“Lesage and all the maisons d’art are part of the future of fashion,” Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion, wrote in an email, “and the contribution of each maison is key, not just at Chanel, but if you look at shows today, everyone wants to value the unique savoir-faire.”
This past summer I spent an afternoon in Lesage’s shimmering world, where sequins, beads, metallic threads and more come together with the skill of the petites mains (in English, tiny hands), as the skilled seamstresses of Parisian fashion houses are called.
At Lesage, the artisans are predominantly women from varied backgrounds. Some are graduates of École Lesage, the in-house embroidery school, although its training program, which can involve as much as 150 hours of instruction, is not a prerequisite for a job. One worker now on staff, for example, formerly taught history and geography.
“The most difficult part is to make,” Mr. Barrère said. “We’re talking about humans, not machines.”
Mr. Barrère said it takes at least 100 hours to make an embroidery for a simple ready-to-wear garment. “In haute couture, it’s 600, 800, 1,000 or 2,000 hours of work, it depends,” he continued. “Each time you multiply it with the price per hour and it becomes very, very expensive.”
The creative process at Lesage is both collaborative and intensely personal. Here is how it works:
Conveying a Theme
Fashion collections usually have themes, and Lesage artisans work with designers and their teams to turn those themes into embroidery.
“Each project is unique,” Mr. Barrère said — and to explain it, he described the work behind the Chanel Cruise collection, designed by Virginie Viard, Chanel’s creative director, and presented in May on the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles.
The new Louis Vuitton GO -14 bag combines three things that are vital to one another: a designer’s inspiration, a trunkmaker’s thriving heritage, and an artisan’s ingenuity, presented with the house’s magnificent savoir-faire.
Meet the GO-14 bag, the symbol of timeless creativity passionately created by Louis Vuitton’s artistic director, Nicolas Ghesquière. The bag originally appeared on the designer’s first runway show for women’s collection in October 2014, hence the name – Ghesquière October 2014. Nine years on, the bag re-emerges to meet today’s aesthetic with its distinctive design and details crafted by the house’s skilful artisans. Of particular note is the crisscross pattern that instantly steals a glance.
Named the malletage, Ghesquière revives its inspiration from the interior of Louis Vuitton’s trunks, purposely designed to keep documents in place. Despite imagining its practical function, he rediscovered the pattern as the bag’s striking yet discerning feature. “There are some universal codes that exist solely in Louis Vuitton. It was about reappropriating and transposing them into a new setting,” says the designer on his unparalleled discovery.
As a testament to the house’s trunk-making heritage, the malletage poses a challenge for all the artisans in the atelier. The creative process itself requires more than 20 different steps, particularly to get the perfect and subtle gradations on the patina. The steps also ensure it can get a satin or toasted finish near the stitching. Adding more attention to detail to the bag is the high technique the artisans put through for depositing the 17-metre-long trim for the rounded malletage, making the process a true epitome of the maison’s complex savoir-faire.
The newly reimagined GO-14 bag also boasts its cushiony and curvy look using the soft lambskin. And like its original idea, the pattern is padded and overstitched to highlight the bag’s surface. Additionally, the
Hunter Schafer is one of those celebrities that seemingly popped up out of nowhere. In 2019, she made her acting debut as Jules in the hit HBO show Euphoria, and suddenly, she was everywhere. But she didn’t actually just appear over night, Schafer actually cut her teeth in the modeling world long before she got into acting. That might be why, by the time she started hitting red carpets to promote her new projects, she already had her personal style completely figured out. Schafer has never played by the rules when it comes to dressing for events. She loves to take risks, which is why she usually gravitates toward more out-of-the-box designers like Rick Owens and Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli. Of course, her ambassadorship with Prada has also resulted in some best dressed list placements. She is constantly stepping out in custom looks from the house, many of which are inspired by vintage creations. Clearly, Schafer has an eye for fashion, which means every time she appears on the red carpet, it is an absolute delight. Below, we’re looking back at her short time in the spotlight, and all of the great looks she has already managed to squeeze in so far.
2023: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Los Angeles Premiere
Schafer paired pin-straight, waist-skimming hair with her completely embellished, cut out Alexander McQueen pre-fall 2023 dress.
2023: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes World Premiere
2023: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes European Premiere
Schafer did not mess around during The Hunger Games press tour, and at the movie’s first premiere, held in Germany, she wore an artistic Schiaparelli fall 2023 haute couture dress that looks like it was literally
Georgia women’s basketball guard Chloe Chapman does more than you might think off the court, turning a passion project into a successful business during her tenure as a Bulldog.
The almost 23-year-old has always been artistic and is a textiles, merchandising and interiors student working towards her master’s degree.
Chapman came to UGA with a love for fashion. Shoes, clothes, accessories, the works. The idea of starting a clothing brand/store presented itself, and so it began: ‘Create What U Can’t Have.’
“I wanted it to be just something unique that other people could connect to, not just myself,” said Chapman, who posted four points, five rebounds and six assists Monday in the Bulldogs’ win against Georgia Southern. She wrote in an Instagram caption: “I’m creating what you can have.”
