Photo courtesy of Architectural Digest, Photographer Simon Upton

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Luisa Casati was not born to infamy. The daughter of a rich Italian nobleman, her parents died when she was young, leaving the 15-year-old as one the country’s richest heiresses. In 1900, aged 19, she married Count Camillo Casati Stampa di Soncino and had a child, Cristina. And so it was that, up until this point, Marchesa Luisa Casati fulfilled the expectations laid out before her, living the typical life of a rich European aristocrat. It was whilst on the aristo circuit, however, that she met the Italian poet and lothario Gabriele d’Annunzio. The two became lovers, with the notoriously debauched Gabriele introducing his new muse to a whole new world, one of decadent parties and artist filled salons, of outrage, intrigue and scandalous behavior. The Marchesa never looked back.

Over the course of the next 30 years, she dedicated herself to decadence. She cultivated a dramatic look – her tall, skinny frame topped with bright red dyed hair, bleached skin, red lips and kohl rimmed eyes. She was photographed by Beaton, painted by Augustus John and Giovanni Boldini and sculpted by Jacob Epstein. A patron of the Ballet Russes, she held court at her outrageous soirées in Grecian Fortuny or a sheer sheath dress worn with nothing underneath, whilst her guests were waited on by countless servants – themselves often naked and gilded in gold leaf. Her jewels were by Lalique (she is said to have inspired Cartier’s Panther designs,) her pets were cheetahs and boa constrictors (the snake once escaped during a stay at the Ritz in Paris,) and the stories could not have been more scandalous.

This life of excess was lived out across Europe as the Marchesa flitted from Rome to Venice, Paris to London. For a while during the 1920’s, she took up residence in Capri, and it was here that we came across her, resplendent in all her eccentricity at the cliff top Villa San Michele, once the island’s most famous villa and now a much-visited museum. At KOTUR we have taken inspiration from the island in all its glittering, sun-drenched glory for our Spring Collection, and, for a time in her life, the Marchesa did too. She rented it from its owner Axel Munthe, installing herself in spite of her landlord’s frequent attempts to evict her. With its sweeping views of the town, the whitewashed villa and its lush gardens full of ancient Roman and Egyptian artifacts was the perfect spot for a woman who dealt in drama – the villa’s Egyptian granite Sphinx was a particular favorite of hers. During her time there, she transformed the place, arriving with her own band of servants and redressing the rooms to her taste. She covered the mosaic floors in animal skins and black carpets, the walls with golden curtains and dark velvet drapes. One guest was the writer Montgomery Compton Mackenzie, who recounted of a visit, “There was a golden gazelle on each side of the heavy door that was opened by a servant, clad in blue velvet tails and breeches. The Cisisbeo fluttered around the entrance hall to announce that the Marchesa was ready to receive me; we shortly would be having tea in the pergola. I continued to the drawing room and went in. Surprise is not the right word for my reaction when I saw my hostess lying on the large bearskin rug in front of the fireplace without a stitch of clothing.”

 All this excess ended up getting the better of the Marchesa in the end, who, having made her way through her fortune, died penniless in London in 1957. She was buried alongside her taxidermied Pekingese, wearing one of her beloved leopard print creations and a pair of her famously distinctive false eyelashes. Her epitaph was taken from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, reading, “’Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.‘ Her legend more than lives on. 

A Man Ray portrait of Casati dressed as Elisabeth of Austria, 1935 (Man Ray Trust by SIAE 2014)

The Rajmata Gayatri Devi was never going to live an ordinary life. Born in 1919, she was the daughter of the Prince and Princess of Cooch Behar, a state in eastern India. Known as Ayesha, she was a tomboy – rumor has it she shot her first panther aged 12. She first met her husband before she was even a teenager. The then 21-year-old Maharajah of Jaipur was the country’s most glamorous man, the handsome Prince of Rajasthan’s magical pink city and a famously good polo player. Later, whilst she was at finishing school in London, they became secretly engaged, much to the consternation of both sides’ relatives. He already had two wives, both married for reasons of state, and her family was concerned that the independently minded Princess would be stifled by life in a much more traditional royal household as his third consort. Theirs was a love match, however, and they married in 1940 nonetheless. Together, they ruled Jaipur until it was acceded into the new Dominion of India after independence.  In 1970, her husband died suddenly in England and Ayesha became Rajmata, the Queen Mother of her city.

