> Calèche

The perfume that Marahani Gayatari Devi poured down the drain in Delhi’s Tihar prison was Calèche by Hermes. This version was released by Hermès in 1961, and for many years it was their best-selling women’s fragrance. It was created by nose Guy Robert, and includes bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom, aldehydes, jasmine, lily of the valley, rose, gardenia, iris, ylang-ylang, oakmoss, sandalwood, cedar, and vetiver. They have since launched a fragrance called Kelly Calèche named after the Kelly Handbag and the original Perfume.

Posted: 09/20/09 | Ramble | 0 Comments

> LETTERS

I bought ten envelopes yesterday. And ten stamps. I’d have bought more but I’m broke. Emails cost nothing but letters are real. You can keep them and touch them. The picture on the card always says something about the relationship between you and it’s author. They smell, either of paper or the person who’s written them. And the handwriting . . . it gives so much away. About the writer, their mood. They have personality. Letters make people smile. So I’m going to try and write more of them.

Posted: 09/20/09 | Just a thought > Weekend Wisdom | 0 Comments

> MAHARANI GAYATRI DEVI

My house mate’s been reading about Gayatri Devi in the August edition of The Economist. What an incredible woman. As the Daughter of the Prince Narayan of Cooch Behar she grew up surrounded by luxury. ‘Thirty horses, six butlers and four lorryloads accompanied the family to their holiday cottage.’

Hailed as a tomboy and not bothered by the distinction between raja and praja, or the social divide between women and men, she kept her husband, the Maharajah of Jaipur, company at his Polo matches and big game hunts. Fiercely passionate and dedicated to the well being of her people she opposed Jawaharlal Nehru’s 5 year socialist plan by running for parliament for the Rajasthan constituency and knocked him off with a record 192,909 votes. The worlds largest landslide. However she’s also famous for her spell in Delhi’s Tihar prison in 1975 where she softened the blow by pouring french perfume into the open sewer in her cell. As it ran through the building other prisoners gathered to inhale the wafting vapours in one of Asia’s largest prisons.

I don’t know why Chanel, or the brand which she used, hasn’t done a short film/ad championing the power of perfume. Or at least a new scent named in her honour after her death in July this year. Inspiring reason to by perfume.

Posted: 09/10/09 | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

> MAN-GIFT OF THE WEEK

I had $60k worth of diamonds on my finger yesterday. Just a cheeky try-on while collecting some sparkly bits for Chris to shoot. I sent my man a photo – and he told me that’s the first, and last time I’d ever have that many diamonds on my digit. That’s why I’m getting him this. The Mattress Wallet. Steve Cullen & Peter Trueblood, from Creature Design in Seattle, describe this master piece as ‘less risky than the stock market , and more mobile than your mattress – the savvy investors choice.’ Lets hope this fairy bed improves my chances of some serious bling.

Posted: 09/9/09 | Great Gift > Man Gift | 0 Comments

> BELINDA ZOLLO

Makeup Artistry is one of the most under rated, under publicised professions I know of. Or at least it was when I was growing up. Here’s an example of a Melbournite making it in NYC. Belinda Zollo’s worked with the likes of fashion photographers Paolo Roversi, David Sims and Bruce Weber. As well as Makeup Artists Lucia Pieroni and Stephane Marais.

Posted: 09/8/09 | Fashion Coffee | 0 Comments