Kotur » paris

World of KOTUR: Private Gardens of Paris

kotur — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 23:11:44 +0000

At KOTUR, flowers, gardens and all things botanical are constant sources of inspiration. As seen in our embellished Espeys, Jardines sandals and this summer’s Morley, a minaudiére literally festooned in flowers, the wonderful world of flora informs many a design of ours. And so it follows that we are more than a just a little bit fond of a beautiful gardening book. One published by Rizzoli last month has just come to our attention. Private Gardens of Paris takes a sneak peek behind the doors, over the walls and through the shutters of some of the city’s most glamorous residences and into the gardens beyond them, revealing an almost unimaginably verdant and sumptuous world of greenery and flowers as it goes.

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/

World of KOTUR: The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 07:37:50 +0000

To an artist we at KOTUR have admired through it all for his single-minded approach and commitment to his craft- the once notorious as Paris fashion’s l’enfant terrible, it is now his work that makes Jean Paul Gaultier topical again, with the recent news that he has closed his ready-to-wear collection to focus on couture, coinciding with his touring exhibition ‘The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’ which has finally reached Paris, having already visited 9 cities, and over 1.5 million visitors. Besides the vast showcase of 175 outfits along with scores of fashion photographs, sketches, backstage videos and clips, animated faces are projected onto mannequin heads that blink, glance at visitors and speak every so often. What also makes the Paris exhibition special is the added personal twist to the retrospective — laying out family snapshots and even his beloved teddy bear. Don’t miss the exhibition at Grand Palais in Paris, which runs through August 3^rd!

‘As a child, my attention was always drawn by those women who didn’t look like everyone else’ – Jean Paul Gaultier

‘It’s beautiful to be what you are’ – Jean Paul Gaultier

Photo Courtesy of Pierre et Gilles, Dominique Maître

World of KOTUR: Send the ultimate bunch this Mother’s Day

kotur — Wed, 06 May 2015 04:31:15 +0000

Should you be looking to send a particularly special bunch of flowers this Mothers Day, help is at hand. At KOTUR, we like to spell out ‘I love you,’ in our own way, sending flowers in the shape of our floral minaudiéres in a twist on the traditional bunch. Our embellished Espey with shell flowers, our Taylor with its flowery studs and our Morley whether festooned in blooms or printed in pink and green will each give the feelgood factor of flowers with the added extra of lasting forever.

When taking the traditional route, however, ensuring the quality of the flowers one sends is all in the caliber of florist you choose. On this front, we decided to do the research for you, asking some of our most stylish friends to open their little black books and divulge their favorite florists from all around the world. Well travelled, entrepreneurial, creative and chic no matter which city they may find themselves in, these mothers know good flowers when they see them. From Paris to Hong Kong, New York to London, here are their recommendations.

New York

Jackie Astier
Mother of two girls. Stylist, Editor, Interior Designer, Creative Director of fashion brand ASTIER

Favorite Florist: Zezé, 9338 First Avenue, New York

Los Angeles

Jennifer Creel
Mother of 2 boys and a girl. Jeweller Designer, Actress

Favorite Florist: Eric Buterbaugh. He’s the best, love his flowers.

Paris

Pamela Boulet
Mother of two sons. Philanthropist and Democratic fundraiser, Pamela organizes trunk shows for Andrew Gn, donating proceeds to favorite charities

Favorite florist: La Chaume on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, because it’s been in existence since 1845 and is still so chic.

Debbie Oppenheimer
Mother of two girls. Interior Designer and business owner, Furniture and Accessories Designer

Favorite Florist: Eric Chauvin, in Paris.

London

India Hicks
Mother of four boys and a tomboy. Model, designer, author and founder of Indiahicks.com

Favorite Florist: Rob Van Helden for flowers that are imaginative, original and super chic.

Hong Kong

Gemma Soames
Mother of one boy. Style writer and journalist

Favorite Florist: Ellermanns in Hong Kong is a wonderful place to head for flowers that are lovely, natural and little bit undone whilst still remaining extremely chic. Their shop in Sheung Wan also sells great homewares and accessories, too. .

Saint Tropez

Emily Fisher
Mother of two girls Interior Designer

Favorite Florist: Really, I love buying flowers in the Tuesday and Saturday markets. But Martinaud in Saint Tropez is brilliant for wonderful fresh blooms that last for days. I head there for huge hydrangeas and peonies in divine colours.

