Dragon Dance

    As far as I can remember, I have always been under the chinese culture's spell. As a toddler my very first fancy dress was a red chinese satin "pyjamas" outfit together with a conic paper hat fitted with a jet black wool super long braid that undoubtedly matched my short blond hair… 

    Later in the eighties my father came home from a trip to China with my first collectible silk scarf. 

Naturally, the first time I stepped foot in a restaurant with my parents, it was a chinese cuisine one (I remember very well the blurred image of a female nudity at the bottom of the sweet rice wine adult goblet….). 

    In the nineties, I was struck by the breathtaking power of my then cherished photographer's pictures at a Paris exhibition : Marc Riboud (In China) and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Since, the Chinese cinema has animated my nights from "The Green Papaya scent" (trailer here), "Raise the Red Lantern" (trailer here), "Farewell my concubine"(trailer here), "House of Flying daggers" (trailer here) to "Beijing Bicycle" (trailer here)…. I stop here because the list would be endless.

    So, I very naturally never miss an opportunity to celebrate an emblematic and colourful event in the chinese calendar : the unique and rhythmic Dragon Dance opening the Chinese New Year's feast. (A.D)

Happy Year of the Horse to the chinese community all over the world!

trousers : H&M | black top : Issey Miyake | shoes : Zara | necklace : Zara | dragon mask : home made

Jasmine & Heliotrope

drawings by Aude D on recycled envelops

Cendrillon's Imbroglio

      Sophie and I have been through our first minor disagreement! After one of our early morning hot chocolate and brainstorming session, we decided to pay a visit to the new J.Crew store on Draycott Avenue. Disappointment awaited us... the prospect of affordable sales items was soon to wear off as the new shop was only filled with the 2014 S/S collection. As we were expressing our frustration on the pavement while lurking at the colourful window display, we caught sight of a pair of paper wheels that laid, abandoned on the sidewalk of the road. After a furtive look at each other, we grabbed each a wheel and walked hastily back to our vehicle. After a nice makeover these wheels would be a great starting point for our new post.
      My fertile imagination led me to the idea of making a parody of the 1980' "Cinderella" Levis jeans add. Come on ladies, I am sure that you have engraved in your mind the last image of this commercial : a modern Cinderella finds her prince charming, who fits the lost pair of Levis jeans, in the person of a stunning young male mechanic who turns around bare chested in his sexy outfit holding a pair of wheels. The overall surrounded by the daunting Erma Franklin's "Take a little Piece of my Heart" song.
       Well, I submitted to my partner the idea of a similar setting with a more feminine twist : she would wear a pair of tight jeans, red high heel shoes and a naked torso veiled by a myriad of necklaces, Sophie laughed…then she kept postponing the photo shoot and hinting at "great coats"  she had outsourced to match the pink wheels… I stood up to her for 8 days, then I surrendered and abandoned the idea of the sexy parody and compromised for this ... civilised scenario. A.D

red shoes : Dune | skinny jeans : Citizen of Humanity | denim shirt : Gap | coat : Zara | necklace : Top Shop (current here) 

levis commercial link (here)

Unaccustomed Mischief

drawings by Aude D on recycled envelops

Disney Confusion

       I’ve always loved coats, love is an understatement, I should say “obsessed", it could even be a neurosis….

But honestly…it’s such an important piece of the wardrobe, “a strategic piece”. You could wear jeans,a jumper and trainers but a coat would make the whole outfit interesting or not.

       I litteraly had a “coup de foudre” for this one (and it was in Notting hill : a sign !!!) ; the bright red fabric, the shape, even the way it moves when I walk is perfect.

       We rarely think of the 3D aspect of a garment, but it’s always fascinating to look at catwalks during fashion weeks.

Models, of course, walk a certain way, but clothes move also their own way as if they were alive.

In that photo shoot, was I “Mary Poppins” , or “the little red riding hood” or “the big bad wolf “ ???

One thing is for sure : laws of gravity !!!  S.D 

White skirt : Zara | white mohair jumper : H&M | red coat : The West Village | shoes : Zara | bag : Dior | fox scarf : vintage | necklace : Van Cleef&Arpel

Smart Hotchpotch

drawings by Aude D on recycled envelops

Anthropomorphism Exhaustion

    As the last flares of the holiday season fade away, we turn around and consider the annual marathon associated with the festive period : far from leaving us refreshed and recharged one's battery, it tends to squeeze the last drop of energy hidden in us after the waves of cold and gloomy short days. 

    Have you noticed that while we are left staggering and gasping for breath after the repetitive and careless absorption of countless kilos of sugary, high calorific delicacies washed down with a variety of alcoholic liquids, our offspring in return suddenly burst with energy and over excitement? 

    Our careless attitude is  absolved with the prospect of the drastic forthcoming New Year's resolutions. Ah, the new year resolutions…they do not have time to materialise from vague thoughts to a proper list that I already have lost track of them. Instead, I'd rather celebrate… the lengthening days and the strengthening sunshine that will lead us to a promising colourful and joyful spring. If it is an utopia for now, at least we can wear the image of it ! 

Happy New Year to you all.  A.D

dalmatian  astrakan vintage coat | pencil skirt : Diane Von Furstenberg | top : H&M | shoes : Louboutin| necklace : Zara | ring : De Beers | vintage clutch
little panda  pink cape : Kiabi | tutu skirt : H&M | ballerina : H&M