

My eye was drawn to the sunglasses. Sunglasses £200.

I'd want to see the outfit in the flesh to determine if it looked expensive.

I've been remiss in mentioning that the Margaret Howell sample sale is on this coming week for those interested.

I love linen but I think it's one of those fabrics that need to be kept simple, anything too fussy and it should just have been made in another fabric. Currently I have more of an obsession with suede and nubuck, but the good stuff is super expensive and cheap stuff doesn't do it for me. Contemplating ordering some suede from Italy and having a go 😬

Well the use of the word posh is new, or new again, I suppose. The model in that outfit doesn't look it to me though, granted I'm not a Brit so my idea of British posh is coloured anyhow. Is the column supposed to be meta commentary on how actual posh people relish in spending as little as possible?

JW Anderson has finally been appointed to Dior, but just the men's bit. I had assumed he'd be taking it all on, so a bit disappointing not to be seeing women's wear from him, except maybe for his own brand. There were rumours about that as well, I'm assuming some sort of investment into the JW Anderson brand as part of the deal to move to Dior? I have been preferring that over his Loewe offerings the last few seasons so I hope that stays on course, though I have seen a lot of JW stock on the outlet and secret sales sites which usually doesn't foreshadow anything good.