Photo Courtesy of Ellermann, Eric Chauvin, Rob Van Helden

The World of KOTUR: Haute KOTUR

kotur — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 05:31:32 +0000

With Haute Couture all wrapped up in Paris, here is our take on KOTUR couture.. Giambattista Valli // Chanel // …

The World of KOTUR: The Rose Bakery – Foodie Heaven

kotur — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:05:17 +0000

Tokyo might seem a strange place to stumble across a British born Parisienne baking phenomenon, but that’s where we found the Rose Bakery last week. Shopping at Dover Street Market in Ginza on a whistlestop tour of the Japanese capital, we found ourselves slightly wilting. Lucky, then, to find the Rose Bakery on the top floor, the Asian outpost of the Parisienne eatery already famous around the world. And, one bit of their carrot cake had us joining their crowd of fans.

The brainchild of Rose Carrarini and her husband Jean Claude, The Rose Bakery was opened near the Gare du Nord in 2002. Daring to tell the French how to eat, the couple (she is British, he French, they had previously worked in fashion and launched a cafe in London,) quickly became famous for their delicious salads and incredible treats (the lemon polenta cake and carrot cake being particularly well known highlights.) Quickly, it became a must do stop on the Paris visitors list -and a particular favourite of the fashion week crowd. The cafe’s understated look, impeccable fresh ingredients and simple but delicious food proved too much of a killer combo for most to resist. For those not currently heading to Japan or Paris, however, help is at hand. The cafe have published two books, the latest, How To Boil an Egg, just a couple of months ago, and they’re great. Simple, delicious recipes that are the chicest take on naughty eating we’ve ever seen. So good, they might convince even us to break out the baking trays.

To get you started, here’s their recipe for Carrot Cake:

Rose’s carrot cake

Serves 8

unsalted butter, for greasing
4 eggs
225g caster sugar
300ml sunflower oil
9 medium carrots, finely grated
300g plain flour, sifted
1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 rounded tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1/2 tsp salt
150g finely chopped walnuts

for the icing

125g unsalted butter, softened
250g cream cheese
1/2 tsp natural vanilla extract
50-75g icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Butter a 23cm cake tin and line the base with parchment. Beat the eggs and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Pour in the oil and beat for a few more minutes. Fold in the carrots then the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Fold in the walnuts. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool the cake in the tin before taking it out. To make the icing, beat the butter with the cream cheese and add the vanilla extract and icing sugar. Ice when the cake is cool.

All Pictures from: Breakfast, Lunch and Tea and How to Boil an Egg by the Rose Bakery

Books available at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Boil-Egg-Rose-Carrarini/dp/071486241X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Lunch-Tea-Little-Bakery/dp/0714844659

The World of KOTUR: Dames in their Drawing Rooms: The Duchess of Windsor

kotur — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 04:37:06 +0000

Her husband may have abdicated from the throne, but that wasn’t going to stop the Duchess of Windsor from living in anything less than palatial surroundings, as stunningly showed by their home from 1952 to 1986. Fondly known as Villa Windsor on 4 Route du Champ d’Entraînement in the Bois de Bologne, Paris, both lived in the mansion until the end of their lives. A regal affair rented to them for a nominal fee by the French government, it was the scene of their famous dinner parties and the backdrop to a life dripping in glamour, the kind in which pugs were walked by footmen, tablecloths were embroidered to match china sets, where drawing rooms came lemon yellow, dressing rooms pale blue, and Cecil Beaton painted a portrait or you for your bathroom. A true Dame with true style, click through our gallery for pictures of the Duchess of Windsor’s impeccably grand home.

Pictures: Shot by Horst, for Vogue’s Book of Houses, Garden’s and People, published 1968. Used copies available on Amazon here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0370004973

And from Windsor Style by Suzy Menkes published 1991. Used copies available here http://www.amazon.com/The-Windsor-Style-Suzy-Menkes/dp/0246132124/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366258063&sr=8-1&keywords=windsor+style

The World of KOTUR: Dames in their Drawing Rooms: Lee Radziwill

kotur — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:38:08 +0000

Those that follow us will know that, at Kotur, are always on the look out for inspiring interiors – and a particularly brilliant shoot run recently in T Magazine got us thinking of a whole new idea. If homes are canvases, literally rooms full on inspiration to be taken away and mined for our designs, our wardrobes and our very own walls, then why not take a peek at the homes of women who really really knew how to live in them.

And so we launch our new blog series, Dames in their Drawing Rooms, kicking off with Lee Radziwill, a bastion of chic, sister of Jackie Onassis, and all round style icon in the real sense of the word. Lee Radziwill has had homes all over the world – from London to Paris, via New York. She’s been friends with Capote and Warhol, a doyenne of society in London and New York, she travelled with the Rolling Stones, had an affair with Peter Beard, known Nureyev and published a book of her happy memories – and she’s done it all looking immaculate. Today, as featured in T magazine, her Paris apartment speaks volumes about her style. Classic elements, splashes of colour, an understated, unstudied sort of chic all come together with an elegance that’s unmistakeable and subtle – just the sort of kind you’d want.