Maharani Gayatri Devi a polo player herself encourages the game

Gayatri Devi in her office after joining C Rajagopalachari’s Swatantra Party in the 1960s

But Ayesha Jaipur was much more than a consort. She played tennis, drove her own car, rode horses and joined in polo games at a time when royal women were supposed to keep purdah, a custom of segregation, all the while nudging her country towards change as she went. She opened a famous school for girls. She entered politics, winning a seat in India’s parliament in 1962 with what was then the biggest landslide victory ever recorded. Later on, during the political upheaval of Indira Gandhi’s notorious State of Emergency she would be imprisoned for six months.

Gayatri Devi at Rambagh Palace

Gayatri Devi pictured by Cecil Beaton in 1940

Maharani Gayatri Devi with Jacqueline Kennedy in 1962

And all of this took place against a backdrop of impeccable style. Encapsulating a time when all of India’s lavish regal traditions and exoticism blended with the jet set allure of the Hollywood era to bring about one of the most glamorous times in history, Ayesha’s reign was legendary. Named one of the world’s most beautiful women by Vogue, who cited her ‘a dream in saris and jewels,’ she was a vision whether clad in her bright chiffon saris or immaculately cut jodhpurs. The couple’s principle residence was the Rambagh Palace, a cream, sprawling confection of Mughal and Rajput architecture set in majestic gardens on the outskirts of the city. It was there that Cecil Beaton famously photographed the young Maharani in 1943, and there that she entertained everyone from the Queen to Jackie Kennedy. Visitors would find elephants in the gardens and custom Rolls Royce’s on the driveway.

 In her memoir, A Princess Remembers, she recorded, “When the Maharaja first took me to our residence at the Rambagh Palace, I was enchanted. There was a high-ceilinged, airy bedroom all in pink with pale voile curtains, pastel divans and chaises lounges. A large sitting room was filled with objet’s d’art from the Jaipur collection. Small jeweled animals, rose quartz and jade, and curved daggers with white jade hilts and jewels were displayed in glass cabinets. Jade boxes were encrusted with semi-precious stones in floral designs, and heavy crystal bowls were filled with flowers. My maids helped me change quickly into Rajasthani costume in auspicious reds, pinks and oranges, and to put on more jewelry, never forgetting the dozens of ivory bangles.”

However rarefied her life, however, Ayesha was not precious. Her approach was natural, and more than a little tongue in cheek. Once, when asked of her beauty secrets, she replied, “Tell them I drink a bottle of whiskey a day, and I dye my hair black with boot polish.” It is this casual approach to glamour, and its blend with a game changing approach to life that we at Kotur so admire. As champions of women who stand out from the crowd, she is impossible not to revere. She died aged 90 in 2009. The most glamorous Princess of her era, she has become the stuff of legend, a beacon of glamour who strove for modernity in extraordinary time gone by.

Photo Courtesy of Cecil Beaton, c. 1943, telegraph, pinterest, dailymail, wmagazine

We first came across Marcelle as a client of KOTUR. She was one of our first customers to purchase KOTUR shoes (see KOTUR’s Gilda and Guzels on window display in her other retail store, D&Me), and we were delighted to meet her in person. With her couture like approach, taking beautiful and unique pieces and reworking them into something entirely new, hers is fashion that exists for women who want to stand out from the crowd and clothes for those who appreciate the beauty of true artisanship. For these reasons and so many others, we at KOTUR love what she does. We are not alone. Worn by everyone from Kate Moss to Poppy Delevingne, Thandie Newton to Courtney Love, One Vintage has become a mecca for those seeking something truly special. Here, Marcelle talks us through how it all began, along with some of her most special items:

Marcelle Symons: I started One Vintage with a vision of a confident, individually styled, ageless woman in mind.  In my experience, confidence in fashion often comes most from ladies who don’t like to follow trends, who don’t want to turn up to a party in the same dress as someone else. They would rather have a unique piece that carries a story.

