Coeur Joie with Savoir Faire

It would be very hard to imagine an ad campaign such as the following today, especially where perfume is concerned. Romance and elegance have been thrown out in the furious wake of the provocative and sexual. The photographer is the new king of ad campaigns with the fashion illustrator or artist virtually non-existent in today’s world of advertising. Companies have forgone their better judgement by releasing celebrity scents and house flankers which are watered down throw away scents. There is nothing to be cherished or stylish about this mass market approach to modern day perfumery.

Christian Bérard also known as Bébé, was a French artist, fashion illustrator and designer, who along with Marcel Vertes created stunningly beautiful ad campaigns for various companies including Nina Ricci. There is a brand awareness here that has been intelligently created. The ads for Ricci’s Coeur Joie perfume are instantly recognizable through the common theme that they explore.

Coeur Joie, literally translated as Joyful Heart has been described as a romantic perfume in the copy. Created as the first perfume for Nina Ricci and at the end of World War II it was named to reflect the exhilaration the French experienced with the liberation of France. The name can also be an allusion to the expression "A coeur joie" which suggests a sense of happiness and passion that is able to express itself untrammelled.

Transferring us back to almost Edwardian times Bérard’s young women are somewhat melancholy looking. However coming just on the heels of World War II this is purely acceptable. Harking back to more romantic times, we are confident in the fact that these times will be with us once again. It is quite interesting to note that over the space of 2 years from 1945 to 1947 we have no fewer than eight different drawings for the same ad. Bérard also designed the packaging to create an overall look. These were ads that were meant to be torn out of magazines and kept, maybe even framed as art? Isn’t that what we are doing with old ads today?

As with all things, times change. We have different social conditions and markets are different to what they were back then. Our society and incomes are a lot more disposable, and we rely on a constantly changing environment and new products to make money. Even though as I mentioned before we had at least eight different versions of the ad, they were part of a collective series to inspire us. Better times were coming and we were going to embrace them with romance and Savoir Faire, oh and with a little help form Nina Ricci.

Dinner at 8 Part II

It seems that with all that has been happening lately, I have wandered off the beaten path of our tour of the SS France. Not to worry we are back on track and now heading down to Tourist Class, where dinner is on our minds!

If anyone were to read the current selection of books currently available to maritime aficionados on the SS. France one would be forgiven for thinking that the ship was all First Class. Many books rarely even mention the public spaces available to those not fortunate enough to be travelling First Class. So for maritime buff this can be a bit frustrating as there is so little out there. Travelling Tourist did not mean that you had to forsake any of the artistic and decorating savoir faire that First Class had. It only meant that rooms and spaces were more utilitarian in their approach and the art not as prolific. As mentioned before I felt that the Tourist Class Café Rive Gauche was one of the more adventurous rooms on the liner.

The Tourist Class Dining Room (Salle a Manger Versailles), even though less sumptuous in design than First Class was only one of two double deck height public spaces on the liner (the other being the First Class Salon Riviera). For tourist class passengers this was a welcome relief from the other single deck height rooms available to them. It also gave them the edge over those dining in First Class.

Designed and decorated by Marc Simon in tones of green, white and grey, Monsieur Simon made the most of the Polyrey and Formica he used. Formica walls were decoupaged with gold leaf abstract patterns, which softened the otherwise the clinical nature of formica.

The forward wall held a mural done in 14 engraved glass panels by Max Ingrand, as well as two tapestries, Les amoureux du printemps by Marc Saint-Saëns, and Paysage provençal by Auvigné.

Chairs were rather utilitarian in shape and upholstered in pale green leatherette. The reassuring thing is that the chairs used in Tourist Class look a little more comfortable for dining than the equivalents in First Class.

The room was perfectly suited to Tourist Class passengers who did not want the formality of First class. This was a room that reverberated with an elegance that was casual and relaxed.

For our younger passengers travelling tourist, there was a children's dining room attached to the main one. The room was furnished with bright coloured plastic chairs which were quite ahead in design, foretelling shapes and colours that would be used much later on in the decade.

After dinner we will head for towards the main salon for some after dinner dancing!

Savoir Faire on the Beach

Maxwell Spencer Dupain was a renowned Australian modernist photographer, whose work to a large extent is relatively unknown outside of Australia, where his images are icons.

Some of his most iconic images were shot on the magnificent beaches of Sydney and Australia in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. The beach plays an integral part in the Australian lifestyle and psyche lucky for those who live close to it. It is something that defines Australia.

