What Is It about Paris and Fashion?

Book excerpt: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast,” Ernest Hemingway once said. Bénédicte Burguet-Journé explores the perennial question of what is it about Paris that makes it so unique, so inspiriting, and attractive for creatives from all around the world. The book presents a series of leisurely interviews with leading fashion designers: Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Maroussia Rebecq, Kym Ellery, Bruno Frisoni, Jean Paul Gaultier, Martin Grant, Guillaume Henry, Journ/né, Christelle Kocher, Rabih Kayrouz, Julie de Libran, Roland Mouret, Vanessa Seward, Junko Shimada, Alexandre Vauthier. In the prologue, Olivier Saillard muses about the impact fashion has had on the city’s urban canvas, and how it all started with an Englishman. In the epilogue, Sarah Andelman, former founder and artistic director of the infamous Parisian shop colette, pays tribute to the light and sense of freedom that goes hand in hand with the Parisian spirit. About the author As a journalist and editor, Bénédicte Burguet-Journé has been a specialist lifestyle writer for Le Figaro and a lifestyle and fashion editor for Vanity Fair France; she is also a political correspondent for Shanghai Daily. Burguet specializes in fashion, jewellery, and watches, attending all the major fashion weeks and luxury fairs. www.benedicte-burguet.com