Photographer:  Prabuddha Dasgupta Model:  Kamai Sidhu

Nadia Comaneci's Perfect 10.

This is Not A Hippie Bag

 One day a lovely friend of mine walked in carrying an incredibly beautiful piece of work, a handbag with such beautiful fabric and detail that I had to ask her where in the world she found this, from a designer in LA she said, you have to look at her collection you won't know which one to pick. Am not a big handbag person, but am into craftsmanship and unique pieces that have a story.

Fast as flash I looked her up, Simone Harouche a wardrobe stylist had been over the years collecting 19th  dowry textiles, to antique tribal costumes, wall hangings, beading, coins, Afghan bridal jewellery and more from countries such as Nepal, India, Morocco, Peru, Pakistan and Egypt.  With such a exquisite collection she was inspired to create for herself a handbag made out of some of these findings, the bag was so eye catching that a friend saw it and commissioned one for herself and from there the orders started to come in, thus the line Simone Camille was born. 

All the bags are handmade and unique so you will not see anyone wearing the exact same one as you they come in different shapes and sizes, I always stopped when I wear mine, these are not your average Hippie Market bag, more like luxury Bohemian.

Have a look at the Website on where to buy and a huge array of choices, perfect for the summer,

I Just love xo

Photos via ,

www.simonecamille.com

www.c-a-n-o-p-y.tumblr.com

www.sisterhimalaya.tumblr.com

www.earth-age.blogspot.co.uk

La Citroen 2CV par Hermes

Celebrating this weeks up coming Hermès exhibition in London, I got inspired to do a few posts on the world of Hermès and some of their collaborations.

In April 2008 Citroen 2CV celebrated its 60th Birthday during the Paris Motor Show, to mark this special event they collaborated with Hermès to design a made to measure outfit for this lady.

The 1989 2CV 6 Spécial, painted in tan brown , the interiors outfitted all in the instantly recognizable Hermès Tan Leather with that perfect stitch.  The seats are upholstered in Hermès beige cotton canvas and natural leather. As a finishing touch, the bonnet and interior trim at the rear of the vehicle also feature Hermès cotton canvas.

Elle est si belle! xo

Photos via ,

www.hermes.com

www.citroen.com

Mirror Mirror in the Desert

“Lucid Stead is about tapping into the quiet and the pace of change of the desert. When you slow down and align yourself with the desert, the project begins to unfold before you. It reveals that it is about light and shadow, reflected light, projected light, and change.”

Take  a Desert, a Shack, some mirror, Led lights and the vision of a young man named Phillip K Smith III , put them together and voila you have this wonderful imaginative but yet so simple installation. it just fits perfectly with its location that you think that it should have always been there. 

Over the course of the day the Lucid Stead metamorphoses into different visions, the sharp and shiny mirror bands reflect back the shapeshifting landscape, one minute the mirror image is picture perfect and then slowly with the moving sun it starts to soften its mirror image and starts to glow within as the very clever use of LED lights come alive in its changing colours.  

Very well executed Mr. Smith, I so wanted to see this , as millions of others this has been posted all over the world!! I had to share too, its just too damn beautiful! I want one ! 

I wonder what the animals in the desert thought of this! 

For more info on the Phillip K Smith III see below, and for Miami Basel his work will be featured in Untitled Fair from today. Also the great photography are by Steven King and Lance Gerber all courtesy of Royal Projects in Palm Desert California. 

http://pks3.com

http://royaleprojects.com/

Duvet St Gallen , home Switzerland .

Sinatra's Twin Palms

One fine day in May 1947 Frank Sinatra walked into the office of Architect E. Stewart Williams  and stated that he wanted him to build him a house but it had to be done by Christmas, and wanted to be done in a Georgian Style. This style was not suited to the Palm Springs climate, so Stewart Williams presented him with two designs one in the Georgian style he had requested and another more modern, low built, that blended in with the Desert surroundings and colours.

