Feeding birds in cities is probably a huge NO NO
Having lunch at one of my favorite bench's in Paris at Palais Royal, turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip last week.
I couldn't believe the courage they had to come right up to us and was so impressed how they could 'hover' whilst snatching a piece of bread off my hand.
I went to Paris for a few days last week..
From les Marches aux Puces de Saint Ouen to Marche aux Puces de Vanves, and casually finding one in the Place du Temple we spent hours walking and looking at all the treasures..
Temperature was freezing so I can't wait to go back in Spring!
(Was surprised most pictures weren't blurred by the shivering)
Dreams pass into the reality of action.
From the actions stems the dream again;
and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.
Maxfield Los Angeles Photograph by Peter Bennett
A month and half from Paris Fashion Week
..still undecided about showing or not...
This is a wish list of shops I would like to see stock my collection in the next seasons.
Fortunately seven of the shops mentioned have or have had the collection for several seasons.
I have decided to included them as they would have been part of my list 5 years ago
...and still are an important part of my dream!
Havana, Dublin Ireland
Kalu, Naas Ireland
Blake, Chicago USA
Fetneh Blake, Laguna Beach USA
If, Dubai
and of course Savannah, Santa Monica.. my first US shop!!!
Vilhelm Hammershoi
'Absence extinguishes small passions and increases great ones,
as the wind blows out a candle, and blows in a fire'
François de la Rochefoucauld
The past few months have been wonderfully chaotic. My life has been taken over by exciting commissions and projects which are in the making and yet to be made. I have felt an overwhelming guilt that this blog has taken a back seat in the priorities of life and that I must explain my rather infrequent posting. I am still quietly visiting all my virtual friends and I try to say hello when I can.
But it has been very hard to keep up with the dedication required to be part of this online community. My brain is in need of as much quiet time as it can get, as it is in over drive with ideas for my 'non virtual' activities.
I hope life will get back to some normality in the next few months and my posting will become as dedicated as is has been since I started in September last year.
I miss you all but will be back every now and then..have a lovely summer!
x Eilis Boyle
'The creative habit is like a drug.
The particular obsession changes, but the excitement,
the thrill of your creation lasts'
Henry Moore
After weeks, and months, of distraction and slight apathy, I have been involved in a project which is so exciting I'm unable to focus on anything else. I will reveal at a later date, but for now it’s Paris again this week. Meeting my Japanese friends and also buying fabric
I spent a few days in Paris last week, shopping and getting insipration for the new collection.
Not a difficult place to source wonderful ideas. I spent the first few days going to all my favourite suppliers...Mokuba, Fried Freres and a few showrooms of France's fabulous lace makers....
...the view from the little attic apartment where I stayed, on rue Lepic
I brought back many, many bundles of fabric...
I can't wait to start turning them into new styles......
Packing packing packing... I'm off to Paris tomorrow...
Drawn to the fashion circus like a magnet at a very young age, when I moved to Madrid as a late teenager I volunteered backstage at it's Fashion Week for many seasons.
I have been to a fair share of shows in my lifetime and have mentioned a couple in this blog which have had a considerable imapct in my life and have stayed very relevant in my memory, here and here...
There are a few shows however, which keep appearing in my thoughts when I look back at the past few years in fashion. Some which I attended...in spirit...and the others... in person.
The first show I'd like to share with you happened in October 2004. I was at a waiting lounge at Charles de Gaulle airport, returning to Dublin from my first trip to Paris Fashion Week as an independent designer. I crossed eyes with a very young silver haired girl who by the looks had obviously been in the city for the same purpose. She was a buyer for a great boutique in Belfast called the Bureau.
The evening before she had been to fashion show by one of my favourite designers, Dries van Noten. The very short hour flight back was hardly enough for her to describe the extraordinary efforts Dries' team had made to put on the show for his 50th collection. Her excitement was so contagious it was if I had been part of it myself.
Apparently, 500 guests were summoned at certain location and then driven in buses to a distant factory/warehouse outside of Paris. They walked into the empty warehouse and all they could see were huge chandeliers hanging from the cieling. As they got closer they realized there was a long long long table set for dinner. After the '250 waiter choreographed dinner' was severed, the chandeliers were raised and the table turned into a catwalk .
Deservingly, it was the most talked about show that season and many seasons later you can still over hear people talking about it during fashion week.
Here are a few of the images... and a link to my Facebook page were I've shared a video
Do check out the video linked on the Silent Storyteller on Facebook
Dear Rick Owens,
Inspired by one of my favourite blogs, the Luxury Chronicles, who regularly writes incredibly inspiring letters to different people in the industry. I felt compelled, after reading your interview in the Financial Times today, to 'borrow' her format and send you a small note to thank you for your contribution to my sanity.
