just dawning on Me

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 this week has been a busy one, exciting and all that-and it's just dawning on Me that I spent what will be long remembered at a magical evening at Dawnridge! The place is surrounded by a Scheherazade induced haze. The Garden, the host Hutton Wilkinson, Ruth be-wreathed in a clam shell size gold encrusted collar-and what was it? Pearls-that seems likely, but could that be possible?

Hutton announced last night that he will be writing a book based in part on the last ten years of Elsie de Wolfe's life. Tony Duquette and Elsie de Wolfe planned Elsie's  Beverly Hills house After All in 1941, when Lady Mendl was forced to exit France during World War II.
I selected Elsie's rooms at the Villa Trianon as one of my Five Most Inspiring Places I've Never Been for the panel discussion at West Week mentioned in an earlier posting.

Ruth and Hutton in there new digs-that float magically into the original Dawnridge

as seen in Harper's Bazaar

Hutton José Wilkinson-Tejada, and in 2008, the king of Spain issued a letter of succession granting Wilkinson rights to the hereditary title of the 4th Count of Alastaya.

Read more: Interior Designer Hutton Wilkinson’s Home. Harper's BAZAAR

the story of After All on the Tony Duquette site here

when a dress is a room

a orgy of Exoticism~ Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Spring 2012 & Tony Duquette & Hutton Wilkinson for Dodie Rosekrans, Palazzo Venice

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Hutton Wilkinson on Lavender

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"I Love Lavender, but I tend to deal in jewel colors... So We call it AMETHYST. I am CRAZY about it...especially using it with silver gilt. All the ceilings on the main floor of my new house are painted a PALE AMETHYST... So, I guess I'm Really Crazy about it!!! " Hutton Wilkinson

amethyst and diamond brooch from Tony Duquette here

Hutton Wilkinson designer of interiors, jewelry for Tony Duquette and for his own line.
my post on Hutton's trip to Capitol here
Hutton Wilkinson  here
Tony Duquette here
Hutton Wilkinson here 

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CAPITOL & DUQUETTE

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a trip to CAPITOL is an experience. don't take it from me, rather- take it from Hutton Wilkinson, curator historian of the extraordinary TONY DUQUETTE home Dawnridge. Hutton is always busy creating his own design legacy as well-interiors, jewelry, books, what next? Hutton said in all his travels of late, there is none more chic, more beautifully laid out  store than the glamorous women's design atelier-CAPITOL. The collection is edited  by the charmingly feminine Laura Vinroot Poole. Laura, a petite powerhouse, is as gracious as they come. A visit to CAPITOL must be much like a visit to her home- come early, stay late. You don't want to leave.

 Capitol scenes from de Gournay &  Albers

A vignette created for the Duquette jewels- featuring Oscar de la Renta's patchwork

embroidered evening skirt and silk blouse.

Hutton Wilkinson was on hand to show his collection of otherworldly jewels from Tony Duquette.
I will never,
Ever,
look at a brooch without first thinking of a Duquette brooch.
I will likely visualize any dress or lapel as being slightly lack luster without a brooch--preferably a Duquette one- with "air" behind it (that means perching it up a bit up on the shoulder so it can  show properly).

Laura wearing a necklace of citrine,aquamarine, peridot, spocolite in 18 karat gold 

with designer Hutton Wilkinson

 Hutton describes the earrings and necklace of malachite, citrine, and emerald bead in 18 karat gold

as emulating pond scum. My vision is of a pond somewhere in the Pavlovsk Palace Park with shards of 

malachite scattered across the water by a water nymph. It was my favorite in the entire collection, 

without a doubt.

Both brooches above are made of emerald, green amethyst & fluorite in 18karat gold

Looking over the two couture floors of CAPITOL is viewing fashion for Fall 2010-at its best. What could be better? Nothing-
unless it is the smooth sophisticated decor the clothes are shown in.
Everything works, it is glamorous- like the clothes-but does not overwhelm them. Very important.

Again-Hutton Wilkinson put it beautifully-It is like being on the set of the 1939 movie THE WOMEN. The centerpiece of the fashionable "movie" CAPITOL is the fantastic Vertical Garden created by botanist and inventor, Patrick Blanc.

The Tony Duquette collection is not just jewelry-each piece is a work of art. Hutton creates his jewelry from stones in the original Duquette collection &  special  gems he has amassed. He entertains at the legendary Dawnridge frequently and is thinking of declaring certain of his soirees as a full out wearing of couture only. After seeing the well dressed women come out for CAPITOL'S party honoring Dara Caponigro of Veranda, he wants to see women at Dawnridge wearing their best couture, their best jewelry- just the way they did when Tony Duquette and his wife Elizabeth entertained there.

 the 3 images above copyright Tony Duquette, used with permission

 an aquamarine and diamond in 18 karat gold ring

photographs of Elizabeth Duquette

...more scenes from CAPITOL

An evening event honoring Dara Caponigro was standing room only for the fashionably dressed -the decor was certainly VERANDA worthy.

 Owner, Laura Vinroot Poole of CAPITOL-looks at fashion through a unique lens and what a beautiful setting she has created for a fashionable life.



CAPITOL Interior Designer is Barrie Benson & Architect is Perry Poole-Laura's husband.


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