In 1937 he photographed the head and shoulders of a friend Harold Salvage lying on the sand at Cullburra Beach. The shot, entitled “The Sunbaker”, became Dupain's most famous piece. However, it was not until the 1970s that the photograph received wide recognition. It was purchased in 1976 by the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, and has become an iconic national image.

For many Australians, Dupain's photographs define beach culture, and it was the beach that was the inspiration for his most famous and enduring images. The Sunbaker, At Newport and Bondi all capture a decisive moment and portray life between the wars realistically.

These images appear as fresh and modern toady as what they did over half a century ago, when they must have appeared revolutionary.

Poolside Savoir Faire with the Paleys

Inspired by the “Enchanted Homes” post on pool houses on her blog the other day my thoughts were instantly drawn to the iconic pictures of the 50’s of style icon Babe Paley at her estate in Jamaica.

Babe Paley was the quintessential style icon with Truman Capote describing her as thus “Babe Paley had only one fault, she was perfect. Otherwise, she was perfect.”

Photographed at the Paley’s Round Hill estate in Jamaica, this is Savoir Faire in the highest degree. With a name change to White Orchid, Round Hill is now owned by Ralph Lauren and was built by William Paley for his wife Babe. The Paleys abandoned Jamaica for the Bahamas in the 60's where they developed the exclusive resort Lyford Cay.

Although re-decorated by the Lauren’s it has lost none of its savoir faire and is somewhere where I am sure would all long to spend some time!

Sunny Savoir Faire

Don’t these travel posters for Egypt just make you want to travel?

Created by various artists for a variety of companies including Egyptian State Railways, various hotels and shipping companies they promise us a vacation filled with exotic savoir faire. Enticing us with bright colours and images of a monumental Ancient Egypt, these posters would beckon one from travel agent’s windows of grey European capitals during the winter months. Passers by would stop and dream of sunnier climes and exotic trips across the desert visiting the Pyramids, forgetting their drab surroundings for a couple of minutes of their day.

In this age of computer generated graphics and digital photography I sorely miss examples such as these. Highlighting one of travel’s golden eras these were graphics to be admired and collected.

Is it because today’s traveller has changed in their outlook, that they don’t produce posters like these any more? Or is it a different sort of exotic that leads us to travel?

Spring Narcissus

With the advent of spring, just around the corner, many of us in the Northern Hemisphere are awaiting the prospect of warmer temperatures with anticipation. One sure sign of spring is the first peek of spring bulbs poking their green shoots above the soil after their long winter hibernation.

Spring bulbs of any sort remain some of my most favourite flowers, from the humble crocus which is first, to the highly scented hyacinth, to my favourites of all, the jonquil and the daffodil. Who has not seen fields and fields of wild daffodils in pictures or in real life and not been impressed? Or, who has not smelt the heady scent of its cousin the jonquil and not thought instantly of spring?

No matter what you call them either narcissus or daffodils these flowers signify spring the most to me. There was always what seemed to be an eternal wait after winter to see their green shoots either in pots or clumps in the garden and then for them to grow and bloom in the most wonderful shades of white, yellow and orange.

Narcissus is the botanic name for this genus of mainly hardy, mostly spring-flowering, bulbs in the Amaryllis family native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia. With several 100 different types it is one of the most prolific of spring bulbs.

It is surprising of how many of the spring bulbs whose names have come from or have been inspired by Greek mythology. Hyacinth, crocus, and anemone all have origins steeped in legend and mythology, which appeals to my romantic side. None so more, as the narcissus. Narcissus or Narkissos (Greek: Νάρκισσος), is possibly derived from ναρκη (narke) meaning "sleep or numbness," In Greek mythology Narcissus was a hunter from the territory of Thespiae in Boeotia who was renowned for his beauty. Being exceptionally proud he disdained those who loved him. Nemesis saw this and attracted Narcissus to a pool where he saw his own reflection in the waters and fell in love with it, not realizing it was merely an image. Unable to leave the beauty of his reflection, Narcissus died. Another version has it that he fell into the water and drowned as he tried to embrace his own image. In both versions, the Narcissus plant first sprang from where he died.

The subject of many paintings and artists renderings the legend has served as the inspiration for many, including Carravagio, Waterhouse and Dali with each treating the subject in quite different ways.

Photographs and modern day interpretations also abound of the legend. I am always amazed at how artists take a subject and make it their own, and wish that I had the talent!

However, the myth has also given us Narcissism the personality trait of egotism, vanity, conceit, or simple selfishness, which is something that Savoir Faire does not condone in any form.

Hopefully Spring is being embraced with the bloom of the narcissus in some form!