Since I can remember I have collected beading, embroideries and inspiring relics. I used to sell inspiration samples to designers, then I decided to create garments that were made only from original antique textiles, taking items like vintage dresses, kimonos and Victorian tops and breathing new life into them by imagining them in a completely new way. One of the main reasons for One Vintage’s success is that it suits ladies who would rather spend their money on a one off exclusive piece. Many of my clients wouldn’t wear pure Vintage, but I believe OV has changed that perception because they value the aspect of what we do that transcends “ fashion.” This is about timeless pieces with an element of couture. For me, someone who is mostly in denim all day, juggling work, kids and staff, I think wearing a truly unique piece is something to look forward to. We rely on these nuggets to shine and feel good. Here are some of my very favorites.

 Lucia Tait Tolani

Lucia was a dream client. She came to the store looking for something to wear to her pre wedding party and zoomed in on this piece instantly. It was a 19^th century silk kimono I had reworked into a long dress with slits on the side and a plunging neckline.  It suited her tall, slim figure, and had amazing golden dragons embroidered on it showing an extraordinary workmanship that you just don’t get today. For Lucia, I think the history behind it appealed, as did the fact that it was totally unique. She finished it off with KOTUR’s birdcage bag. Done!

Poppy Delevingne

Poppy chose one of a series I did of deconstructed Victorian dresses to wear to her pre wedding party in Morocco. I took the soft white cotton silhouettes and reimagined them into modern shapes, adding old, faded Rajasthani trims around the neckline and waist. The appeal of these dresses is that you can wear them with flats on a sunny day or high heels at night. They are really very versatile, perfect for a wedding or a party.

Thandie Newton

Thandie is one of my most cherished clients. She is an intelligent actress who makes choices based on a personal agenda and loves things that are unusual and different. She chose this cocktail dress for a dinner given by Alexandra Schulman of Vogue in London. Originally, the asymmetric top was part of a long dress that was falling apart and the bottom was a heavily beaded Emperor’s kimono. I joined them together to make a dress that she fell in love with. Thandie really appreciates things different from your every day; she’s a champion of anything artisan made.

Sera Hersham Loftus

An interior designer with a very luxurious aesthetic, Sera is a woman whose own approach to design is quite similar to my own. Her approach is sumptuous and sexy, with an eye for unusual fabrics – and that’s what she looks to us for, too. She has worn one of our Kimono dresses with lace sleeves several times, both in a photo-shoot and barefoot at her own party. It’s flowy and it suits her personality and it shows that no two people look the same in something as unique as this. These are clothes that are all about individuality and one’s own spin on things.

Kate Moss

Kate Moss’s white Victorian top was actually originally a skirt. She bought a whole series of these to wear to festivals one summer, and one of the reasons they work so well is because they are actually so versatile. You can chuck them on over a bikini or a pair of leather trousers. The quality and feel of that vintage cotton just speaks for itself, and they can be styled in so many different ways.

Courtney Love

Courtney contacted me a few months ago to say how much she loved my pieces and that she would love to wear some of them on stage. I love how bold she is, I admire her spirit and how liberal she is in the way she wears things. She has worn two of our kimonos, a full length one with lamé detailing on it to a premiere in Toronto and then a short version on stage. She makes them look utterly Rock and Roll.

