This fall, I went to Paris for fashion week (spring 2012)...I could not have be more excited.
I'd just had my second baby a few months prior, and was more than ready to pack up the family, get out of Dodge and see some fashion! Ok, not exactly a cheap trip, but if ever I thought I owed myself one, this was it.
We made the long haul to Paris, I got the brood settled in to the Ritz, and joined up with my client Jessica Biel (I'm her stylist). We were thrilled to have the next week to party it up in Paris, and couldn't wait for the games to begin.
First up: A Valentino fitting!!! I'd actually never been inside their building in Paris, and what can I say--I was blown away. It's an entire building on the Place Vendome: pure Paris. And the collection! Valentino creates such a magical feeling when you see his creations. To be amongst this beauty, it's like what we women dream of when we're little girls--pure fairy tale.
The next day we hit the actual show. The paparazzi lost their minds when they saw Jessica, mobbing us 5 deep the entire way on our seemingly endless walk to the tent. It's actually more insane than I've ever seen in Los Angeles, but they do at least keep their distance when we tell them to. As for the show? I can actually say that in the 15 years I've been a stylist I've never seen one so precisely magnificent, every piece as breathtaking as the last. To top it off, my favorite piece from the collection is given to me for my lovely Jessica...stay tuned for more on that!
Next, to Giambattista Valli's headquarters, where Jessica was fitted for the outfit she was to wear when she presented the designer an award in NYC a few weeks later. I've known Giamba since his first season designing, and I have to say I think I'm his biggest fan. The man is a genius, and he never ceases to amaze me with his detail and originality. Not to mention he couldn't be more loving and warm. And his apartment! The place blows my mind. The old herring bone wood floors, the bleached out wood paneling on every wall of the building, the most detailed crown moulding I've ever seen, & the coup de grace--the most bitchin' skylight that spans the length of the foyer.
But the best and most memorable part of all was exploring and walking the unforgettable streets of Paris with my wonderful husband and kids. I'm now left dreaming of the day that we could maybe live here.