I spent several days in Paris last week, intending to absorb some art, admire the architecture, savor the food, soak up the vibe, and gawk at the street scene. Perhaps I could even pick up a few style tips from those nonchalantly chic French women.
Trying to cross the Place de la Concorde (around a lot of annoying police barricades – what the heck?) I found myself behind this aging urban cowboy, all decked out in a snakeskin getup. Not my style, but interesting, so I snapped his picture.
As I entered the gates to the Tuileries Gardens, I ran into a horde of paparazzi, wielding big cameras and speaking excitedly in many languages. A long strip of white carpet was laid out along the garden path. What the double heck?
I asked an English-speaking photographer what was going on.
Fall Fashion Week! (and me with my 100% American tourist look: jeans, sensible walking shoes and a Baggallini bag – sigh.)
That explains why so many police, why the Grand Palais was closed, why the Place de la Concorde was cordoned off and filled with tents.
I watched as the paparazzi thronged around each beautiful young woman who walked down the carpet – mainly in ready-to-wear styles rather than the over-the-top things one would see in the designers’ shows. Fuzzy is in. So are long skirts slit all the way to here.
And then who should walk down the white carpet but my urban cowboy. The photographers swarmed and called out to him, “James! here James!”; several stepped up with boom mikes and video to interview him. No surprise, he was very American and clearly relished the attention.
When I told my family about this encounter, my son-in-law pulled out his phone and googled, “James, Paris Fashion Week” and BAM! a gajillion images popped up. It was the dude all right. James Goldstein from Los Angeles, supposedly a billionaire who was not just a fashion fan, he also was the biggest fan of NBA basketball. I missed my chance to snag a rich bachelor. Oh well.
My favorite paparazzi guy–note the man bun and the eyeglasses:
OK. Back to the ladies. What were the designers of these outfits thinking?
The dress on the left made me think of this winning look for guys:
My favorite fashion sighting by far was this pair of shoes, which I tried to capture while the wearer and I were both walking fast toward the Metro. (She was also into the fuzzy look with a fuzzy blue bracelet the echoed the cobalt blue in her shoes.) The design reminds me of Matisse’s chapel windows in Vence, France. Sensational.
Since I don’t have the passion, big bucks or time to be paparazzi fodder, if I happen again upon a major international fashion event I’m going to consider donning outrageous dumpster outfits like this hilarious Brit did. Love her chutzpah and creative sense of “style”.
