the design work of JEAN-LOUIS DENIOT

It can't be said enough-I adore a book. I love to look at them, and actually read them.
A book is a Trip. It takes you places, and if the subject is intriguing enough one book just isn't enough.

This season of  design books has been phenomenal and I fear that before year's end-and Christmas gifts are all purchased, I'll not have completed my recommendations of Books to Give & Receive. Fortunately, any time of the year is book time.

Sumptuous iridescent green silk curtains oversee a light filled view in this Jean-Louis Deniot designed Paris apartment photographed by Xavier Béjot

One of the most elegant design books this season is about the work of Jean-Louis Deniot. I became aware of the designer through writer Diane Dorrans Saeks' blog, The Style Saloniste, so it's fitting the first Deniot book has been penned by none other than Diane. From the moment I saw the first of his rooms at the Saloniste, I was wild about them. JEAN-LOUIS DENIOT INTERIORS, is la cerise sur le gâteau, revealing Deniot's personal apartment, country houses in France, and projects that have taken the him to the United States.

An architect, the elegant Frenchman Deniot, has an innate sense of what is right and necessary. His design sensibilities are Classical-along with a sophisticated stylishness uniquely his own. There are many great designers- but in Deniot, I see a rigorous technician with an immense soul.
He is indeed, a virtuoso.

Jean-Louis Deniot © Javier Béjot, and author Saeks photographed by Drew Alitzer

"I always want to get away from the white box. My interiors are about atmosphere, character, texture, and a sense of harmony."- Jean Louis Deniot

An unerring Vestibule in the French countryside by Deniot
photograph by Xavier Béjot



SHADES OF GREY & Henri Samuel

One of Deniot's sources of inspiration is the work of the late French designer Henri Samuel. Samuel's cultivated Classicism is instantly recognizable in this Deniot designed Chicago home. Classical architecture, commissioned pieces by Deniot, & a Jean Roche inspired mirrored mantle-all echo notes in a Samuel designed room.

reminiscent of a Parisian salon, a Deniot Living Room in Chicago

photograph by Xavier Béjot

Saeks concludes the book in a terrific final "conversation" with the designer. Reminiscent of what makes The Style Saloniste so revered is this revealing brand of "Q & A." The book too, reveals a designer whose confidence is absolute, but maintains he makes an effort for his attention and intention to go quite unnoticed.

"It is the art of being invisible."- Jean-Louis Deniot

go inside the book at RIZZOLI here

all photographs were provided for and used with the permission of RIZZOLI

the Honourable GREY

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"Though grey hairs may be "honourable" enough they unfortunately place their owners frequently at a disadvantage, and especially is this the case in the business and professional world." from The Lady. Hair Staining Is An Art. 30th November, 1916

So they say, circa 1916-
but way back- in the day
there was nothing more fashionable.
then again Isabella of Parma was decidedly not of the business world.

today Going Grey is shifting-we're seeing more of it-and it's for certain I am
going that way-

 capitalizing on Grey, going all the way.

   Isabella Borbone Parma

 Archduchess of Austria painted by Anton Raphael Mengs

 Next-I'm going for the diamond girandole earrings.

the girandole design reached new heights during the 17th and 18th century. Isabelle's sparklers were probably made of diamonds- and set in silver-topped gold.




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a wedding of a different color

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I think you will see these images saturating the internet-if you haven't already. Why then, have I zeroed in on them?
Weddings are beautiful- brides are exquisite- yet-rarely is the bride an Original.

Originals- Oh! yes- there are certainly stylish women everywhere, and chic-we've talked that too.

but an modern Original? Indeed- Katie Shillingford-Stylist and Fashion Editor for Dazed & Confused, married Alex Dromgoole in Greenwich's Eltham Palace  wearing a  pale grey gown of shredded layers of silk chiffon she collaborated on with  friend and designer Gareth Pugh. A floor-length veil  adorning the bride's coiffure was designed by famed milliner Stephen Jones.

reminds me of - Tim Walker's horse of a different color.

or this-

photograph by Majukka Vainio

see more wedding photographs- all by Amy Gwatkin on Another

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the days of gray Nattier

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Jean Marc Nattier,  Portrait of Mademoiselle Chamisot

Jean Marc Nattier, Madame Henriette de France as a Vestal Virgin

On occasion the topic comes up here.
Often- more often it comes up there.
On  my head.  
Yes, I am going gray-and wish for the day when grey was Nattier. Nattier had the knack. He could make the Ladies of Court quite the beauties-yet maintain a striking likeness. They after centuries still are beautiful, ethereal, mythological & their hair is gray.

