i’ll never be able to top this. except maybe if i meet kaiser karl. karl and marc on the same day. yes, that would be topping it. totes. on to the story:
YESTERDAY, we were already leaving the lanvin boutique on 22 rue de faubourg st. honore (an address i dont think i’ll ever forget inmylife) and we were coming down the stairs when we spotted alber FREAKING elbaz next to the staff room.
we were the last customers in the store and the staff was busy putting up the whimsical must-see christmas decorations on the display window but they encouraged us to come up to him to profess our undying love because i hyperventilated insidethestaffroom. haha how i found myself in both the staffroom of lanvin and louboutin, i have no idea. all i know is i was too close to the vaults of both stores and i cant believe i didnt spontaneously combust.
my friend was CATATONIC and also hyperventilating so i cooly tried to assemble some french in my head and wobbled out the door and around the corner display where he was observing the work with a fiercely chic woman. she totally saw us coming and looked entirely bemused at our MAJORLY STARSTRUCK FACES. i think we needed buckets for our drool.
he was SO lovely to us. he warmly thanked us for our compliments (we love you, your work in incredible, we cant believe this moment…more awestruck blathering), asked us where we were from, and even joked with me about buying chanel instead WHILE PLAYFULLY SHOVING ME AROUND. um, i was TEASED by alber elbaz.
….and the best part?
we went back to lanvin today because my friend had to pick up some shoes and WE RAN INTO HIM AGAIN as i stumbled out of the dressing room.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF MEETING ALBER AGAIN? TWO DAYS IN A ROW? i dont know. but i am getting some seriously good karma for idontknowwhat. i must have saved orphan puppies in my past life!
he was equally welcoming today and signed some papers for us..not with just his signature, but WITH SKETCHES OF HIS FACE with his signature pout and eyes to the side! HE WAS SO CUTE!! and he remembered me. “aha! you again! you with the chanel!”
ALBER ELBAZ REMEMBERED ME. please dont pinch me because i DONT want to wake up.
the sweetest part about it all was how lovingly one of the sales associates spoke of him, “he is very kind and very hands on. some of them, you know, they just go upstairs and don’t walk around the store. he wants to be involved in everything. he wants to see the displays, work with the staff, everything even if he is so busy. he wants to know the women.” she’s so right though. it must be why he is so relevant these days.
it was as if she spoke of someone in her family. i have a friend who has worked with lanvin in paris and she’s made it very clear how well the house takes care of those it employs. the sales are amazing and give you space in the company to work up. she also did these amazing fittings for testy middle eastern princesses but said it was all worth it because the clothes were to die for.
i would imagine.
chanel is a staple, but i dont know. i feel like lanvin is more than that. maybe it’s just more my style..less boxy and more free flowing with lots of raw silks and clean lines. i would dress like that everyday if i could.
woe.
i’d like to be fabulous enough to own the dresses someday. i’ve never seen pieces fall so gracefully on a hanger.
i can’t believe how incredible paris has been. it’s wretched to imagine ever having to leave. i think it’s time to quote hemingway.
“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.”
leather bikette jacket iro
fox collar max studio dot com
lame leggings american eagle
studded tshirt e.vil
best accessory in photo ever: ALBER ELBAZ OF THE HOUSE OF LANVIN
other photos include another with alber and my stunning roommate brittany and another of us playing in the christmas trees outside the pantheon
thank you, universe!
sounds amazin!