PARIS UPDATE

This has been a wonderful week of catchup for me with lots of ups and downs.  No comment. And now I am asking you to sit in the dark with me in case we are either one having difficulty seeing the bright side. Something or other triggers that recurring doom-and-gloom and then I have to pick myself up, dust myself off, and start over.  You would think a Jillian times would be enough, but noooooooo.  Here it comes again…..

Actually, it was a good week. I had a successful trip to see my general practitioner. I had a good health report. My blood pressure is behaving (sorta). I found a coffee and pastry shop open (most close in July and August). I feel qualified to sit down with you.

I got some flower photos.  

I read about the Cannes Film Festival and remembered my time there with Jamie in 2017, and found this fun to read (see below). 

“The legendary Hollywood director Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw are cruising off the Mediterranean coast, but it’s not been confirmed that they will pay a visit to the Cannes Film Festival. The director, who’s 74, is the owner of the Seven Seas, one of the world’s most luxurious super yachts which he bought in 2010 for 200 million dollars. The couple enjoyed a discreet dinner at the Hotel du Cap in Antibes earlier this week and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they make an appearance on the red carpet.

There are two competition films today. “La Fracture” or “The Divide” from the French director Catherine Corsini, stars Pio Marmai and Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi as a couple on the verge of a break up who find themselves in a hospital emergency department as a huge demonstration is taking place in Paris. Meanwhile, Paul Verhoeven’s biographical drama “Benedetta” stars Virginie Efira as a novice 17th century nun who joins an Italian convent and starts a love affair with another woman. Charlotte Rampling and Lambert Wilson also feature. Both films are in French with English subtitles.

I ordered and got at LA POSTE my updated French checkbook with my new/old current address on the checks for the doctors who require a check or cash (requiring euros in the account.  Oops).

I walked more than before and am taking an honest look at the role I play in my own suffering. Oops. Worry less and believe more.

IT was “Fashion Week” in Paris.

“Fashion Week” is happening in Paris (PFW). That is a happening that I have heard of all my life and dreamed of wearing designs from the Paris people. Actually, I think the designers like Armani and others that I love are from Italy and work out of Fashion Week in Milan. But I don’t know a lot about any of them. I have read up on some of it and want to include some information here. When I was practicing law, I wore Armani suits – in navy and black and grey. I had several in my wardrobe. I still have most of them in my closet, but I seldom put them on anymore. This is what I have discovered. It is interesting (I think.)

There are four important fashion weeks, often referred to as the “Big 4”: New York, Paris, London and Milan. But Paris is home to the industry’s first-ever organized “fashion week”. Since its inception in 1973, the event has been an unmissable rendez-vous for all fashion lovers, both in France and worldwide. While the official title is “Semaine des Créateurs de Mode”, the Paris Fashion Week, or PFW, is the most commonly used expression.

The events at Paris Fashion Week are divided into 3 categories: Menswear, Haute Couture and Ready-to-wear.  And of note to attorneys like me, the word “Haute-Couture” is protected by intellectual property copyright.  
To be eligible, the houses need to fulfil the stringent criteria set in place by the Chamber of the Haute Couture. Those stringent criteria consist of many rules, of which one is the requirement to create a minimum of 35 looks per year and which must include both day and evening wear. Only a few houses get bestowed with this appellation and can be considered as producing “Haute-Couture” collections. 

Organized by the French Fashion Federation, the Fashion Week includes over 100 shows which feature top fashion houses such as Chanel, Christian Dior or Yves Saint Laurent, as well as lesser-known designers. The financial impact of the PFW on the French capital amounts to €400 million, excluding sales in stores.

Paris Fashion Week takes place twice yearly, with a Spring/Summer edition and an Autumn/Winter edition. The dates are determined by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.  The Haute-Couture collections are always presented before the ready-to-wear collections, which represents half of the shows.  For a long time, Paris Fashion Week’s shows have taken place mainly in the Carrousel du Louvre. During the Fashion Week itself, a hundred shows and events also take place at different venues throughout the city, such as the iconic Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld shows, which have been taking place in the Grand Palais for several years. 

How to get invites to Fashion Week shows:  Go to the website “modeaparis.com” and check the dates for the upcoming shows. The dates for this year are:  Men’s Fashion from Wednesday, June 21st to Sunday, June 25th, 2017;  Haute Couture from Sunday, July 2nd to Thursday, July 6th, 2017;  Ready to Wear from Tuesday, September 26th to Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017.  The shows are a fantastic opportunity to see some beautiful clothes and incredible designers!

So, I really can’t complain. Ok. Truth be known, I really like who I am becoming a lot. It is about time. Many thanks to the people who posted these photos and memes originally. All of these photos brighten my day. I hope they do the same for you. And a shout out to those friends and relatives who have my back. Happy Trails to YOU. Now, just some photos I like.

Thanks for letting me sit with you. Till next time…..

Best, Jay