Chapman gathers inspiration daily. Whether it’s from a song − she likes Chris Brown and a good throwback tune − or what she witnesses on a walk from her apartment to the basketball facilities, or her favorite designers like the late Virgil Abloh, the visionary of Off-White and head of Louis Vuitton men’s wear.
Like many artists, things that drive her emotions and what she’s dealing with in life tend to manifest in her streetwear collections, design after design.
She put the gas in the tank for ‘Create What U Can’t Have,’ or CWUCH for short, in her first year at UGA. She said once the name was nailed down, it was about finding vendors, manufacturers and advertising. CWUCH has both an Instagram account that’s built up almost 700 followers and a website and Chapman promote on all facets available to her.
Her Georgia teammates and coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson have been supportive of the endeavor.
“We did a talent show kind of thing for team bonding, and she made this really
Elena Arenas shows off her sculpted abs on social media!
The artistic gymnast, who competes alongside her bestie Olivia Dunne for LSU, dropped jaws on Instagram when she shared a sizzling set of snaps.
Elena Arenas Stuns In A Cut-Out Dress
Arenas rocked a white mini-dress that she wore for her birthday. The garment had a skintight fit that helped highlight her hourglass silhouette. Its one-shoulder design also accentuated her toned arms, while the straight neckline bared a glimpse of her décolletage.
The cut-outs below displayed a glimpse of her sculpted midriff. Meanwhile, the lower part of the dress formed on the curves of her hips down to her upper thighs. Notably, the tie-up feature made the dress even shorter — allowing the athlete to showcase her toned pins.
Elena Arenas Is Ravishing In Red
For the special occasion, Arenas pulled up her hair in a ponytail and wore a full face of makeup, which included a red lipstick that suited her nicely.
In terms of accessories, the LSU star accessorized with a dainty necklace and a pair of dangling round earrings.
Striking Poses For The Camera
The first photo saw the 22-year-old standing against a white backdrop. She popped her hip to the side and placed one of her hands on her waist. While smiling and looking straight into the lens, the gymnast touched her brunette locks using her other hand.
Arenas showed the back part of her dress in the second snap. She placed her right hand on her head and looked over her shoulder to face the camera.
Elena Arenas Gives Another Rear View
A swipe to the right showed Arenas striking a similar stance. This time, she
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There is an established order and it’s quite clear. The sports federations of each country are the local arm of the corresponding international entity. Example: The FFF (Fédération Française de Football) is the French branch of FIFA. As such, they are autarchic organizations in which States cannot intervene except in very severe cases of corruption, violence or the like. In addition, the vast majority of international sports entities, which are part of the IOC, hold many of their autonomous decisions regarding the Olympic leadership field.
This, which in almost all cases is logical and even healthy, in the so-called Russia Case would justify the search for common codes, at least on the way to Paris.
Russian and Belarusian athletes had been excluded from International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) competitions in March 2022, shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. On July 19, the decision to make this exclusion more flexible was announced and this week, details of the conditions for this return were announced: any athlete who wishes to obtain and compete under the status of “individual neutral” will have to submit an application to FIG. Those approved will be eligible to compete in events starting January 1, 2024.
As recommended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), only individual gymnasts will be accepted “in no way” as teams representing the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the National Olympic Committee (NOC) or the National Federation (NF).
As a first requirement regarding geopolitical conflict, the FIG requires that those who aspire to be considered neutral athletes cannot “have acted against the peace mission of the Olympic Movement by actively supporting the war in Ukraine”. In addition, it will be essential that there be
In the realm of artistic expression, creativity knows no bounds. Many famous artists, known for their mastery in traditional mediums, have often ventured into uncharted territories, giving rise to a diverse array of captivating and unexpectedly beautiful creations. From intricately designed doors to wearable art in the form of dresses, these unconventional masterpieces redefine the boundaries of artistic innovation. In this exploration, we ‘ll unveil ten extraordinary and oddly beautiful creations from the portfolios of celebrated artists, each a testament to the limitless potential of human imagination.
Image Credit: harimaolee / Masterworks.com.
1. Salvador Dali’s Surrealist Lips Sofa
In 1935, Salvador Dalí, widely regarded as the foremost Surrealist artist of his time, crossed paths with the British collector and poet Edward James, a kindred spirit in their shared passion for Surrealist art. James was the leading advocate for the Surrealist movement in Britain. Their connection deepened into a profound friendship, with James becoming an ardent collector of Dalí’s masterpieces. In 1936, Dalí sojourned at James’ London residence, an occasion that sparked a flurry of creative brainstorming sessions for Surrealist objects and furnishings. It was James who proposed the audacious idea of crafting a sofa inspired by Dalí’s work, “Mae West’s Face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment” (1934 – 35). This extraordinary piece envisaged the vivid scarlet lips of Hollywood luminary Mae West transformed into seating for an otherworldly room arrangement.
Think you can’t afford to invest in art? Think again. Learn more at Masterworks.