Go back a few years, and you’ll find those style signatures there, too. They’re in her infamous ‘Turkish Room,’ the Renzo Mongiardino designed drawing room of her 1960′s London home that was festooned in Indian block printed fabric, they’re in her New York city library, an ode to La Manach in ceiling to floor print, and they’re in her Avenue Montaigne overlooking Paris abode, too. Colour, print, nick nacks and treasures – all have their place in these pictures. Click through our gallery to see the drawing rooms of one amazing Dame.

Pictures: 1-4, Lee Radziwill’s Paris apartment shot by Francois Halard for T Magazine 2013. Pictures 5,6, Lee Radziwill’s New York apartment shot by Eric Bowman April 09 Elle Decor, Picture 7, Lee in her Turkish Room, London, Image: Happy Times, Cecil Beaton,

The World of KOTUR: Lorenz Baumer

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 03:50:11 +0000

I was delighted to meet French jewelry designer extraordinaire Lorenz Baumer on his way to Bali, to a particular bay, he told me, a special place for passionate surfers, which he is.

Lorenz really is a surprising person. Handsome enough to be a movie star, he trained as an engineer but then began designing costume jewelry and furniture. After freelance designing for Chanel, Piaget, and Cartier he opened his own studio for fine jewelry on the Place Vendome in Paris. In addition, he also designs the jewelry for Louis Vuitton.

His jewelry is so inspirational to me because it is truly imaginative, and exquisitely rendered. As Lorenz himself says: ‘Jewelry should be more than art, it should be an experience,’

The World of KOTUR: Lisa Fine

admin — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:31:22 +0000

A former editor at Mirabella magazine, Lisa has all the charm of a great lady of the American south and the sophistication of a chic woman in Paris, where, in fact, in addition to living in New York and Dallas, she has kept an apartment over the years. With another woman of noted international style, Carolina Irving, a former House & Garden and Vogue Living editor, Lisa is co-owner of Irving & Fine, gorgeously practical Indian and Eastern inspired fabrics, tunics, and blouses that have become essentials for the best-dressed set.

KOTUR: What’s in your makeup bag?
LISA: Bobbi Brown concealer, Bobbi Brown eye shadows, all different types of eye creams, one for puffiness, another for dryness, Bare Essentials powder, Peter Kopelson anti-aging cream…and a lot more.

KOTUR: What are your desert island essentials?
LISA: I’d need a couple of steamer trunks filled with face cream, jeans, good books, biographies mostly and, of course, Irving & Fine tunics.

KOTUR: Do you have a beauty secret?
LISA: Live healthy, and then play hard. If I am not enjoying my calories, then I am having the wheat grass.

KOTUR: What do you wear on a fat day?
LISA: Did I already mention Irving & Fine tunics?

KOTUR: How would your female friends describe your style?
LISA: Depends whom you ask, my Dallas friends, my New York friends or my Paris friends.

KOTUR: What are the most treasured pieces in your wardrobe.
LISA: A few old Saint Laurents, including a black lace gypsy skirt and a black tuxedo.

KOTUR: Is there anything in your wardrobe you should get rid of but can’t?
LISA: Certain old pieces of Geoffrey Beene that no longer can be worn.

KOTUR: You are the fashion police for the day, what do you ban?
LISA: Jogging suits and shorts in airports.

KOTUR: How high is too high a heel?
LISA: As long as you can walk well, any height.

KOTUR: Denim jeans?
LISA: Depends on how you wear them. Everything in life is all about how you do it.

KOTUR: What quality do you most admire in a person?
LISA: A free spirit, someone who is real, not pretentious. Nan Kempner comes to mind.

KOTUR: Can you judge a book by its cover?
LISA: Sadly, I’m afraid, yes.

KOTUR: What is your greatest extravagance?
LISA: Good hotels.

KOTUR: Bad habits?
LISA: I stick my foot in my mouth all the time.

KOTUR: Cheap thrills?
LISA: Fried pork rinds.

KOTUR: Best advice you’ve ever been given?
LISA: Marry him now, trade him in later.

KOTUR: What is your favorite scent?
LISA: Lipstick Rose by Frederic Malle.

KOTUR: What is your pure bliss?
LISA: Linen sheets, a roaring fire, being with people I adore, good food…and hot and cold running help.

KOTUR: What would be your last meal?
LISA: Martini corn fried oysters and the garlic salad with blue cheese at Galatoire’s in New Orleans, then the crab at Trishna in Bombay, then a big juicy steak with delicious red wine and a hot fudge sundae.

KOTUR: Yes or no to a nip and a tuck?
LISA: No, but yes.

KOTUR: Do you have a favorite Kotur bag?
LISA: Yes, any clutch in Ikat.

KOTUR: As who or what would you like to be reincarnated?
LISA: My part mutt, part Sharpei named Kashgar, rescued in China on a garbage dump. We should all have his astrology chart or Karma!