In an industry where one's integrity is constantly challenged. You have been an ABSOLUTE inspiration for all of those who can't, or try not, to conform with the rules established by the powers that be, and make the fashion industry an almost impossible world to work in.
Thank you for your very precious interviews, which I keep in a safe drawer and read over and over again. Specially, when in doubt of my purpose in this field.
Kindly...a true admirer,
Eilis Boyle
Vanessa Friedman article in How to Spend IT
A week ago a very good friend ,who is making her way into ' the industry', asked me what trends did I think were going to be strong next season.
As a keen observer and participant of what has been going on......I decided to do a round up of what I think has defined the past few weeks in fashion.
1. Social media is here to stay
Twitter, blogs and live online presentations have globalised the 'show' experience and brought the designer closer to the public. I was an initial sceptic, but my opinion instantly changed when I saw the first live streamed show on the LFW website.
Tavi for Pop Magazine via Very very beautiful
2. Bloggers claim front row territory.
Tavi, Susie Bubble and other bloggers have managed to breakthrough a hierarchical, inflexible and slightly archaic 'media' industry, claiming their undisputed influence and place in the fashion world.
Lots of filtering still required but they are here to stay too!
Celine AW10 via Fashionista
3. Trend 'numero uno': Fabric over adornment
For the first time in many seasons we see the return of beautiful, unpretentious and incredibly well cut garments. The attention goes from adornment to the essence of the pieces. Those who mastered this: Prada, Dries and the most talked about and probably influential collection of the season Phoebe Philo's range for Celine.
I would like to see high street attempt copying this trend.
It 'ain't' possible my friend.
Cashmere/wool is cashmere/wool and to buy exquisite Italian mill quality you are talking around €100 to €300 a mtr ...or more....try doing a fabulous coat in a wool polyester mix with 1% cashmere...don't be fooled it WILL look cheap...and adornments to make it look expensive...are NOT WELCOME!!
4. Trend 'numero dos'...Fur
PETA's terribly managed campaigns have seen very little compassion in the hands of designers this season. Fur has been present in far too many shows. As an animal lover I hope this trend doesn't permeate commercially and just stays on the catwalk where it shouldn't have appeared in the first place.
5. Colours.....Earthy earthy earthy. WHITE, black and grey
6. And this season's crown goes to....ALEXANDER MCQUEEN... if there is anything that has been of any significance this season it has been the absence of Alexander McQueen. I still get teary writing about it...it is such a loss! But as many very talented creators he left us at his peak and with the most extraordinary collection which was shown in an intimate 'modest' presentation (for McQueen standard) but which clearly showed how his mastery was unquestionable, no matter where or how it was presented.
The debate continues if he may or may not have been a genius...
Photographs via Style Zeitgeist
in my books he certainly is.
'Haute couture consists of secrets whispered from generation to generation'
Yves Saint Laurent
La Fondation Pierre Bergé-Yves Saint Laurent and le Petit Palais
Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville
will showcase Yves Saint Laurent's first retrospective exhibition
11th of March until 29th of August
I suspect a trip to Paris will be happening soon! When will we go Helen???
Next month my 10th collection will be presented. The initial research and inspiration started during Paris Fashion Week, October 2008 on a regular visit to 120 year old Parisian shop Fried Freres.
Their back room is filled from floor to ceiling in old dark wood shelves overflowing with sequins and beads in every colour and shape imaginable. I left an hour later with empty pockets and bags filled with sequins. I immediately started to feed the subconsious with new ideas
A year and half later the concept has turned into reality, and a 10 piece collection to celebrate 10 seasons is in the making.
As with every collection I'm quite nervous and very excited.
Image Deborah Turbeville
Photograph by Louise Dahl-Wolfe
What a terrible week.
There is no hiding my sentiment, and I have bored you all about this already, regarding the passing of McQueen. I'm not sure why I have been so affected by it, but losing a dear friend several years ago in the exact same manner has brought up ghosts of the past which have to be dealt with.
It's as if someone has ripped my heart out and turned my brain into mushy peas. I can't think and the headache is permanent
Travelling to
I did go from fabric shop to fabric shop listening to personal stories of a young and determined McQueen, breathless, running around looking for fabrics. It was meaningful to be in
On a complete different note, yesterday, as I walked the dog, a wonderful 6 or 7 month old boxer puppy came out of nowhere and joined us for a couple of hours of play.
