Departures Australia Spring 2014

STYLEETC. THE SMART

STYLEETC. THE SMART GUIDE The consummate shopper’s paradise EN VOGUE À PARIS Well heeled A fixture on the cool local design scene, Pierre Hardy (pierrehardy.com) designs footwear and bags that define contemporary glamour, creates jewellery for Hermès and has collaborated on shoes with Gap. His range is filtered carefully through selected stores and websites, so a visit to his Palais Royal shop is essential to see the whole range. Choosing is hard, damage to finances predictable. A TRIO ON THE MOVE A look from Maxime Simoens’s latest collection; below: 1717 toile and calfskin handbag by Fauré toried French Sarmourer Fauré Le Page (faurelepage. com), established nearly 300 years ago, has been revitalised in recent years and now sits very close to Rue St-Honoré, where it offers a range of handbags and accessories that might not win wars but will definitely turn heads with their bold repeating patterns and vibrant colours. Another French brand with provenance is making waves, as dentellier Sophie Hallette (sophiehallette. com), founded in 1887, is not just the firm that made the lace for the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding gown, but also the purveyor Below: Paris native Pierre Hardy’s fanciful footwear creations of a new range of tulle and lace haute couture, readyto-wear and lingerie at its appointment-only Paris showroom, proving that lace, once a staple only of the golden generation, is back in style for all ages. Meanwhile, young designer Maxime Simoens (maximesimoens.com) is making an unmissable splash, backed since 2013 by LVMH, and starting with haute couture. His new autumn ready-to-wear designs are a little bit 1960s Courrèges, a little bit YSL rock chick and a lot of monochrome and sparkle. Cut with couture discipline and quality, they herald a new fashion star in the City of Light. REBIRTH OF A LEGEND n an opulent apartment on Place Vendôme, Olivier Reza indicates a suite of jewels with 11 perfect Burmese I rubies, which he will exhibit at the Biennale after a gap of 14 years, during which his father and the firm’s namesake, Alexandre Reza, retired and nearly sold the business. With one of the best inventories of precious stones, revival is the best option and Olivier has gone from banker to jeweller, bringing his own contemporary slant and working, as his father did, with the best Paris craftsmen. Many clients are delighted to see this venerated name back on song; expect a crush round its Biennale booth. alexandrereza.com LONDON My favourite byway is KINNERTON STREET in Belgravia, so much so that I moved there last year. It has a charming village feel, yet it is literally 100 metres from the bustle of Knightsbridge. There is a charming independent pub called THE NAGS HEAD (53 Kinnerton Street), where locals mix with the occasional tourist, and my tailor NICOLA DONATI (nicoladonati.co.uk) is literally only steps away: a pint of local ale with your fitting? MILAN THE STYLE CAPITALS ACCORDING TO: KEVIN MARTEL CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF HARRYS OF LONDON I lived there for many years when I worked for Giorgio Armani and came to appreciate its quiet, often hidden charms. The evening aperitivo is taken very seriously, and one of my favourite places is near the office in the Brera neighbourhood. RADETZKY (Corso Garibaldi 105) always has a great vibe and a cool crowd drinking inside but also outside on the pedestrianised corner of the Corso. It’s one of the best places for a good Sunday brunch in Milan, too – a rare find indeed. I am obsessed with classic PARIS button-down shirts: they are part of my daily uniform. I recently spent the morning at CHARVET (28 Place Vendôme) being fitted for a custom shirt. It is the most amazing place with rooms filled to the ceiling with bolts of the most beautiful fabrics. The process and attention to detail is incredible – and there is still a chic little ashtray in the tiny elevator: so French! What’s underneath Handmade lingerie is a rare pleasure, but one that 130-year-old French brand Lejaby is bringing to a wider clientele. Better known for good middle-market styles, the brand has a skilled workforce trained in traditional French lingerie construction, and a new range, Couture, featuring luscious combinations of lace, tulle, chiffon and velvet ribbon. At a discreet and relaxed salon near the Place de la Concorde, items can be altered to fit, ordered in special colours or designed from scratch. Prices start reasonably, but the sky’s the limit. lejaby.com CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: LAUREN CROW, © FAURE LE PAGE, SHOJI FUJII, © PIERRE HARDY (4) 46 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FARHAD HEYDARI, BRIAN NOONE AND ELISA VALLATA

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