Devoré du Jour

What is it about the French language that so prettifies commonplace notions? Devoré fabric refers to velvets that have been dissolved to create transparent patterns. In French, this literally means ‘devoured’. More prosaically, in English this fabric is sometimes referred to as ‘burnout’, which conjures up some rather horrid images.

The process was first created in Europe in the 1920s, and requires velvet that has a blend of cellulose fibre – viscose, cotton, rayon – and a protein-based fibre such as silk. A chemical gel is applied in the desired pattern to the fabric, and the cellulose is dissolved away to leave behind the silk, which appears as a semi-transparent gauze, and thereby creating the pattern.

Devoré was popular during the 1920s unsurprisingly, as it was then invented, and the dresses of the time were so much more inventive with the use of this innovative fabric than the ubiquitous scarves and fringed kimonos of today. 

A 1920s devoré evening frock

What I Actually Wore #0076

Serial #: 0076
Date: 27/07/2012
Weather: 14° – brrr! 
Time Allowed: 8 minutes

This simple workaday outfit started with the hat, and, with the chilly temperature in mind, warm woolen trousers. The striped jumper added a graphic element, and the raspberry suede heels a shot of delicious colour. The 50s velvet bandeau is new, and I am utterly smitten by the periwinkle colour. How funny that is such an American term – Aussies don’t use it at all, and would simply say ‘bluish-purple’, or possibly hyacinth. This is most likely due to the fact that periwinkles are not a common flower here at all. But I just love the colour.

Most of my pieces of jewellery are souvenirs: the ceramic earrings from Spain, the red carved jade bangle and the onyx ring from Vietnam. A lady at work tells me I look very French, but, given my Slavic heritage, I suspect that is due to nothing so much as that old cliché of the black and white striped top.

Did you notice I am wearing black trouser socks under my peeptoes? Once upon a time I would have considered that a profound sartorial no-no, but these days I am fine with it. On the other hand, I would not wear sheer pantyhose with peeptoes or sandals though – that would ‘seam’ a bit wrong!

Items:

Top: Meredith
Pants: Ming
Hat: vintage 50s
Earrings: souvenir
Bangle: souvenir
Rings: (0nyx) souvenir, (silver) Roun
Shoes: Zoe Wittner

April Fish!

One of the silliest holidays on the calendar celebrated by many countries around the world is April Fool’s Day, with the media of many countries often getting in on the act too for grand scale pranks.

Quite a different custom prevails in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy. Children and adults take part in this tradition of attaching paper fish to one another’s backs and shouting, “April fish!” One Swiss work colleague of mine has fond childhood memories of this innocent pastime. The custom possibly harks back to a French poet of the sixteenth century who referred to a poisson d’avril – an April fool, which literally translates as April fish. 

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries April fish postcards became popular in France, a charming excuse to send quaint greetings to a friend. And it’s a fair excuse to eat fish for dinner tonight too.

Scroll down for more April smiles.

Click on image to see more vintage April fish postcardsClick through to buy a set of 25 antique French postcards, at Etsy store French Country Life

Coco and Karl

This is one of my favourite shots of the film, Audrey Tatou is photographed through the bannister rail on the stairs of Chanel’s atelier.Recently I watched the film Coco Avant Chanel again, and hugely enjoyed the documentaries on the DVD too. One of the things that struck me was how Coco Chanel did not like to show the knee – she found it inelegant. Karl Lagerfeld, on the other hand (or should that be leg?) is quite fond of revealing great swathes of bare thigh. Obviously one has to move with the times and all that, but I do wonder what she would think of Lagerfeld’s interpretation of her style.

More critically, Chanel’s raison d’être was comfort and ease of movement in women’s dress – this was in essence the very reason she began designing clothing. “I freed the body”, she said. Would she be shocked to see modern garments fashioned in her name that are as restrictive as Christian Dior’s New Look – of which she vehemently disapproved? This at least, most certainly.

Of course what is glimpsed on the runway is more outlandish – the better to capture the media’s attention – than what later comes forth from the atelier. I was therefore interested to rediscover this article from American Vogue* comparing Coco Chanel’s garments to Karl Lagerfeld’s. I am not a lover of the classic Chanel tweed suit (reeks too much of the bourgeoisie), but her 1928 satin gown with the asymmetrical hemline is divine, and the 1931 white lace gown is to die for. Lagerfeld’s golden tribute in 1996 is almost as good.

Click on the images for larger versions and have a read.

* Apologies, I am not sure which issue, although it is most likely 1996 as that is the most recent Chanel garment pictured

Life’s A Breeze

Fashion story from Australian marie claire. This comes close to my favourite shot out of the whole editorial.Ah, suffering in this relentless heatwave Melbourne is treating us to, I am fantasising about being on the Riviera right now, living the life in this fashion editorial.

I love Friedemann Hauss’ photoshoots – they are always so elegant, the women so soigné. There is a serene and effortless air about them. There is no frantic rush. Life is a breeze.

I wish I could feel a breeze right now.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, I really love the minimal fashion too. Now sit back, scroll down and relax, ahhh. (Click on the images for bigger versions.)