Hermès

Carine Roitfeld finds that when shopping for gifts, Hermès is sure to be the best value. As she says whether the gift is, "A perfume, a tie or more... It's always beautiful and chic. And the window displays of the 24 Faubourg are really worth the detour." Further, when she was interviewed by Alena Doletskaya for the December issue of Vogue Russia, Carine mentioned that if she wants a good handbag for herself, she knows that the leather goods produced by Hermès will last for many years. She considers this quality the very DNA of the brand.

As you know, I attempt to follow in the footsteps of the great goddess of high fashion and this holiday season was no different. My beau received Ambre Narguile from the house's Hermessence Collection, delightfully packaged in signature Hermès perfection: crisp orange paper, festooned in brown grosgrain ribbon imprinted in white, unmistakably luxurious, assuredly Hermès. The box looked regal beneath the tree. He and I both love the rich warmth of this scent, sweet with smoky and spicy undertones—utterly irresistible. Ambre Narguile was created by Hermès nose Jean-Claude Ellena in 2004 and is meant to evoke cashmere; the notes featured include benzoin, caramel, cinnamon, coumarine, honey, labdanum, musk, rum, sesame seed, tonka bean, vanilla, and white orchid. As one critic precisely warns, it renders you mouthwatering.

Hermès' extraordinary silk scarves and ties make equally welcome gifts. If you are interested in the silkier side of the house, note this forthcoming book titled The Hermès Scarf: History & Mystique due to publish in April. The author explores the history of this classic luxury item, the treasured square of silk adored and shared by families and collectors since its debut in 1937. Perhaps you are in the market for the fine leather goods for which Hermès is known, either for yourself or for a loved one. Whatever the gift you seek, the House of Hermès is never afraid to take a fresh and frequently witty approach to its own heritage; combined with its reputation for enduring quality, this is one luxury brand that is worth your investment.

Hermès packaging photo courtesy of The PurseBlog. Ambre Narguile image courtesy of Hermès.

Joëlle Ciocco

Joëlle Ciocco is a beauty address preferred by Carine Roitfeld as featured in the latest issue of Vogue Paris. From the perspective of Laetitia Casta, the brief editorial says: ‹‹En période de stress, dès que ça commence à se voir sur le visage, je file chez Joëlle Ciocco. En plus de son incroyable nettoyage qui fait la peau toute fraîche, Loubna me fait un massage du visage extra, quoiqu'un peu bizarre, parce qu'elle masse aussi l'intérieur de la bouche avec des gants pour détendre toutes les tensions. Juste après, mon élocution est toujours meilleure. Pour le théâtre, c'est formidable.››

In English: "In times of stress, as soon as it starts to show on the face, I'm off to Joëlle Ciocco. In addition to her incredible cleansing that freshens the skin, Loubna gives me an extra facial massage, though somewhat strange, as she massages inside my mouth with gloves on to relax all tension. Right after my speech is always improved. For acting, it's great."

Joëlle Ciocco (pictured below) is one of the most famous European facialists; all of her treatments and products are created from the best raw materials on a small scale by biochemists who study your skin and provide informed recommendations suited to your specific needs. Parisian women claim that Joëlle's treatments actually halt the aging process which explains why they pay the 600 euro fee for a first appointment.

Vogue Paris editorial image © 2009 Condé Nast. All Rights Reserved.
Joëlle Ciocco photograph © 2009 BeautyJournaal.nl

Decades

Carine Roitfeld's favorite store is Decades on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, a trove of priceless vintage treasures from the past few decades by designers such as Azarro, Balenciaga, Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Halston, Hermès, Lanvin, Pucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Louis Vuitton. The building itself is also a treasure, a 1926 Art Deco beauty in beige tones, complete with leopard carpeted staircases. Owned by Cameron Silver, Decades boasts a sister boutique in London’s Dover Street Market. If you are in the mood to covet, visit the Decades blog and watch the fabulous vintage finds come and go.

Images courtesy of Decades, Inc.

Françoise Sagan

Carine Roitfeld's favorite book is Bonjour Tristesse (Hello Sadness), the first novel by French author Françoise Sagan who was dubbed "the Bardot of literature." Bonjour Tristesse was published in French in 1954 and tells the coming-of-age story of a sophisticated seventeen-year-old girl, Cecile, her hedonistic widowed father, and the women in his life. This powerful novel, at once sympathetic and unsparing, was an instant scandal upon publication as well as an international bestseller that was made into a movie. Not bad for a seventeen-year-old author that wrote the entire manuscript in 32 days! Read an interview with Sagan conducted by The Paris Review in the autumn of 1956, her views on everything are quite amusing, particularly her success.

Françoise Sagan photographs © 1955 Life Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
Françoise Sagan photograph © 1956 Jeanloup Sieff. All Rights Reserved.

Emmanuelle Alt

Emmanuelle Alt has worked as fashion director for Vogue Paris with Carine Roitfeld since 2001; prior to that she was styling editorials for publications like Mixte and 20 Ans, where she spent five years as editor-in-chief. Alt was educated at Lubeck School, a stylish private Catholic academy in Paris with alumnae such as former first lady Cécilia Sarkozy, Caroline Deroche of Givenchy, Mathilde Agostinelli of Prada, Victoire de Castellane of Dior, Vanessa Seward of Azzaro, and Camille Miceli of Louis Vuitton. This school for 11- to 18-year-olds was founded in 1882 and is run by the Little Sisters of the Assumption. As would be expected, the navy uniforms prompted creative expression through extra efforts with hair and accessories, a natural route to a passion for fashion. Alt's personal style embodies androgynous French cool and encompasses her obsessions with Saturday Night Fever, Michael Jackson, and the 1965-1975 era. In addition to her work for Vogue Paris, Alt currently helps firms like Isabel Marant, Balmain, and Giuseppe Zanotti create their statement looks. Alt's husband Franck Durand is artistic director for Isabel Marant; they have a son, Antonin, and a daughter, Françoise, who is pictured here with her chic maman.

Visit I Want To Be An Alt to learn more about Emmanuelle Alt.

Carine Roitfeld and Emmanuelle Alt photographs courtesy of Facebook and Fashion Spot