 Jean-Marc Nattier, Comtesse de Tillieres

You see where I'm going with this-don't you?
Women are berated- No, not too strong, they do. 
Berated for not caring about themselves, not keeping themselves "up"- giving up.
Gray hair does not mean a woman doesn't care.
It means she is going gray-part of the natural aging process remember-and hey- may I add- it is not an easy trip. Women that take that road will suffer through the process.
At some point it will become obvious that more than one appointment with COLOUR has been missed.
Passers by and friends- "You're doing that on purpose?"

Jean-Marc Nattier Madame Marsollier and her Daughter

Men start balding-and contrary to what might be said-they're not all Yul Brenners- Patrick Stewarts-Vin Diesels. So-take it easy on the graying. 
Yes- men do have the "distinguishing" gray temples-no arguments.
Their gray distinguishes them.
They go gray gracefully.
They still care.


Enter Kristen McMenamy-a 45 year old model, mother that has let it go gray & wouldn't she have been glorious as a Nattier?

Editor Franca Sozzani has embraced gray & McMenamy featuring her on two recent covers and countless editorials.  The gray is natural, long,

She gives gray a much needed redemption-it can't be too soon. Is it becoming desirable even? It takes time to go gray. trust me-I'm going there. Fortunately- I've been given a secret boost to set me off to "grayer" heights from friend-she is a good one- and a wonderful COLOURIST. My grandmother was gray-a white- pretty grey- really -at an early age & my father's was the same.
Both were striking -will I be?
I don't know if I've got their roots-I hope so, I only know there's a lot- a lot of gray up there.

Jean-Marc Nattier, Madame de Maison Rouge as Diana

Nattier's sitters were actually desirous of  gray or even a touch of violet-a blue-a pink- a yellow.
Most often used were powders. The powder was made from finely ground starch, scented with orange flower, lavender, or orris root and colour was added. 
Delicious!

Jean Marc Nattier, Victoire de France

Wigs were an option, but many of Nattier's grays were loving their own hair and powdering it.
Wigs-they come later, but the powdering would stay light for a time. Though light, powdering became de rigueur for "dressing" til the end of the 18th century.
For the most part men were the wanton wig wearers.

Most admired of the age-most of Madame Pompadour's portraits depict her with a simple braid originating at the neck & locks at the forehead & powder to get that touch of gray.

all portraits of Madame Pompadour as Diana

1746

1748

 1748

1752

Gray? Are you-going?
Think Nattier-Madame Pompadour & the natural aging process.





again with the GRAY here- graying with grace?




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graying with grace?

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it might be a record of sorts. the recent post in the New York TImes Why Can't Middle Age Women Have Long Hair by Dominique Browning- found 1256 comments stringing just beyond her last words 'The short of it is that long hair means there is always, at least, hope.'  She started something.

This seems to be a habit with the writer- she is likely the most beloved editor of the woefully defunct House and Garden magazine, author of countless exceptional books and now a blog, entitled Slow Love Life- also the title of her latest book. That her list of credits is enviable-apparently, a lot of people are on the fence about her hair.

It is Long.
It is Gray.
It seems it is the combination that really flies in the face of what is proper for old-I say that with love-however- more mature sounds more-well, loving, so let's go with that.

The article caught my attention and as I finished its first reading my comment- To Self: That sounds about right, I will get there. At 55, the author has taken the plunge and let it fly -loud and proud. At 51, I'm not there yet-though my hair stays at about shoulder length for the last twenty years, in varying shades of brown, blonde, & yes-I swear, purple once. The purple-fained as RED, was not- RED-it was purple. So what is it like at the moment- RED, not purple- and it is just right- at the moment.


Yes, the maintenance is going to be hell- mind numbing. I finally found something like my idyllic childhood color. A distinct gray streak either side of the part has emerged overnight after about 1 month. I find myself pulling at the part pressing down-How much gray is there really?  My Loved Ones swear they can't see a thing. Hum?  After sending a photograph of the stunning Ines de la Fressange- as she recently appeared on the Chanel runway- to my longtime friend and stylist, we conferred in front of a full length mirror. In more or less these words she said:
You want to go red.
I: of course not.
:that has a great deal of red in it. At this point she could see I was backing down-
but this time-to my surprise, I didn't.  Everyone that has noticed the RED, or I have prodded to notice says they like it- No- I think they Love it.