Photo courtesy of whowhatwear.com, onevintagedesigns.com, life.com, facebook.com

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros

Vintage has really evolved over the years to become a mainstay in just about every closet of every fabulous girl out there. From street style to the red carpet, most women know that pulling out that amazing piece of vintage can really set a girl apart. For me, the key to wearing vintage well is to treat it like you would a dress from this season – don’t do vintage head to toe – mix it with modern day accessories (like a fabulous Kotur bag!) and make a piece of the past feel modern. Here are my styling tips for how to wear your vintage today:

Tip 1: Adding a bold vintage coat instantly updates a sleek and modern outfit and makes you stand out from the crowd. When Rihanna wore her Shrimpton Couture vintage Moschino Couture coat out in her birthday week, it landed her on the top spot of the Vogue Best Dressed list. A statement vintage coat instantly ups your game and takes even a basic LBD to the next level. Look for bold colors or design, strong lines, embellishments and rich fabrics.

‘Look for bold colours or design, strong lines, embellishments and rich fabrics’

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 Tip 2: Don’t do black for evening. Who hasn’t walked into a room and been faced with a sea of black dresses? Instead, follow the lead of uber-stylist and street style darling Giovanna Battaglia and wear color. She proved this theory twice, wearing Shrimpton Couture vintage gowns by both Dior and Balmain while making her way through Italy this summer. To tip: when wearing bold color keep accessories simple or add one bold pop in the same tone.

‘Don’t do black for evening’

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Tip 3: Sometimes a seamstress is a girl’s best friend. Vintage addicts know that a small tweak can take a dress from wow to POW! I don’t think I have ever been asked for the twin of a dress more that this Alfred Bosand. Dana Al Khalifa, the lady behind the break out Bahrainian blog The Overdressed, had her seamstress do a couple of small tweaks that did not cost a fortune but that do make all the difference.  Find someone you trust and be respectful to the original design and go for it.

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Tip 4: Bold for day can work too. Sometimes I think we have all become too minimalist – wear color during the day and walk tall! When Samantha Angelo wore this vintage Donald Brooks set from my shop to New York Fashion week this season she was stopped everywhere she went. This was all thanks to her full on riotous color (paired with black accessories and shoes to keep it within the realm of day.) Maybe it’s not quite office attire, but the lesson here is that a shot of well-placed, bold color gets you noticed.

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Tip 5: Finally, sometimes vintage is the best choice when you want to find something that fits the mood of a themed event or occasion. I am not talking about costume, but rather when you need to capture a mood, an era and a feeling. When Indre Rockefeller went to Wyoming this summer she took some simple and pretty vintage pieces that I had found for her and used them to create a dreamy country feel that still felt modern but in tune with her surroundings.  And that is just good style.

‘When you need to capture a mood, an era and a feeling’

Photo courtesy of www.shrimptoncouture.com

Be they grand and sweeping or perfectly formed little bijoux wonders, the gardens selected for this book are each as lovely as the last. Leafing through, you may find yourself in the secret courtyard of a convent, in a garden filled with wrought iron fences and tumbling roses accessed through the shuttered French doors of the perfectly Parisian building that conceals it. Or turn to its pages to stroll through the surprisingly cozy garden of Yves Saint Laurent’s partner Pierre Bergé, an urban hideaway styled like a country kitchen garden that comes complete with a greenhouse. The classical landscaping of Hubert de Givenchy’s private paradise, a landscaped jardin of large proportions filled with iceberg roses and box hedges is to be found tucked away behind his 18^th Century mansion and the hustle and bustle of Fauberg Saint Germain. Meanwhile, Kenzo’s private oasis takes the shape of a formal Japanese garden complete with carp filled river and Japanese flowers and trees and seems a million miles away from the center of France’s first city. Be they big or bijoux, perfectly planned or wonderfully undone, the Private Gardens of Paris revealed in this book give a glimpse into a secret world we couldn’t really have imagined. A beautiful book that’s full of surprises, this walk through some of Paris’s most special spots is utterly beguiling.

