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In a recent
story about Gloria Guinness the indubitable Toby Worthington- commenter to this blog -practically since its inception- and still-and for that I extend heartfelt thanks- said:
"Gloria Guinness may have been a minimalist in terms of her fashion choices,but when it came to doing up her Paris residence in the 1950s it would seem that minimalism was the furthest thing from her mind. The
interiors by Georges Geoffrey were richly detailed, at least that is the impression gained by photographs shown in the 1960 publication,Les Réussites de la Décoration Francaise 1950-6."
IN RESIDENCE
Gloria Guinness
my reply:
"You may be right-I am taking a bit of license to make the point about this particular design idea. And I guess another thought might be-when In Paris do as the Parisians do. How I, and my readers surely, would love for you to share her interiors by Georges Geoffrey.If you have it, please scan some images for us. Again-as many- many a time I have asked, write a guest post for Little Augury and share your ideas,with all your brimming bookshelves of information you can be my resident scholar! As always I am glad you are reading and something here has peaked your interest, glad to know I am still one of your favorites."
& he was.
& he did!
lucky for all!
THE SALON
The decorator of the Guinness apartments was Georges Geoffrey. Friend Hubert Givenchy remembers him: "Geoffrey was an 18th century gentleman, a figure from another era, one of a breed of decorators that is extinct today."
(from the AD January 2000 issue) Givenchy was an ardent admirer of the designer's work- like himself- Geoffrey was a purist. The opulence of the Guinness rooms never gives way to cliche & like
the Guinness stripe- it is classic, timeless, chic.
The Salon, occupying a height of two stories, exuded the splendor of Louis XVI and was filled with art selected by designer and client. Designer Geoffrey preferred devoting himself exclusively to a client's project-with no others to distract him. He was a master with draping his own curtains just as a fashion couturier would do-his fabrics-taffetas, silk satins and failles were made to measure by Prelle.
detail of the Salon
(from AD January 2000)
Givenchy said "Georges's great quality was his inventiveness." Easily seen-this inventiveness- from the detail above of the Salon's bookcase and mantle walls where Geoffrey cleverly uses swathes of fabric and trim to mark the soaring height of the room and soften it simultaneously. His use of fabric and mirror in the halls (see below) is another example of his trademark use of trompe l'oeil and sense of theatre.
IN RESIDENCE
In the photograph below, Gloria Guinness and her daughter Dolores are wearing Balenciaga, photographed by Henry Clarke for French Vogue in 1957. Delores- born Dolores Maria Agatha Wilhelmine Luise, Freiin von Fürstenberg-Hedringen- to Gloria by a previous marriage- married her step father's son Patrick Guinness at the age of 19. Patrick was killed ten years later, 1965, in auto crash. The couple had three children. Delores Guinness never remarried.
a page from Les Réussites de la Décoration Francaise 1950-6
THE DINING ROOM
Geoffroy selected an 18thc neoclassical paper depicting Greco-Roman statuary
(image from Architectural Digest 2000)
THE BED CHAMBER
An 18th century wallpaper transforms the bed chamber into a Chinese garden, while along side a pair of Hepplewhite chairs stands a gilded table displaying malachite objects.
THE HALL: SMOKE & MIRRORS
One of the doors is false, the other gives on to a small office.
For all its grandeur the Geoffrey's rooms created for the Guinnesses never abandon Gloria's adherence to the classic- or the chic-and in this case-the best.
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