Just wanted to wish all my readers a very happy festive season - so many fabulous excuses to party: Hanukka, Christmas, New Years, family and friendships.....

Those in the northern hemisphere, love your uggs, socks and gloves...
Those in the southern hemisphere.....smear on that sunscreen!

with love and bisous

Nirit

xx
(to see the card in full view simply click on it...)

Ok all you tourists out there - I just came across this website offering a service to 'rent-a-friend' as a means to view a city through the eyes of a local. 

Quite a nifty idea....and I'm totally wondering here if Karl Lagerfeld would be up for rent? Imagine hiring him as a friend for the day and seeing Paris through his eyes? Ooolala now wouldn't that be Paris in all it's fashionable glory? Otherwise you would just have to settle for regular Parisian folk...they can be friendly, they come with an accent, and usually don't bite!

Check out their site Rent a Local Friend

Le Fooding is an annual celebration of what the French love most: "food"

It actually goes beyond that - it's about mixing food with feeling...(mmmmm...)

It has also become one of the "the" social events of the year and if your name makes it to the list, then consider yourself "well-fed"...

The final soirée in Paris took place at the abandoned, graffiti haven, 1930's style swimming pool "Piscine Molitor" on 7 December... Instead of water the pool was filled with food, deck-chairs and all the who's who of Paris...

Le Fooding is the opportunity for the culinary and cocktailing crowd to experience, meet and taste Paris's up-and-coming chefs in a rather social-meets-network kinda way (which normally includes a DJ and plenty Veuve Clicquot champagne to sip on)
Lets just say I became good friends with the guys serving the delicious Veuve Clicquot....

If the crowd wasn't drooling enough over the scrumptious food,  there was even a display of models entirely removing their clothes and then changing into bathing suits (I love the Paris touch, throw in a large hint of sexy naughtiness) ...this certainly got the party started!

I even spotted and mingled with the lovely Rebecca Leffler a fellow entertainment journalist based in Paris....

Nirit Sumeruk and Rebecca Leffler

Yummy and fabulous all rolled into one - cheers to next year!

All that glitters is Belle en Rykiel! The Sonia Rykiel for H&M launch went beyond fashion, it was a feast and THE event of the fashion year with the streets of Paris still buzzing (or should I say sparkling) about Rykiel.
Affordable and worshiped fashion giants H&M joined forces with the glamorous house of Sonia Rykiel to create it's first ever guest-designer line of lingerie (and knitwear) - this was certainly a cause for celebration and what a fabulously deliciously glittering and magical evening it was! The Grand Palais was turned into a wonderland with every corner of the palace 'Rykiel-ed' out - champagne was served in tall black glasses, glitter was sprinkled on the carpets, the ambiance was made of that Parisian dark velvet and the rhinestone effect glistened everywhere - on the cut out trees and even in that enchanting music playing in the background...it was more than Wonderland, it was Paris in Paris just all dolled up!

A reconstruction of the Eiffel tower sparkled towards a reconstruction of the Arc de Triumph that cracked open with lightning, then followed by smoke effects and then the show began with a gaggle of geese marching to a live band...no these were not the models...

Instead of the usual cat-walk along the runway - models were driven on floats dancing, posing, hanging off chandeliers, swinging on swings, rolling on  beds, sipping on champagne, and riding bicycles - with British model Lily Cole magnificently opening the parade while holding the reigns to the head of a huge carousel-horse - and all this while wearing lingerie, of course.

The collection itself is sizzling! There are pieces in the well-known Sonia Rykiel multi-stripes, others with the famous rhinestone signature, others in dusty pink boudoir inspired 1950's Hollywood glamor, and some very sexy  pieces that have flowers strategically stitched - all in satins, silks, velvet and lace. Not to mention the accessories that I just have to get hold of: slippers, brooches, hair-bands, kimonos, suspender belts and tank tops (models were also dressed in SR's knitwear collection which will only be coming out next year).

So who was there? Obviously the queens of the night Sonia Rykiel  and  daughter Nathalie , as well as other celebs such as Kate Bosworth, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Eva Herzigova, Philippe Starck, my mother-in-law, and die-hard SR lovers dressed to impress in all their glory.
Check out Paris Popcorn's video of the Sonia Rykiel pour H&M event:

If you would like me to cover your event please email the details to: parispopcorn@gmail.com (this list will constantly be updated so check in regularly...)

2009

December

I don't know what was more exciting at last night's Cinema l'Arlequin in Paris - viewing the documentary premiere of the fabulous Loïc Prigent's Le Jour d'Avant (The Day Before) or knowing that Sonia and Nathalie Rykiel, Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough were all sitting right in front of me watching the film too....If I had a tub of popcorn I would have totally leaned over and asked them if they wanted some...

This 4-part documentary follows the 36 manic hours leading up to a fashion show of 4 grand fashion houses: Sonia Rykiel, Fendi, Jean Paul Gaultier and Proenza Schouler - each episode zooming in on a different designer and all the joy and frenzy that come with the pressure of presenting the perfect runway collection and a jaw-dropping show....

I just love Loïc Prigent's way of turning the glamorous world of fashion inside out - and letting all the buttons, safety-pins, fabric, desperate interns, models and designers roll out. His cameras literally zoomed in on the seamstresses stitching in the last shoulder-pad, a model all choked up after meeting Karl Lagerfeld for the first time, those nightmarish last minute technical failures and bursts of madness that come to life at all hours of the morning....for those who are lovers of action and thrillers (involving lipstick and high heels) you will adore Le Jour D'Avant!

The documentaries will premier on Arte on the following dates:

14 January 2010 at 22h05: Fendi

21 January 2010 at 22h20: Jean-Paul Gaultier

28 January 2010 at 22h00: Sonia Rykiel

4 February 2010 at 22h20: Proenza Schouler

And sources tell me that each documentary which lasts 52 minutes will be released on DVD on 2 February 2010... how exciting!

And now - time for the snapshots of the evening....

Squashed amongst the many fashion-worshipers at the latest Paris Fashion Week backstage of the John Galliano show with a glass of Champagne in hand, I was pressed up against a beautiful young woman who happened to be wearing a spectacular scarf around her neck – I simply couldn’t miss it! Meet Ashley Ashoff a Paris-based American who is the creator of this luxurious brand of scarves Ashley Ashoff.

I recently attended a private sale at her atelier and became an instant fan of her crafted work - a blend of art and haute couture for the neck, the wrist, the head and even the ankle of your boot! Her various collections  are inspired by emotion, nostalgia, poetry and even the body – one of her collections  called 'Human Heart' feels as though she dove right into the soul of the heart to produce this magnificent pulsating collection.

Madonna, Eva Longoria-Parker, Dustin Hoffman and Bruce Willis have been spotted wearing an Ashley Ashoff - as well as Taylor Swift for whom she had it especially made. Even rock 'n roll legend Steven Tyler from Aerosmith has  tied an Ashley Ashoff from her ‘Champagne’ collection around his microphone! Sorry, but it just doesn't get cooler than this!

 I also adore her collection "Billet-Doux" (meaning Sweet Words), which is all about hand-written love letters.  As Ashley says “When was the last time you received a love letter?” Personally I got very excited at the prospect of draping love poems around my body written by French novelist Honoré de Balzac....

Nestled amongst the scarves were also exclusive hand-made Jewelry pieces from  the trendy New York based  jewelry brand DANNIJO. Their pieces are bold and sexy and made of mixed metals and other scrumptious elements such as drusy quartz, crystals, aqua aura and pearls….a combination that makes for that effortlessly glam look - and that  happen to  compliment the scarves beautifully!