Dominque Browning thinks-rather knows-Men love long hair. They think it's sexy. (her words) She sites fictional literature and myth as her sources for this knowledge, and I am sure she is working from first hand experience as well. Now here we do part ways- I don't think this is quite accurate. Perhaps collectively MEN prefer it-it is fantasy. If their reality includes a well loved woman with a darling pixie cut- they would, or should, adamantly disagree. Since my own experience is lackluster- for few MEN In My PAST  have offered a firm opinion-more the - I like it however you like it. Hum? Maybe that was a lie. Anyway- they are no longer PRESENT. Those MEN I do count on for reassurance- two older brothers and a nephew, offered their unique and for each-not surprising- comments.

Right after I went RED, I had dinner with one of my brothers. Standing beside him- I wait for  the shock, the awe. He looks at me- then catches a glimpse of our mother, who just had her hair cut about an inch- and says, "Oh, look- Mom's had her hair done." (exact words) I was flabbergasted! Really. I Mean Flabbergasted.
I:"Kev! I can not believe you are standing right next to ME and my hair is RED & you didn't notice, how can that be possible, I can't believe it?" (all in one string of exclamations- just like that).
He: "Oh, You , did. It looks good." Just as he always has, in his smiling laughing kind of way. It is charming and diverting. We giggled like we did when we were best buddies.

Next brother- Paul, my oldest sibling , I just went right in for it:
"I dyed my hair, It's RED." 
He: "I see that."
Lastly, from my 22 year old nephew, JT, born with sagacity in full, and Bless Him, He loves me just as Aunt Gaye-immediately He said:
"Yes, that's mostly how I remember your hair being." Of course- He is right. It was like saying welcome home, Aunt Gaye.

So how do you get to the point of putting chemical dyes on your head, scalp- permeating ? My niece, Liz at 27 has beautiful blonde hair - always has. This summer when she breezed into our family mountain gathering, her hair was noticeably more blonde.
Her question to her Gran and Me-"If you didn't know me, would you think it was natural?" Both, mother and I laughed, and then we all three laughed wildly. Her father-ever the diplomat,Paul, said when asked if he noticed, replied, "Why Yes, I didn't know if it was appropriate to comment on the change?" That is LOVE. I declare-these are the people that would not care if your hair was green- they LOVE you, so they LOVE your HAIR.

One of my favorite blogs to visit is Catherine's The Blushing Hostess Entertains, writes in Don't Bend  
'be fearless. Cut if you want to, but not because social more's flattened your resolve to maintain it. And not because someone else prefers it another way. Do it because you want to see someone you recognize in the mirror. And because she is beautiful that way.' I agree with this lovely young woman. What I do struggle with it the maintenance, and it will only get worse. It IS Getting Worse. So will it stay long. My father's four aunts and grandmother all maintained very long hair throughout most of their lives. Shocked as a child, one day I found my MaMa out on a bench brushing the longest, grayest hair I had ever seen. Draping just along the ground, she always wore it in a neat coil-this machination performed by one of her four daughters-who always seemed to be just waiting to be called for the task. As my mother says:
"the Women of your father's family prefer long hair - I don't know why, but I guess you do too." Hum?
These same women have married often or never married-so I'm not sure if the Long Hair Gene really exists but it does seem to be Trend rather than Trait. That it will go Gray sooner rather than later is becoming obvious- my grandmother was prematurely gray-white as a matter of fact- and that was most becoming.
IF ONLY. That is likely to be my fate. I have no cause to believe my hair will ever co-operate with my desires as it is yet to do so.

I'm half way there. Fearless? OF that I can not be sure, however, it is nice to have something important to think about, to think of throwing caution to the wind.

MODEL HEADS

Emmy Lou Harris

 Kristen McMenamy

model ,age 46

also on the cover of ITALIAN VOGUE

Carmen Dell'Orifice

see this Little Augury Post on COVERS Would VOGUE DARE? - HERE

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DV: RE GREY

 

 Vivienne Westwood red label

THE CONDE NAST PUBLICATIONS Inc.

To               BARON DE GUNZBURG    From MRS. VREELAND    April 14,1969

                   MRS SIMPSON

Copy to        MRS. SCHIFF

                   MRS. MELLEN

                   MRS DI MONTEZEMOLO

                   MRS. HOVEY

                   MISS DONOVAN

                   MRS. INGERSOLL

                   MISS MC KENNA

                   MRS. BUTLER

                   MISS WINKELHORN

                   MISS HAYS

                   MR. DUHE

                   MRS, BLACKMON

                   MISS CANNE

                   MISS MIRABELLA

                   MRS. FRANKEL

                   Let's promote grey.