Private Gardens of Paris by Alexandra d’Arnoux, Bruno De Laubadère  is published by Rizzoli

Photo courtesy of http://tribumagazine.com/private-gardens-of-paris/

Scale is extremely important in the home: A big mistake people make is with proportions. They don’t realize that if you put a canopy bed in a small room, it will make the room feel gigantic.  Small rooms take big things, and in big rooms, you can’t put small things – they look really dinky.

Use Color: I love color. Blue, white and yellow is my favorite color combination.

Think of comfort when arranging your furniture: Your guests must be comfortable.  Look at your furniture the day after a party and see how your friends have pulled things around to create conversation groupings, then rearrange it like that.

I love Fresh Flowers: White tulips are my favorite, and I like big green plants in the house.

Wrinkled clothes make your skin look less wrinkled! I think about patterns and fabrics, but I don’t think much about what I wear. I don’t really like to get dressed. I mean, I’m not a nudist, but I don’t like to get dressed.

A perfect host leaves you alone. She sleeps in her guest room a couple of nights prior to when her guests come, to make sure everything is comfortable. Rooms have to be tested to make sure everything is there.

When you are arranging things, you want it to look natural, like the things were always there and it didn’t just happen on purpose. What I choose to put on a client’s bedside table is always very personal, but a vase comes into mind, and you have to think whether it should have 1 flower, 3 flowers, 5 flowers etc. Tables should always have a lamp and 5 other items, so it’s not too even.

Don’t be too serious about what you collect. One of my favorite things is a clock with a monkey’s face on it that I have on my bedside table. I also love to collect bird and dog paintings and porcelains. I have so many paintings and porcelains and all that silly stuff, I have too much stuff! It is time for a deaccession.

Go the Guru, Gonzalez
Bastien Gonzalez is a globally renowned foot guru – a French podiatrist with such a reputation that women all over the world flock for thousands of miles to see him for one of his signature pedicures. Part proper podiatry, part pampering session, his specialist approach is second to none. For those of us not quite lucky enough get some face (or foot) time with the man himself, however, luck is at hand. His team of personally trained technicians are stationed at his Pedi:Mani:Cure salons in hotels all over the world from the Maldives to Monaco.

Treat them, Shanghai Style
Cited by Vogue as ‘The best pedicure in the world,’ the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s signature Shanghainese pedicure performed by Samuel So is where women in the know head to revamp their feet. I first became addicted 2 decades ago when Mr So, the elder, did the honors. Sarah Rutson, the Global Buying Director of Net-a-Porter, likes to head to him for monthly maintenence. Based on principles of Chinese medicine, the Shanghainese pedicure involves the use of a scalpel to remove all the dead skin from your feet, and nothing but a buffer to make your nails gleam like mirrors. A great way to kick start your feet’s big reveal.

Buy into a bit of Blush
From candy tones to bright blues, there are nail trends aplenty this season. What’s caught our eye though are the peachy pinks doing the rounds from Lançome to Essie. With just enough color to them, these pretty alternatives to bare foot chic gives enough gloss to be dressed up whilst still keeping it all pared back enough to wear with even your shoutiest sandals. Personally, we have fallen for Essie’s peachy Perennial Chic.

Come over all Cleopatra
For the Egyptian Queen (and her English counterpart Elizabeth I,) the go to beauty secret for baby soft skin was to be found in bathing in milk. (Donkey milk, to be precise, so the legend goes for Cleopatra.) These days a more savory alternative is recommended for a bit of a home foot spa – and said to have similarly soft results. This recipe for a homemade peppermint and milk footbath promises to detox, exfoliate and soothe tired feet, and surely that’s surely something anyone can dip a toe into.
Find the instructions for a homemade Soothing Peppermint and Milk Foot Soak here

Go Naked
As recommended by Nadine Ferber, Co-Founder of Tribeca’s Tenoverten salons (also in Vogue,) letting your nails see the light a bit is a great way to shape them up for summer. Before you enter months of polish wearing, she recommends going naked on your nails, using a nourishing base coat such as their tincture The Foundation instead. Rich in Vitamin E, it helps fortify your nails before you subject them to the perils of summer.

