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Christie’s Auction, South Kensington, London

23rd March 2011

Kinross House, Scotland and Property from the London Residence of Mrs. Winston Spencer Churchill

Furniture, paintings, portrait miniatures, silver, dishes and other household treasures from two historical properties – Kinross House in Scotland and the London residence of Mrs. Winston Spencer Churchill, goes ‘under the hammer’ in London on 30th March. Sir William Bruce, the great classical architect built Kinross House, and the London townhouse where the Churchill’s lived was designed by George Basevi, John Soane’s famous pupil. Mrs. Churchill’s husband was Randolph Churchill, the only son of Sir Winston Churchill, and Randolph’s wife was the glamorous Pamela Harriman. There are hundreds of beautiful, useful objects to enhance one’s home, each with the authenticity of a magnificent heritage.

This auction is an opportunity to capture an historical item, so save the date for this special sale – you could place a winning bid! Wednesday 30 March 2011 at 10.30 am. Christie’s South Kensington 85, Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LD www.christies.com JG

MIDO 6-8 February 2027. Welcome to Eyewearland

LOFT Santa Monica Show October 16th and 17th

Photos: Christie’s Images 2011. Top: Portrait Miniature Lot. 91 from Kinross House; above, Lot. 190, pair of Louis XV Style Beech Bergeres From the London Residence of Mrs. Winston Spencer Churchill.

Arts + travel

Madame Grès

18th March 2011

Paris Retrospective

The eternally elegant, always turbaned Madame Grès, is truly one of the great masters of Couture. Her designs are carved like sculpture. In fact, she wanted to be a sculptor, and she constantly said, throughout her long and productive life (1903-1993) that “working with fabric or stone is the same thing.” She was born Germaine Krebs, and fashioned herself Madame Grès, a woman whose sense of purity, simplicity and timelessness, is still an inspiration for couturiers and designers today. Madame Grès, Couture at Work, is the first Paris retrospective of this grande dame of style. More than eighty of her luxurious designs, along with original photos and drawings are on display at the Musée Bourdelle www.bourdelle.paris.fr. Her creativity and figure-moulding drapery, plus her choice of superb fabrics are uncompromising. For fashion and social history enthusiasts, this exhibition is a must. 25 March-24 July 2011. The Museum is closed on Mondays.

Galliera hors les murs au musée Bourdelle Madame Grès, la couture à l’œuvre, 25 mars – 24 juillet 2011. Photo: Grès, Robe du soir, vers 1947. Fourreau à dos nu triangulaire. Jersey de soie noir. © Stéphane Piera / Galliera / Roger-Viollet.

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Spring has arrived, long may it last

10th March 2011

‘Trees’ Series – Theo by Tim Van Steenbergen

24th March, 2011 Here is one my favourite new sunglass collections for Spring/Summer…the ‘Trees’ Series from Theo by Tim Van Steenbergen. The radiant colours are inspired by nature and the metal temple refers to the structure and textured patterns of a tree trunk. This concept is reflected in the names of the sunglasses…Oak, Beech, Pine, Maple Spruce and Ash.

Belgian fashion designer Tim Van Steenbergen (www.timvansteenbergen.com) has created a clothing collection which tells the story of “the lady gardener,” who loves nature and likes to be a part of it. The designer is inspired by the way flowers and plants move and grow. The same ideas are developed in the ‘Trees’ Series. Just as in the fabrics, various natural colours reappear in the glasses – for example, green and brown. He also refers to natural materials such as horn, wood and marble. Sparkling floral colours such as red, purple and coral complete the range of colours.

To complement the luxurious design of the series, Theo has chosen Zeiss sun lenses for quality UV protection. The lenses feature a “rock-hard” 5-layer antireflection coating. A very special addition to a very creative and beautiful collection. CN

www.theo.be

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Anne et Valentin

10th March 2011

Trend Watch: Round is here to stay

22nd March 2011 After viewing the new collections in Milan this month, I realised that the round styles that are having a revival just now are likely to be here for some time. We have reviewed a number of special interpretations of this shape earlier this month, and since then I’ve been looking out for more ideas on how to wear this look today…one of the brands that has incredible images of French women in designs on this theme is the very chic French label Anne et Valentin.

This memorable photograph (above) shows beautifully the way in which this French company has captured a design of the past with a strong retro flavour and brought it into the present. The frame featured here is called Buren; it is a totally brilliant statement design, that converts the intellectual overtones of this shape into glamour and style. To see more inspirational imagery from the look book by Anne et Valentin, including many soft, feminine oval and round shapes for 2011/12, visit the website www.anneetvalentin.com CN

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TheOphabet

8th March 2011

The name says it all

15th March, 2011 The eyewear company Theo has given a whole new meaning to the word round….with these adventurous collectible spectacles…known as theOphabet, featuring capital letters….it’s an irrestistible design which we love for its eccentricity combined with technical prowess. For more awesome, eccentric styles from Belgium and lots of wearable styles too, go to www.theo.be