                   For everything.

                  At the present moment how much grey have we got? 

Halston

    moral-of the DE: RE:  Think boldly, declare your Visions boldly.
                                     ASK for the details later.

  
another VISIONAIRE 37 memo
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WOULD VOGUE DARE?

Once upon a time when Edna Woolman Chase was Editor in Chief...


Chase started in the Vogue mail room and with her zest for the magazine-quickly advanced." When magazine was in danger of closing, and Chase took it upon herself to make sure Vogue was kept alive. Chase went on the road to persuade people to keep reading the magazine." (wiki) **Conde Nast bought the magazine 1909 and made Chase editor in chief in 1914.

The results:

Vogue cover by Cecil Beaton March 1948

In today's youth obsessed, starlet world, Would they dare put a woman like this on the cover? A gorgeous woman of indeterminable age, silver hair, with a classical Beaton background. Carmen Dell' Orefice would do nicely.

image from fashion tidbits (here)

image from HighValleyBooks (here)

Suggested reading, Chase's book Always in Vogue (1954)

** would Anna Wintour dare?

GRAY MATTERS

Amy Perlin 19th c. plaster bust from 1st dibs.com
Bill Blass Gray

Groundwork's wood drop tassel fringe in DOVE
may peace be with you and your drapes

Jacques Grange
GrangeGray
a new book from Grange out this fall

image from here

Tortoise chair & chair detail by Aiveen Daly
belted grays

a greyhound

chase away the blues

Alexander McQueen's silk chiffon scarf at net-a- porter
houndstooth & horror- a graymare

Marion Cotillard
French Grey

Christian Louboutin's OKT Boots Bergdorf Goodman
la Pauline de Rothschild

Marimekko's Kirsikka

"gypset" chic gray

Bella italia weine, Sttutgart Germany

1900 grey

the ultimate film about conformity
don't do this gray

Persephone books
Grey matter

Verner Panton 123 Swivel Chairs from Red Modern Furniture at 1st dibs
Panton Gray

apple mac

more gray matter

Olivier Debre Gris Coulee a la Loire a la trace ocre

gray abstraction

Classic Francois Catroux room
SoChic Grey
via this site

David Hick's Gray Flannel from Lee Jofa
designer gray

Robert Kime Helmet Lamp
goth grey

Astier de Villatte wood grain plate

grayed, smoked and fired

Whirlpool Kitchen Concept for Small Spaces via dailyicon.net
petit gris

Osborne and Little Kishangarh paper
greystone

Pierre Frey's Ming paper in Pewter

Chinois Grisaille

Renzo Piano's new Modern Wing-Art Institute ofChicago
zone grise

Jasper John's Grey Alphabet

gra b c's

gray's anatomy

the real Gray deal

Roman & Williams Buildings & Interiors
city grey

Dennis & Leen Palace Chandelier
the light of gray

Cole & Son's Haddon Hall Flocked paper
gray wall

Casa Orlandi Guesthous the 18th century palazzo in Prato by Sabrina Bignami via yatzer
lady grey

Julius Shulman's Photograph Case Study No. 22
Modern Grey

Pierre Frey's Planisphere paper in gray
flat gray

Tom Ford's new fragrance Grey Vetiver
not just a suit gray

a Michael Smith and White House
Gray goes to the White House

A L Diament's Chateau Country Scenic

grisaille

Vintage pure linen sheets from Red Ticking at 1st dibs
gray for night

confituriere cabinet fromAlhambra Antiques 1st Dibs
gray niche for sweets

Balmain Tweed Military Cape at net-a-porter
GRAY start a campaign

Hunter Boots in Graphite Gloss
grey goose

Daniel Craig
Bond Grey
"A Steady Rain" on Broadway-Craig's gray debut***
& just named to the International Best Dressed List

Michael S. Smith's fabric "Gavle" at decorati
pretend you live a White House, decorate with gray

wool & the gang L'il Joe Waistcoat kit at net-a-porter
kneat kgray knit kit

Diptyque feu de bois candle at Aedes De Venustas
grey firewood
heat up a room

the new Dorian Gray movie opening in September

see the trailer here
Gray reflection

Fan Tree wallpaper in grey by Cole & Son
gray day

& TROUVAIS

postings for GRISAILLE
to die. click here

inspired by a friend, Berdorf's & Trouvais
**thanks Caftan Chronicles