Image Credit: Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
2. Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Reclaimed Doors
Basquiat’s painted doors serve as a testament to his ability to infuse even the most mundane objects with profound meaning, transcending their utilitarian origins. His use of vivid colors, dynamic brushstrokes, and enigmatic symbols creates a dialogue between the
We live each day holding two thoughts in our minds at once. The horrors? They never cease. And also, time marches on. Babies are born, the holidays come again, the ginkgo tree yellows, and Leonardo DiCaprio has a birthday. These things we can count on for the most part. The actor turned 49 this year, and he threw a big bash where he allegedly kissed his girlfriend, Vittoria Ceretti, 25, and the crowd dicaprio-showed-off-pda-with-vittoria-ceretti-at-birthday-bash-exclusive-8400809″allegedly hoisted him into the air. One gets the sense that DiCaprio has long been good at balancing the solemn and frivolous—all that yachting balanced with excellent work balanced with his philanthropic endeavors.
But enough about him and the horrors. What about everyone else who went to the party? There were many: Kim Kardashian, Rita Ora, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Salma Hayek, Lady Gaga, Chris Rock, Snoop Dogg, and the reportedly recently affianced Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum all attended. What do you wear to Leonardo DiCaprio’s birthday party? The overarching theme was little black dress (many guests were arriving from the 2023 Baby2Baby Gala, Los Angeles’s biggest night for babies, and were dressed all the way up).
Kate Beckinsale, however, did something a little different than the little black dress. She wore a little black dress from the Blonds’ fall runway, which came with a surreal belt. It was deeply reminiscent of two fictional gems that have crossed paths with DiCaprio on film.
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One is the the blue square-cut sapphire and beckinsale-makes-an-epic-callback-with-her-dress-at-leonardo-dicaprios-party-214758″diamond necklace that DiCaprio’s character Howard Hughes gave Beckinsale’s character Ava Gardner in 2004’s The Aviator. The other is the Heart of the Ocean, immortalized in the 1997 DiCaprio vehicle, Titanic. The Heart of
New sculptures installed for Art Walk Albert Lea
Published 5:17 am Tuesday, November 14, 2023
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This crane is now a featured work on Albert Lea’s Sculpture Walk near the splash pad. It was created by Toby Holtz, a student at Riverland Community College. Provided
This is one of the new sculptures on the Sculpture Walk in Albert Lea. Provided
This is one of the new sculptures on the Sculpture Walk in Albert Lea. Provided
This is one of the new sculptures on the Sculpture Walk in Albert Lea. Provided
Five new sculptures from mostly local artists were installed last week between the Albert Lea Public Library and Dress Island around Fountain Lake as part of the Art Walk Albert Lea initiative.
With the addition, there are now seven pieces in the Sculpture Walk after the first two pieces were installed this summer — one at the top of Fountain Lake Park and another at Edgewater Park.
Shane Koepke, one of the Sculpture Walk organizers, said he hopes the sculptures enlighten people’s experience around the lake, whether walking or driving.
“It’s a really popular walk and drive,” Koepke said. “It’s all in making our community more beautiful and being able to have something interesting as we go about our days.”
He said good art inspires people to think through things — no matter their opinions about the art — and sparks conversation.
The sculptures are a combination of art made from found objects and inspiration from the world. The new sculptures include a dragon reading a book across from the library, a pair of roadrunners at the end of Grace Street and Lakeview, a snail at Dress Island and an armored horse head on Broadway outside the Albert Lea Art Center. The roadrunners are made to spin with
Singer Tallia Storm is flaunting her fit physique in order to promote some new music!
The 25-year-old singer released her new single “Used Girl” on Friday and her 607 thousand Instagram followers can’t get enough of her new tune!
Tallia Storm Leaves Little To The Imagination In Her See-Through Black Dress
The “Boyfriend” singer donned a see-through black dress that left little to the imagination to promote her new single, “Used Girl.” She brushed her long blonde hair back out of her face to show off her glossy red lips. Only her face and her shoulders were exposed by the strapless dress and appeared to be glowing in the dim light as she used the photo as the cover art for her new single. In the caption, Tallia celebrated the release of her new song:
“HAPPY NEW TALLIA MUSIC FRIDAY 🥹 ‘Used Girl’ is out everywhere 🫶🏻 u can add to ur sad gal anthems & stream till the tears are dry !!!! thank YOU @spotify for giving me my own ‘This Is Tallia Storm’ playlist🥺🥺🥺 Cloud 9!!! So happy to share this song with u, my dms are OPEN. I wanna know what u think & feel & relate to Used Girl!!!!! Tallia has BEEN THERE. Thank u @mikeseaberg on the mix🫶🏻🥰🎧🎶 link in bio.”
Her mother, Dr. Tessa Hartmann, commented, “Love love love this song but my heart is aching for you – but we’ve all been there. Congrats – stunning performance and insane string arrangement. Proud of you Missy T.” Tallia responded to the comment with four red heart emojis. “Love Island” season 6 reality star Eve Gale also dropped some love on her post, simply writing, “Wow” along with a heart-eye emoji.
Tallia Calls ‘Used Girl’ Her ‘Most Fav Song Ever’
On Saturday morning, the