When our French Affaires travel group boarded the plane in Dallas a couple of weeks ago en route to Paris and Provence, we saw local fashion directors and buyers dressed to the nines. We quickly realized they were on their way to la Fashion Week in la Capitale (Paris). Leather riding-type boots worn on top of skinny pants or jeans was the fashion ensemble du jour.
We didn’t think much more about Paris Fashion Week 2009 until a Sunday post-lunch stroll along the Champs-Elysées. We had been admiring the beautiful gardens along the grand boulevard when we came across larger than life covers of French Vogue magazine lining both sides of the trottoir (sidewalk). Suddenly we were immersed in the best of French fashion–without wrangling for a single ticket to this year’s fashion shows.
It turned out we had discovered a short-term outdoor exhibition called “Vogue Covers” designed to relive 90 years of women’s history as seen by this ‘Bible’ of fashion. Running from October 1 to November 1, the show includes covers from 1920 to the present representing the best models, fashion designers, photographers, artists and illustrators. Of course, French actress and model Catherine Deneuve makes multiple appearances.
Paris is always full of wonderful surprises, and this is one of the best I’ve come across lately. There are still a few more days to see “Vogue Covers” in person. Or you can get a feel for it in the visual tour below. Vive la mode à la française (long live fashion French style)!
Translation: The French edition of Vogue was first published in 1920 and has never missed an issue except during the Occupation when the magazine refused to work under German supervision. Nearly 90 years of publication, represented here by some of the most striking covers, express certain sides of French history—its taste, its fashion and aesthetic trends—but also illustrate the magazine’s constant focus on quality.
French Take-Out ~ La France à emporter™
To get French fashion direct chez vous, you can subscribe to the Paris edition of Vogue magazine and other France-based publications via Express Mag. Express Mag handles U.S. subscriptions for a variety of international publications, including the French versions of Vogue and Elle. Click here to get French Vogue without ever having to leave home.