1.10.10

we'll always have paris



It's weird for me to think that a lot of the people that I met at London Fashion Week are, as we speak, in the midst of it in Paris. I honestly don't know how they do it.

Okay, the Carine story: at the Mark Fast show (see previous post), I had cleared it with his people to shoot from the aisle between the front row (my favourite spot: I always like sitting on the floor, at home, wherever, so it's normal for me). This time there were these printed names on the seats next to me and the two nearest the aisle were free. One said CARINE ROITFELD and people kept trying to sit on it so the girl @ Mark Fast was spending the whole time saying, no, that seat's saved. Finally I started doing it for her so she could do HER job. I literally had my hand on the seat to block people from sitting there, and even then.. it was getting ridiculous. Can't people read??

The show was really late in starting.. I mean, REALLY late.. turns out they were holding it for Carine, and there was all this talk about 'no, she's on her way, the car's on its way..' Across the aisle, I saw her daughter, Julia, who I had met two days earlier @ the Unique show (third from right), but no sign of Mum. I read later she was at the Alexander McQueen memorial and they were rushing her over from there.

Just as the show was about to start, they must have whisked her in because I could see, just as it started, she was opposite me, front row at the very front (see last shot, far left). So, having done my job keeping everyone away from her seat, I found myself sitting front row, IN CARINE'S SEAT.



Okay so after the show, I was talking to various friends, taking photos, blah blah blah, and suddenly found myself with people snapping none other than the style icon herself. It's funny, I thought I was so over leopard last winter but I'm loving it now especially as a print: can you see? This isn't faux fur, it's woven fabric. I just love it.



And then there was my new friend Julia: in all black, but classic court shoes in a leopard print. I wonder if they planned it: got on the phone that morning and said 'let's be all matchy matchy mother daughter' or if it just happened. Anyway I told Julia I had some nice shots of her from Unique and we were trying to figure how I'd get them to her. I was going to say 'I'll just call your mom's office and email them to her PA' but instead - sometimes, in hindsight, I amaze even myself with the lame things I say - I asked her:

'Are you on Twitter?'

So she starts telling me this whole story about how she used to be, but not any more, there's a fake twitter account but it's not her, and meanwhile - you know what it's like - Mom's already in the big black car with the driver and the dark glass, and they're waiting for Julia because I'm holding up the works. So I finally asked 'Are you on facebook?' and she smiled and said yes, friend me! And off she whisked, like Cinderella, in a big black shiny chauffeur driven pumpkin.



It wasn't later til I realised: hang on, I'm only a civilian.. you can't just go around friending public figures, otherwise everyone would do it. They have their own top secret Celebrity Facebook that we can't access. So Julia, if you're reading this, I'll just have to wait til you friend me. Either that, or I'll have to contact your mother's office, after all.

AFTER Paris Fashion Week is over, of course.

I see today's Dior, Roland Mouret, Vivienne Westwood.. my brother's favourite from years ago, Yohji Yamamoto.. Issey Miyake, Lanvin.. if you could go to one Paris show today, which would it be?

Frankly, I'm happy on this rainy day to stay home with the cat and a cup of P.G. Tips, and upload photos from a photo shoot I did yesterday for a really cool initiative that Topshop is doing. Coming soon to a theatre near you.

11 comments:

Tallulah Keats said...

Polka - seriously, WELL DONE, your LFW tales are the best. You got in there with Olivia, you buddied up to Julia, and then you got into Carine -grand dame of good taste - Roitfeld's field of vision and sat in her seat after fending off the fashion skanks.

My hat goes off to you

Thanks so much for taking the time to upload ur pics. I love Carine's style, so this was really great to read.

Also love Mark Fast - regret not having attended his show when I got invited a couple of seasons ago.

Keep up the great work

Ellie said...

Jill! These are amazing photos, Carine and Julia are so interesting to me as mother and daughter. I love the matchy matchy-ness even it was a happy accident!

I would definitely want to be at Viv Westwood. Always have, always will.

jill said...

Thanks Tallulah & Eleanor.. but listen I should really say: I've met and shot some AMAZING 'civilians', too. I am so not a star struck fan, of anyone (it's probably partly because over the years I've met & hung out with 'famous' people - and my brother's a musician with a well known band) - I just happen to be on a roll where one story leads to another.

I'll balance it out with doing my next posts of ordinary people with extraordinary style, how's that sound?

Oh and Eleanor did you see the V&A retrospective on Viv a few years back? It made me realise what a genius she is: her referencing of the past and bringing it into the future - laid out the way it was - really blew me away.

Truly grateful for your support!! xo

EIGHT LONDON said...

I love your stories Jill, they always make me smile. Thanks so much for sending the neon photos; I'm cringing and laughing a lot looking at them. What a goofball. And there's some very near-knicker flashing going on too. See, I'm far too naughty for the fashion crowd!

jill said...

Ah yes but it was near-knicker, not full knicker. Anyway I wanted to run them by you first before I posted. Next week I was thinking of doing a kind of civilian week: only stylish civilians, of course! Are you in?

Ellie said...

Oh course Jill, some of your favourite photos of mine are of everyday people you've caught on the street :)

Also, no I didn't see the retrospective, it sounds brilliant though. She is my perfect english gentlelady!

jazmine rocks @ jazzabelle's diary said...

i adore your london fashion week stories, jill! in fact, i love all of your story posts and the fact that every post you write links to another somehow.

the leopard print coat looks amazing on her, it's great to see someone wearing something other than fur or fauz fur. i wish leopard print would suit me, i tried a coat on in next, the print and the fur does nothing for me! speaking about next, have you spent you £100 voucher yet? i have four pounds left on mine!

i've forgot if i told you this already, but it was love to see you last friday! just let me know when you want to go the latest exhibition. i've actually transferred my foundation art course from full time (1yr) to part time (2years), which means i'll have more free time to do the things i want.

also, thank-you for being my 'rock' (ha, i love when i use some of my last name in context ;) over the course of lfw. it was great to see you on the last day, if you wasn't there when you was, i never would have known how photographed me! is there any chance i could see a couple of the pictures from that day, or perhaps those from the v&a?

sorry for such a long comment! jazmine. xxx

styleeast said...

Great great post, brings it all back. That was such a crazy moment where i suddenly realised "whoa, I'm at LFW and THE Carine and Julia are standing right in front of me", swiftly followed by "must turn on camera and capture"! Which I did, but they didn't come out anywhere near as good as this.

Going to email you about another FFF soon - my alternate Fridays off officially start next week! xx

The Photodiarist said...

The first and last photos are awesome.

WeShop said...

I love Carine - she always looks stunning and that leopard print coat is no exception. She's such a style inspiration for all ages, but the closer I get to 40, the more I appreciate how good she looks. Amazing hair and legs. xx
http://www.weshopthereforeweare.co.uk/

Ann said...

I love that leopard coat! Wow!