Thankfully Sinatra choose this design and incredibly Williams built the House in time for Christmas, it was the family run firm Williams, Williams & Williams first private home commission and would become the house to set the trend for architecture in Palm Springs.

What a great history, would have loved to have been at one of Sinatra's Legendary parties in that house, as we all know that Dean Martin, Ava Gardner and all of Old Hollywood would come and stay, he would cut some of his records there using the wonderfully named Valentino Electronics of Hollywood.

The Twin Palms Estate as it was named can be rented, shame Frank Sinatra and friends don't come with the house, those were the days.

That's Life, xo

Sources via,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avU2aarQUiU

www.sinatrahouse.com

www.beaumondevillas.com/california/palm-springs/twin-palms/index.html

www.flickr.com

www.wikipedia.org

Hassan Hajjaj

I fell in Love with Morocco when I went on holiday as a child to Tangiers, the mysterious and exotic fragrances filled my young senses, the colours , hustle and bustle, charming people and food stayed with me forever. I always have a soft spot for artisans from that region and one of these has caught my imagination.

A mix of Andy Warhol and North African sense of humour with streetstyle makes Hassan Hajjaj's work unique and wonderful. Born in Larache Morocco in the 60's and moved to London in the 1970's were he found his creativity of mixing his North African vibe with the western world.

Hassan has an incredible amount of talents photographer, artist , furniture designer, think recycled tables out of street signs, fashion and the list goes on.He has decorated Riad Yima in Marrakesh and the hilariously named  Andy Wahloo in Paris owned by Mourad Mazouz of Momo's and Sketch in London who is a big supporter of unique talent and thanks to him I discovered Hassan's work.

If you are in London you can see one of Hassan's pieces in Harrods were at the moment there is a pop up exhibition called Inspiring Morocco or go to his studio in East London.

Click below to Play Thé a La Menthe by La Caution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=crrKWEVetUM

www.hassanhajjaj.com

www.riadyima.com

www.momoresto.com/restaurant/paris/andy-wahloo/about/

Intermission : Alice Temperley for Filofax.

Video Direction & Production by Vanessa Scott

Valley Of the Kings, Egypt 2019

Hacienda de San Antonio

Set on the outskirts of the Municpio de Comala one of Mexico's Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns) Hacienda de San Antonio  is another of Sir James Goldsmith properties , who obviously had very good instinct for magnificent properties. My previous post was on his beach property Cuixmala, this 19th Century Hacienda is built on a plantation estate on the foothills of Volcan de Fuego. This two story hacienda sits on a 470 acre expanse within a 5000 acre working ranch, coffee plantation and organic farm.

Originally completed in the 1890's by Don Arnoldo Vogel an immigrant from Germany who found that the cool highland was ideal for growing Arabica coffee, which was so successful that it was exported to the German Imperial family. The Vogels built a chapel dedicated to San Antonio when in 1913 the Volcano erupted but spared the plantation.

Works in the hacienda come from Mexico's leading artisans, rich in tradition that make you feel at home, the beautiful rooms come  views and fireplaces for the cooler nights. Dinning on Mexico's traditional recipes, a wide range of organically grown fruits,vegetables, cheeses and meats all provided by their farm El Jabali . For me it would be drinking the fresh coffee straight from the plantation that you can also visit, with views on the volcano.

The activities are special , archeological sites visit , Volcano Excursions , horse back riding , Ariel tours, cheese factory , Coffee roasting tour, Colonial Towns and Museums and Galleries. Phew!

You can also visit the town were you can watch a traditional rodeo, shop some artisan crafts or you can drink some of the local drinks made from tamarind, and other fruits called Ponche or La Tuba a fermented semi alcoholic drink made from palm tree sap, which originates from the Philippines.

Cielito Lindo xo

Click below to Listen to this beautiful famous Ranchera song

Cielito Lindo Lola Beltan

www.haciendadesanantonio.com

www.comalamexico.com