When it was time to go I didn't have the heart to leave her behind in the park, on her own. Incredibly thin she jumped into my car and we drove her to the vet to check her micro chip...the bad news is some irresponsible owner had not fulfilled their duties of doing this . Leaving me with this adorable dog and no where to find her owner.
I printed posters, drove around and went to the same park several times. No sign of owner.
She stayed the night, but I live in a tiny apartment and all I can say is that no one slept well last night.
This morning I drove her to the pound. I cried the 40 minute journey there and the 40 minute journey back. If I had a garden I would have kept her.
I would like to scream at her owner for not being responsible enough to microchip her. I wouldn't be so upset and the poor dog wouldn't be freezing out in the cold now.
To end this moan on a lighter note..it turns out I will be going to Paris after all...
The news of the premature death of a fashion genius has just broken my heart.
His legacy will live on.
R.I.P. Alexander Mc Queen
Next week,
It also marks the beginning of a new season…..... Spring Summer 2011
This is the year of change and pleasure (or so I have decided) so my plan to go to
The last time I visited
This year my trip which is in some ways similar, is slightly less eventful and stressful......promising great inspiration and lots of fun
If you have any favourite or secret places you know and would like to share I would love to hear from you…..anything from shops, galleries, restaurants….
Merci Beaucoup
For some time I have wanted to feature a post about Lucy Downes. She's not only a brilliant designer but is one of my best friends in the real world.
For many many seasons we have travelled to Paris together for fashion week, so I guess she's always been there to celebrate or to console....
She uses the finest yarns in the world and her designs are incredibly ingenius
To see the wonderful handknitted cashmere cardigan that she donated to our cause Talent for Haiti....Lucy Downes Sphere One Donation.
And to see more of her beautiful pieces check www.sphereone.biz
Lacroix Autumn Winter 2009
For a long time I've wanted to raise the issue of the use and misuse of the word Couture.
Everything seems to be Couture today. High street t-shirts covered in glitter, fake snake skin shoes, and even oversized gaudy costume jewellery.
It's like a disease....it's added to describe anything and everything, making it's definition confusing and misleading
This is not Couture and definitely not Haute Couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive clothing, made to order for a specific customer, and is made from high-quality fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish.
"In France, the term Haute Couture is protected by law.To earn the right to call itself a couture house, members of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture must follow these rules:
Not everyone can work from Paris, nor have 15 employees. But this should set a standard for its definition and use.
Shouldn't the term Couture - Haute Couture be protected by law, worldwide?
I think it should......
(image of my favourite Alexander McQueen collection A/W 2008)
A week before leaving for Paris Fashion Week, I mentioned to a friend that of all shows, that were happening that week, there was one designer whose show I would dream of going to.
I have been going to
Invitations are EXTREMELY precious .
It was my luck or destiny, that for a third time, I had decided to go to The Vionnet exhibition to kill time before going to the airport. It was at the Musee des Arts Decoratif that I met a Fairy Godmother who offered me a golden ticket for the McQueen show later that afternoon ....
The rest is history; I changed my flight and started counting the hours for the show...
My fashion show experience, unfortunately, has been limited to horrifying visual laser effect, alcohol sponsored, (and my stomach turns inside out just writing the word) 'celebrity' frequented events which I try to avoid by all means.
But it seems to be the standard here ...specially as most designers do not have backers like Arnault.
Sponsorship is required to cover the costs of a 'proper show'...but it is at a cost...one's soul I think...
To experience this magnificent production with the absence of small talkers and photo craving personalities was a great insight on how a show can be done without the nonsense.
As the word spread, many people asked me the same question...."who was there?"...probably expecting me to name drop the under aged, under talented youths that cover the tabloids...to their horror and my delight...the response was "Everyone"... and by that I meant anyone who SHOULD be there was there...(that is... except me...)...
I have nothing to compare the show with, really. I had only been to a wonderfully discreet Commes des Garcons private viewing in a Parisian courtyard earlier.
I truly believe McQueen is a master of his art, and although he may have detractors for his provocative presentations and his extreme accessories, his talent does shine through it all.
The lesson for me is that you can work your way around this industry without complying with what is expected.
A true inspiration.
One month has passed since returning from Paris, it seems like a year and even further away seems my next expected visit in March. Needless to say distance and time make the heart grow fonder!
This season, more than ever, have I seen a huge number of vacant units available throughout the city and found a perfect little space to convert into my dream shop.
Description:
'Tiny space with a great view.
Neighbour : Rick Owens.'
Not much more needs to be said......it's free to dream
a dream shop
with a dream view
a perfect bench for lunch