Photo Courtesy of Bastien Gonzalez, Mandarin Oriental, Motherearthliving.com, Ten Over Ten

What are the best foods we can eat to help nourish the skin?

Your skin really reflects what you put into your body.  The key is to eat high-quality, nutrient-dense foods on a daily basis – lean protein, plenty of low-glycemic-load carbohydrates (non-starchy vegetables and fruits) and moderate amounts of beneficial fats. Some of my top favorite skin-boosting foods are avocado, flaxseed, blueberries, green tea, olive oil, wild salmon, spinach and yams. Avoid refined sugar, salt, flour and grain products, trans and saturated fats and limit your intake of dairy, caffeine and alcohol.

Skin that feels dry and tight from the sun is dehydrated, so it’s all about putting moisture back into the skin. Drink plenty of water and eat water rich fruits and vegetables. I love starting my day with a green juice or smoothie. Incorporate ingredients like aloe juice, celery, spinach and cucumber.

What’s the most important thing we can do to take care of our skin over the summer?

SPF protection is the most important element for healthy skin year round, but it’s particularly important during the summer months.  I recommend looking for sunscreens with ingredients that contain either physical or chemical blocks and always look for broad spectrum protection – which means protection from all UV rays. Try Kate Somerville Daily Deflector SPF 50.

How important are other lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep etc. when it comes to good skin?

Your entire state of mind can affect your skin. None of us lives a completely stress free existence, so knowing how to manage your stress is important. I recommend meditation, yoga, exercise or a massage to reduce stress.

What are the worst mistakes people make when it comes to choosing skincare products?

Not knowing their skin!  Are you oily, combination, dry? Take the time to assess your skin and your concerns. Think of your skin as having different eco systems – not every area has the same characteristics and concerns. Are you dry around the eyes, but experience hormonal breakouts on your chin? Taking the time to get to know your skin will really help you make more of an educated decision and help navigate through products in-store. It really comes down to this: don’t use the same product all over your face. No matter what your skin is like, however, hydration is key! If you are really oily, look for an oil free product with Hyaluronic Acid.

How can we help mitigate the effects of air travel and jet lag on our skin?

Hydration is so important while traveling because typically you’re not drinking as much water as you should, and the air on planes is dry.   I can’t leave home without DermalQuench Liquid Lift Advanced Wrinkle Treatment – it gives my skin an instant boost of hydration (ideal during long flights) and plumps fine lines and wrinkles to give my skin a smooth, refreshed look.

For jet lag, my secret to treating dark circles is the following: I steep green tea bags, and put two metal spoons on ice. Then I apply the tea bags over my eye area for ten minutes. After I remove the tea bags, I apply my Line Release Eye Cream, then massage around my eye area with the cold spoons. This trick instantly reduces puffiness!

Top tips for getting skin looking great for an event?

For at-home prep, I always tell my clients to follow these 3 simple steps to achieve healthy, glowing skin: exfoliate, hydrate and moisturize. Exfoliation helps remove the dry, dull layer of skin and reveals a fresh, glowing complexion.  Hydration is so important, and many of my clients confuse hydration with moisturization. Look for products with Hyaluronic Acid to draw moisture into cells and keep skin plump and youthful looking. Moisturization then seals in hydration and keeps skin’s moisture levels balanced. Look for a moisturizer with Peptides. My favorite is Age Arrest Anti-Wrinkle Cream which contains Telo-5™ Technology, based on the Nobel Prize winning medical research on telomeres, it is designed to combat the comprehensive signs of aging.

Find out more about Kate Somerville or buy products at www.katesomerville.com

Photo Courtesy of Kate Somerville and Google