It seems that I tend to get all the credit for Vignettes’ gala soirees & let me just say, in order to pull off these major productions, I have assembled an ‘A Team’ around me of such tremendous talent & creative imaginations that it truly is because of them that these parties turn into one-of-a-kind, must-see events! Their contributions always send these fetes over the top, & so if I’m to get any kudos, it’s for surrounding myself with these uber talented, crème de la crème, one-of-a-kind designer/artists who I have come to love & admire so much.
In the months leading up to a party, the first person I always turn to is my BFF & collaborator, Karen, of Café Papier & the visionary wheels start turning with her. With very little input (this is our ongoing joke - I always seem to give her the wrong theme initially to pursue) she always figures out, on her own, the perfect motif that we eventually end up with! She takes it from there & always, always hits it out of the ballpark. Her imagination is pure solar-powered GENIUS & everyone who sees her creations is initially stunned by the sheer brilliance of them & then spellbound by what they are viewing. Hand-cut, Paper Chanel No. 5 bottles, with quotes by Coco Chanel scripted across the front? Oh Mais Oui. French phrases, conjugated verbs & vocabulary lessons written onto a matching pair of black chandeliers? Oui, Oui. Verses to “I Love Paris in The Springtime” written all over a vintage trombone with musical notes coming out of the horn? So Karen. Her humble nature, beautiful heart & extraordinary artistic talent, that is not of this world, pours out, over & into the most imaginative projects we’ve ever witnessed. She’s an extremely rare talent & my dearest friend.
Next, I go to the phenomenal Miss Robin of Vintage Beach House. She is one of the few artistic designers that can literally do anything. She sews, paints, upholsters & has one of the most creative minds that I’ve ever witnessed. She invented re-purposing! Her one-of-a-kind creations leave us all in awe & you wonder what will she think of next? She can drape, swag, poof & puddle fabric in a manner that makes the project look like it belongs in a multi-million dollar showcase home - & she does it in minutes! Wrapping yards & yards of houndstooth fabric around a 4 foot tall Eiffel Tower with perfect pleating all over it? (Don’t try this at home!) That’s Robin. Reworking our Marie Antoinette theater prop with multiple fabrics & textiles that turned the bon bon display into yet another show-stopping work of art. Only Robin.
These women are at the top of their game & the creative abandon that flows from them is unstoppable. You can only hope that a little of their magique rubs off by being near them. I have become better at everything I do because of these two dear, creative souls.
Then, our dear Ria with her fabulous fabric flowers. Her’s are no ordinary textile fleurettes, as she hand stamps the vintage fabrics with French script & then assembles them with vintage rhinestone brooches & jewels. She took on one of our 4 foot tall Eiffel Towers, gilted it all by hand & then covered the entire metal sculpture with her muted, French-scripted flowers that resulted in an awe-inspiring & amazing work of art. This Eiffel Tower stood tall next to the patisserie display & easily upstaged every bon bon & macaron that came near it!
Each & every one of Vignettes’ designer/dealers pitched in & stepped it up a thousand notches & the merchandise that was brought in specifically for this event was some of the best we’ve ever seen!
Jim & Brian acquired a showstopping, authentic Chanel Dress with Lace jacket on a Chanel hanger (Oh My!), Ceci turned an ordinary lighting fixture into an amazing Coco-inspired chandelier, dripping with pearls & jewels. Susan, always a major trooper & always right on the mark with our themes, reworked bottles with paint inside them (a project that took weeks to dry!) adorned them with jewels & turned them into mini masterpieces. Gina of Lizzy B’s fashioned necklaces with dictionary definitions of “The Paris Apartment” under glass. C’est magnifique!
The French Tent Brocante put on by Lucy of Paris Flea Market, Sherry of Glamarella Junk, Sandra Finn & Sheri of Sheri4Sure was the icing on the gateau! Right outside our back double doors, you entered into an incredible, glamorous French salon dripping with gauzy fabrics, ballroom chandeliers, tattered chic furnishings & jewels everywhere! This gorgeous traveling show of uber talent sets up a Grand Salon, toute suite, right before your very eyes! Follow their blogs as these gals are Hot, Hot, Hot trendsetters/stylemakers & they produce shows you don't want to miss!
A grand Merci Beaucoup to our in-house, French Diplomat, the ever charming & oh so knowledgable, Monsieur Chris Pro who gallantly squired Miss Claudia all around town & gave her the ultimate insider’s tour to the best of San Diego’s famous landmarks & waterfront locations as only the dapper Chris can. Claudia will never forget San Diego now!
And then, of course, our guest star, the gorgeous & lovable - Miss Claudia of The Paris Apartment, who has that irresistible French magique just pouring out of her & who left us all wanting to hop on the next plane to Paris - with her as our tour guide.
This was not only an event but a day to always remember Mes Amies,
as it was truly filled to the brim
with everything
our Inner French Girl could want…
Is there any other name in haute couture & Parisian fashion than the legendary Coco Chanel, who revolutionized the way women look & dress forever?
