Author: matthew
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Déjeuner in the Dordogne
On a sunny day in the Dordogne, the proprietors of Le Vieux Chai Antiquités enjoyed a pleasant déjeuner in the shade. In a fortuitous stop on my journey, I made new friends and acquired a treasure trove of vintage monogrammed linens.
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Style Moment | Danish spoons
“Don’t make something unless it is both necessary and useful; but if it is both necessary and useful, don’t hesitate to make it beautiful.” Shaker lesson
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Weird but Wonderful | Odd man out
The Marais, Paris
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Eye on Design | Paris | Le Corbusier house
“Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep.” Le Corbusier (1897 – 1965) A striking white modernist structure is tucked into the Square du Docteur Blanche, a stark contrast to the traditional stone chimney-topped townhouses. Built in the early…
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A Stitch in Time
Once upon a time, I was a costume designer. But first, I was a shy seamstress working in the costume shop of the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, dreaming of becoming a costume designer. At the time, I struggled with the strict orders and high standards of the legendary costumer for whom I worked. It wasn’t…
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Style Moment | Vintage books in the Puces
“The idea of the past assumes its fullest significance and value only in those who are filled with a passion for the future.” Paul Valéry (1871-1945) French poet and philosopher
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Style Moment | Copenhagen still life
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) American author, poet, naturalist, historian, philosopher
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Eye on Design | Saint-Émilion | Graffiti, circa 18th century
There it was, high up inside the 12th century bell tower of the church of Saint-Èmilion…evidence that there are some things that never change.
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Style Moment | Astier de Villate, Paris
“I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object be what it may – light, shade, and perspective will always make it beautiful.” John Constable (1776 – 1837) English painter
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If it’s Europe, it must be Fashion Week
I’m in Paris and it’s fashion week. I didn’t know it would be fashion week when I booked my trip, but I should have guessed…because in the past year, without planning it, I’ve hit fashion week wherever I go.
