Hôtel De Crillon

What is Carine Roitfeld's favorite bar in Paris? She is often seen relaxing with family and friends in the luxurious surroundings of the Hôtel de Crillon. With the Avenue des Champs-Élysées to its right, the Jardin des Tuileries to its left, and the exclusive Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré just behind, few hotels are better located than the prestigious Hôtel de Crillon. Fashion, culture, and the hotel of dreams converge, you really cannot go wrong spending time here.

In addition to hosting a constant stream of guests amidst the luxurious splendor in the style of Louis XV, the Hôtel de Crillon is the spot for some of the hottest parties in Paris including the annual Bal des Débutantes and the Vogue Paris Covers 1920-2009 soirée. Given that the Vogue Paris offices are located just behind the Crillon, it is no surprise that as the magazine's former rédactrice en chef, La Roitfeld would take meetings there if her office was "too mess" — another indication of her strong problem solving abilities.

Clearly the relationship that formed between Vogue Paris and the Crillon during Carine's reign at the magazine has been a positive one. Fashion Week parties are hosted at Hôtel de Crillon now and include a special "Vogue Bar" created just for the week. Complete with cocktails named in honor of VP editors, lucky guests enjoy refreshment in truly fashionable style. My friends and I have scheduled an afternoon tea at Hôtel de Crillon in April; it would be nice if Carine finds time to stop by...

Carine Roitfeld and Hôtel De Crillon photographs courtesy of gourmet.com, crillon.com, and © 2010 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.

Chiva-Som

In a recent interview with the London Evening Standard, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld mentioned that her mother, Carine, was taking a well-deserved break at Chiva-Som or "Haven of Life," an exquisite seven-acre resort located in the Gulf of Thailand. While one may imagine that La Roitfeld chose the crème de la crème of spas simply to relax, there is more to Chiva-Som than luxury: the resort promises that guests will leave with a completely new perspective on personal health and well-being that results in a lifestyle transformation. While visiting, the spa invites guests to partake in physiotherapy, holistic health facilities, fitness classes, and over 150 treatments. With a stunning average ratio of 350 employees to 116 guests, every possible need is sure to be met by the capable and pleasant staff.

Let’s not dismiss the luxury aspect of the experience. While vacationing at Chiva-Som, guests can select from a range of 58 elegant private rooms or suites decorated in gorgeous woods and sumptuous fabrics. Perhaps the lovely scented La Roitfeld keeps the "Fragrance Suite" at her disposal, complete with butler and ocean view. Chiva-Som is the perfect place for Carine’s restorative holiday, she can seek advice on her health status, take a massage, eat well, and relax by practicing Tai Chi or Pilates at the ocean's edge. Considering the chilly temperatures in Paris it seems likely that she might even pack a few books from her library to read poolside. What better way to escape from the stress of life in a modern metropolis than by lounging with a beverage and a favorite book in the tropical air? If only we could accompany Carine on her life-changing adventure...

Instead, enjoy some of the goodness of Chiva-Som in the comfort of your own home. Visit epicurious.com for healthy Thai recipes courtesy of Chiva-Som's esteemed executive chef, Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat, who explains his culture and his cuisine thusly: "Thai lifestyle is laid-back, and so is the cooking style. Open your mind and explore some ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, and sweet basil." His Thai-Spiced Watermelon Soup with Crabmeat looks amazing, a complex mix of unusual flavors... Who knows, you may be enjoying the same delicious meals as Carine soon. Bon appétit !

Chiva-Som images © 2010 Chiva-Som International Health Resort. All Rights Reserved.

Update on mercredi 14 décembre 2011 by kellina

If you would like to try creating more of the culinary delights from Chiva-Som, may I suggest the recently published book Thai Spa Cuisine by Chiva-Som which features more than 50 recipes from Chef Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat and his team at the world's top spa retreat.

Elsa Peretti

One of the classic pieces in Carine Roitfeld's jewelry box is the Elsa Peretti bottle pendant by Tiffany & Co. The understated simplicity of the piece is completely in line with Carine’s own fashion sensibility, which tends toward an undone insouciance. She is pictured below wearing Peretti's creation with a white Givenchy gown and Alaïa shoes at Cannes in 2009. Peretti describes her vision behind the pendant that Carine wears: "Once I was in Portofino and I met all those beautiful women that were wearing Pucci's dresses and had a gardenia in their hand. That was the flash that made me think to realize something to keep the flower fresh and alive, therefore the little bottle came to the light...."

Born in Florence, Peretti worked as both a designer and model in Rome prior to moving to New York during the 1960s, where she collaborated with a number of designers, including Halston and Oscar de la Renta, before finally committing exclusively to creating fine jewelry for Tiffany in 1974. Peretti’s signature designs continue to garner praise for her organic, sensuously sculptural aesthetic which melds the fluid elements of nature with the precision of impeccable craftsmanship. For a closer look at her work, view this video of Peretti's bottle pendant.

Elsa Peretti bottle pendant image courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of Fashion Spot.

Alberto Marani

As a designer and creative architect of style, Alberto Marani is a favorite of Carine Roitfeld and the man behind a few of the most coveted brands in her closet. Marani was born in the picturesque coastal city of San Remo, Italy, where his primary influence and inspiration was Le Corbusier, a close friend of his father and a pioneer of the school we now call Modern architecture or the International Style. An ideal student, Marani absorbed Le Corbusier’s strong lines and structure, incorporating these characteristics into his work throughout his career at houses like Gianfranco Ferré and Christian Dior Haute Couture and Prêt-à-Porter.

More recently Marani’s own label released a limited edition knitwear collection that has gained somewhat of a cult following. The relaunch of his collection included large tasseled skirts inspired by hyena trainers in Nigeria, very tribal, combining the complexity of the tassel and the ethnic look with the simplicity of form and function. These are sensual designs to be worn with a fitted or cropped sleeveless tshirt and sure to be acquired by the most fashion conscious women in the world. It is no wonder that Alberto Marani is one of Carine’s favorites, like minds seem to find one another. Who knows what the future holds for either of them but perhaps collaboration is in the works for these two visionary forces.

Alberto Marani image © 2010 Alberto Marani. All Rights Reserved.

Boucheron Quatre Ring

Carine Roitfeld seldom wears jewelry on her hands, preferring not to draw attention to one of the first parts of the body to show signs of age: "I think jewels are beautiful when you are young and when you are old. Because when you are 40 you do not want anything that makes you look older, makes your skin look more wrinkled." This means that the rings Carine chooses to wear are special and one of her finest is the Boucheron Quatre ring which occasionally graces her pinky finger. Crafted from four golds in rose, chocolate, yellow, and white, three of the bands are embossed in patterns of grosgrain, diamond point, and godron and the fourth is polished smooth for contrast. The subtle yet striking drama of the piece results from the fusion of the unusual materials and textures. The House of Boucheron was founded in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron, acquired by Gucci Group in 2000, and launched its Quatre collection in 2005. If you have a printer and a web camera, you can try on the jewelry virtually via myBoucheron.com and then share your images with friends. Go see how you look wearing Carine Roitfeld's favorite pinky ring...

Boucheron Quatre Ring photograph courtesy of boucheron.com.
Carine Roitfeld photograph courtesy of Fashion Spot.