As a child, my brother was petrified of sharks. But as is often the case with things we’re fearful of, he was fascinated by them, too. He watched Jaws over and over, and took a keen interest in their characteristics and behavioral adaptations. In homage to my brother, I’ve been making platters this week with shark fins as handles.
In another life, I wore Dior Swimming caps and Chanel snow boots. In this life, I wear Speedo and Blundstone. This week, Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri capped her models in bejewelled silicone as they walked down the runway. I do smile at the thought of my head bobbing along the lanes of my local salt water pool covered in sequins and sparkle. The black netted veils added to the drama. Chanel and Valentino have also thrown caps into the ring, so it won’t be long until the high street follows suit.
Gosh! Have you heard of Villa Santo Sospir? Until today, I hadn’t. What a jewel of a home! It’s situated at the very tip of Cap Ferrat, between Nice and Monaco, and was the holiday home of Alec and Francine Weisweiller. Picasso, Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo were all guests. In 1950, Jean Cocteau came to visit, and covered every wall in his signature surrealist sketches. “When I stayed at Santo Sospir in the summer of 1950, I hastily decorated a wall,” said Cocteau. “Matisse told me that if you decorate one wall you should do the others as well. He was right. Picasso opened and closed all the doors. All that was left to do was to paint the doors. But the doors lead into rooms. The rooms have walls. And if the doors are painted, the walls have an empty look. I spent the entire summer of 1950 working on ladders. An old Italian worker prepared my pigments, immersed in fresh milk. A young woman lives at Santo Sospir. I didn’t need to dress the walls. I had to draw on their surface. That’s why I made line frescoes, with a few colours that echoed tattoo art. Santo Sospir is the tattooed villa.” Today, the villa is owned by a Russian real estate developer, and private tours are offered for the right price. Have a gander around online, the house feels like a love letter to bohemia.
I came across this publicity photo of Ida Lupino in The Man I Love by Scotty Welbourne. It was taken in 1947, but with hair as luscious and thick as Ida’s, I’d wear my locks like this daily. She needs a Cocker Spaniel at her feet, don’t you think? We all should wear our tresses in bombastic dos from time to time. And pose for pictures with a pooch.
Just imagine the food prepared in this kitchen; bouillabaisses, paellas, soufflés and flaming crepe suzettes. This is a cook’s kitchen. Look at the beautiful copper pots and pans. Cooking isn’t my preferred pastime, but suddenly, all I want to do is put on a pinny and make a mushroom risotto.
I came across Maria Wigley‘s stitched thoughts, love notes and poems and I thought what a beautiful gift they’d make for a lover or friend. They somehow seem to capture the intensity, fragmentedness and madness of the mind; where does the thread begin and end? A textile artist from the U.K. I find Wigley’s work really quite moving.
There’s a naivety and whimsy to Faye Weiwei‘s work that I am very much drawn to. The up and coming Anglo-Chinese artist draws from folklore and mythology in her paintings, and shows close ties with Cy Twombly, Francesco Clemente, Picasso and Edward Munch. Lions, snakes, stars, hearts and tulips appear throughout her work; this image of a lady with three white leopards under a Juniper tree is a favourite.
When I was small, we had a Great Dane, fittingly, named Magnus. He was black and white, gentle natured, and the size of a pony. We loved him. He loved us also. So much so, that once in a while, he used to escape through the side door of our Virginia Water house, and make a beeline for the schoolyard of our local country prep. It was a good ten minute drive away. He’d appear in the playground, and all the children would start screaming. All except my brother and I. Ten minutes later, my Mum would arrive in our white station wagon to take him home. This happened several times. If you have some time this week, watch Dogs. Its moving and inspiring and just the kind of television for cold, winter evenings.
Sent M’ahesa (Else von Carlberg) was a Swedish dancer known for her ancient Egyptian temple dances. She wore elaborate Egyptian costumes, and was immortalized by many an artist –– Max Beckmann, Bernhard Hoetger –– from her time. Here, Hanns Holdt portrays the dancer in what appears to be the pose of sphinx. The photo is from 1928, and it’s quite amazing.
I adore the Gucci dress that Saoirse Ronan wore to the NYC premier of Mary Queen Of Scots. It’s so decadent and delicious. It looks like a wedding cake. I could do without the beaded heart and the writing on the hem, but that’s just me. But all the ivory ruffles and pleats are a bit of dream. There’s a theatricality to the dress, particularly the collar, that I found fitting for the part of a Queen.
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