Tragic Savoir Faire

Talitha Getty is perhaps best remembered by the iconic photograph of herself and husband Jean Paul on the rooftop of their residence in Marrakech by Patrick Litchfield. The photograph is glamorous and poignant at the same time. We sometimes find it very hard to imagine that one of the most iconic figures of the 1960’s Talitha Getty died of a heroin overdose, supposedly rushed to a Rome hospital wrapped in a mink coat, and so were the last hours of one of the most iconic women of the 1960’s.

A step grand daughter of Augustus John, she married Jean Paul Getty in 1966. They quickly became an integral part of the “swinging sixties” in London and the jet set. They were the beautiful people and Yves Saint Laurent likened them to the title of F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 novel as “beautiful and damned”

Although not recognized as a fashion icon by her peers it is only recently that historians are recognizing her influence especially where boho and hippy chic is concerned.

There is no denying that she was charismatic and had savoir faire. Jean Paul clearly dotes on his young wife, and almost appears as an after thought in photographs, either in the background or at her side. They are never about him as she steals the limelight in each one. A young vivacious woman full of life and beauty. The lifestyle that they created for themselves was an exotic and luxurious drug fueled bohemian kingdom that has become their legacy. Even through the drugs and a couple hell bent on hedonism, they somehow managed to keep it together to be a couple that was the epitome of savoir faire.

Diana Vreeland wrote of the fantasy world the Getty’s had created for themselves in Morocco, which now seems naïve when the full story is known

“A welcoming, fantastical, joyous life, at once sensible and sybaritic…Mrs. Getty prowls the marketplace, bringing back delights for the house and table. Best she brings back entertainers—dancers, acrobats, storytellers, geomancers and magicians. A day that began with a picnic on a great flat rock near a waterfall in the Atlas Mountains may end with a dinner for a houseful of young Moroccan and European friends by the light of candles, among roses wound with mint. While Salome is playing in the background, snake charmers charm and tea boys dance, balancing on their feet trays freighted with mint tea and burning candles.’

Now the inspiration of countless designers, and a muse to countless others around the world. Her short life and car crash trajectory only serve to heighten the mystique, ensuring that she will forever be associated with those key components of fashion—youth, beauty and glamour.

Virgin Savoir Faire

Here I go again breaking my rule on Savoir Faire about not adding videos, and it always seems to be the airlines that force me to do it.

I am giving credit now to Virgin Atlantic , for their new commercial which reminds me of all the Savoir Faire flair of the opening credits of a 007 movie!

If only flying were really this stylish!

So for a bit of style in the air!

(Note: best viewed full screen, for some reason below is cropped)

Nuit Blanche with Savoir Faire!

We have just recently celebrated Nuit Blanche here in Toronto an all night festival of art and culture. The Nuit Blanche concept is not a new one as with cities all over the world from Tel Aviv to Lima having similar festivals, with one of the best being Paris.

There has been a lot of confusion over the origins of Nuit Blanche which literally translated means White Night, All-Nighter or Sleepless Night in French. Several cities have disputed the origins of the festival. St Petersburg being one of the world's most northerly cities features the celebrated natural phenomenon of long summer days broken only by a brief period of twilight from mid-May to mid-July, known as the white nights. Which in turn led to the annual celebrations known as the White Nights Festival.

Whatever the origins, long ago I had read of a different explanation (I forget where) of the term Nuit Blanche. After the Russian Revolution in 1917 there was a large influx of white Russian émigrés into the major capitals of Paris, and among these many members of the aristocracy, including numerous Grand dukes and Princes.

Invariably whether hell bent on hedonism or choosing to forget these, Grand Dukes and Princes would no doubt spend all night hitting the Paris hot spots squandering their fortunes and could be seen stumbling home the next morning impeccably attired in evening clothes as they couldn’t afford a taxi, and hence the term white night or Nuit Blanche.

So gentleman, now it is your turn to have a Nuit Blanche with savoir faire!

First check into a white hotel such as The White Hotel in Brussels.

Or the ultimate the Carlton in Cannes!

Start the day off in casual white suits such as the examples below from Zegna or Cavalli.

In preparation for the evening ahead head off to the White Shirt Bar at Thomas Pink in London for the perfect white dinner shirt.

Take in a showing of the Great Gatsby with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. If anyone knew how to wear white it was these two. No wonder the movie was inspiration for a whole trend of twenties inspired fashion for men and women in the seventies as this is timeless elegance at its best and whitest!

Flower shopping for white flowers for yourself or loved one has never been easier when gardenias and tuberoses’ are around. Two of my favorites’!

No matter what white tuxedos only looked good on Sean Connery aka James bond, so steer clear of this one and go for the perfect white, classic dinner shirt and black dinner suit from Hardy Amies Bespoke.

Splash on Some White Suede courtesy of Tom Ford

Head off to the Establishment Hotel in Sydney for an aperitif

Before dining at either one of three white choices.

Just around the corner from the Establishment is The Summit Restaurant in Sydney revolving 50 floors above ground level for the most spectacular views.

Or the Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires, for sophisticated elegance

Or the King George Hotel in Athens

No Nuit Blanche would be complete with out a bit of culture at the Sydney Opera House, whose iconic white sails have become a symbol of Sydney and Australia!

Or you can forsake all the above and hire your own white jet spend some time in white desert of Antarctica!

It is up to you!

Some Friday Savoir Faire!

Wouldn’t it be nice to be strolling down the Via Condotti in Rome this weekend?

Home of some of Rome’s most fashionable boutiques and restaurants, back in the 60’s it was THE place where the wandering jet-set went to be seen. And boy did they do it with Savoir Faire!

Ursula Andress

Audrey Hepburn

Bardot and Gunther Sachs

Ava Gardner

Peter Sellers and Britt Ekland

Paul and Talitha Getty

Tony Curtis

So one and all have a very savoir faire weekend and channel some of your inner jet-set!

Paint the Town Red with Savoir Faire!

When was the last time you painted the town red? To do it with Savoir Faire I suggest the following for the ladies. Warning some travel is involved so make sure you are up for it.
Check into your favourite Red hotel, if this one doesn’t suit:

you might like to try the Emporium in Brisbane Australia.

Paint your nails and lips your favourite red.

Splash yourself in the scent of red with Rosine’s (Paul Poiret) Coeur en Folie perfume (Sadly just a memory from the 1920’s)

Then don the perfect red suit from Dior,

To drop into Hediard of Paris for some tea.

Buy the perfect red flowers on your way to Lalique to dream about the perfect red vase.

And then a quick stop into a gallery to view your favourite red Matisse.

Back to the hotel to recharge and choose the perfect red dress and nobody does it better than Valentino!

Match with the perfect red party shoe and you are ready to go!

Cocktails at the Cristal Bar in Hong Kong.

Or the Shanghai Club in London.

I am sorry to say that for dining you have to make more choices between

Ultra in Toronto

Le Rouge in Stockholm

Or the Rote Bar at the Sacher in Vienna

And after dinner it is up to you!

Remember that having savoir faire is not about how much you spend or really where you go, but how you do it! Its all about finding your own personal style and doing the things you love, smiles and attitude carry themselves more than anything money can provide!

Gentleman please don’t feel left out, as there will be something for you coming soon!