Jean-Francois Laporte: RIP

The founder of L'Artisan Parfumeur, one of the pioneer niche perfumery brands, and later the founder of his own name brand (Jean Laporte Paris) and Maître Parfumeur et Gantier (in 1989), is no longer with us. A great perfumer, an iconoclast, a visionary. May his spirit continue to live on in both companies remaining.
 

Loulou de la Falaise Klossowski: 1948-2011

The muse of Yves Saint Laurent, the designer of his eponymous jewels and her own jewellery & accessories line (Maison de Loulou) is no longer with us, after her battle with a long-protracted disease. She left her last breath on Saturday, November 5th at the age of 63.

Loulou's mother and a major influence, Maxime de la Falaise, was an English model and socialite who married a French count. Loulou met Yves in that social milieu in the mid-1960s. Instead of her being intrigued by him, he was mesmerized by her style, her eyes, her figure and her attitude.They quickly became joined at the hip, re-writing couture history together. After Yves's death in 2008, they're now re-united at last...
Her style will continue to inspire me and thousands of women across the world. 

Photo of Loulou de la Falaise in YSL shirt & jewels by Ali Madhavi via antimonide.com
Loulou de la Falaise smoking in YSL fashions, via blog.stylesight.com

Helene Rochas: 1927-2011

"It's the end of a myth, of an era," a Rochas spokesperson said of her death. "She was the muse of one of the great couturiers, the last to remain alive from that era."

The wife and muse of Marcel Rochas, the one for which Femme by Rochas was created and who championed the Madame Rochas fragrance herself, passed away on August 6th at the age of 84.

Photo: Madame Helene Rochas in costume at the Rothschild's "Proust Ball".

Elizabeth Taylor: 1932-2011

"Something wonderful is about to happen"
~Elizabeth Taylor

The Violet Eyes of Hollywood have closed for eternity this very morning. A breed apart, a tough cookie, a smart entrepreneur with the most successful celebrity scent line of them all and the last of a very different kind of star. May she rest in peace.

pic of Elizabeth Taylor in her iconic role of Cleopatra (1963) via arsaromatica

Jane Russell: 1921- 2011

She was the sassy brunette alongside the frivolous blonde. She was the one who inspired the famous conical bra based on aircraft technology. In the 1980s she wore Chanel Coco. Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell will be sorely missed.

Photo 20 Nov 1963, New York, NY, USA .Jane Russell bathes in a tub with of Blackwell Beauty Perfume. Gives new meaning to "marinate in perfume"!
Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

Susannah York: 1939-2011

Susannah York embodied the sizzling sensuality and sharp wit of the 1960s respendid with uninhibited talent in a pleiad of intelligent films ranging from Tom Jones to A Man for All Seasons all the way up to... A Dark Blue Perfume in the Ruth Rendell Mysteries series and of course The Maids, Christopher Miles's infamous play adaptation of Jean Genet's Les Bonnes. (Interesting perfume scene and bonus points if you identify any of the bottles on the vanity in the clip below)
May she rest in peace, we will always remember her fondly!

In Memoriam: Corinne Day 1965-2010

Fashion phorographer, famous for catapulting Kate Moss's career and photographing her in raw, documentary style for fashion and perfumes.

photo of Kate Moss posing for Obsession by Calvin Klein ad shot by Corinne Day via simonrasmussen

Jean Louis Dumas of Hermes: 1938-2010

Jean-Louis Dumas, more well-known as "tête d'Hermès" for 28 years (1978-2006) and fifth-generation descendant of the historic family running the house (son of one of the four daughters of Emile Hermès), has died last Saturday, 1st of May after a long battle with disease.



Instrumental to the continued prestige and the awakened interest in the house, he believed:

"My role is to embelish the garden with creative talent and exceptional know-how [...] Hermès is chic: this state of grace in which one simply knows how to carry a bag, a dress, or a coat."

Rest in peace, Jean-Louis...

Photo of Jean Louis Dumas via Philippe-Burlet

Beatrice Piquet (1963-2010)

Perfumer with Intenational Flavors & Fragrances Inc. Paris-based Béatrice Piquet succumbed to a prolonged illness... Famously responsible for the masterful L'Instant pour Homme for Guerlain, Burberry The Beat, the classic Trussardi Uomo in the black crock bottle, Bulgari Rose Essentielle, Davidoff's Echo, Boss Deep Red and Dark Blue, as well as assorted fragrances for Benetton, the Beckhams and Banana Republic, she was a quiet player in this emerging game of rock-stars. May she rest in peace.

If you want to grab a profile of the perfumer, you are referred to your local library for the Madame Figaro magazine of December 11, 2004, p.64.

pic via whatwedoissecret

Alexander McQueen: 1969-2010

WhokilledBambie had mentioned something like: "Death and taxes are certain, but death isn't an annual event". The news is sad indeed this year, as Alexander McQueen, one of the pre-eminent avant-garde fashion designers of the 90s and 00s just died... following his muse Isabella Blow to the grave.
"British fashion designer Alexander McQueen has been found dead after taking his own life. The 40-year-old committed suicide just three years after his close friend, Isabella Blow - who plucked him from obscurity and helped him become a star - killed herself. A source at McQueen’s office this afternoon confirmed his death, saying: ‘It is a tragic loss. We are not making a comment at this time out of respect for the McQueen family.’"

Read the rest on this article and more perspectives on this one.

Let's proclaim this a Kingdom day in his honour!

Photo of Alexander Mcqueen and Isabella Blow by David Lachappelle via pdngallery.com

Rest in peace Jacques Helleu...

Artistic director of maison Chanel is no longer with us... He left this vain world after a prolonged illness this past Friday, ending a career that spanned 4 decades at Chanel, attending to the revered image of the brand ever since Mlle's death.
His last project has been the new campaign for Coco Mlle with Keira Knightley, inspired by her "natural flaws" as he confided, comparing her to a "Cinderella in the making"; a campaign that I initially panned to later retract myself. He ever took fashion bloggers to the appartment of Coco Chanel in Paris and the factory of the brand a couple of weeks ago!

He made it into the book of records when he masterminded the most expensive commercial in perfume advertising to date: that of Chanel No.5 with Nicole Kidman.

According to him cinematographers are just as important as egeries and he had proved this by his wise choice of the former as well as the latter.
His job had the character of tenure and it was a landmark in the fickle world of perfume.


As a little tribute, may I direct you to the excellent book Jacques Helleu & Chanel. The description goes thus:

Jacques Helleu joined the house of Chanel at eighteen. In 1965 he took over responsibility for promotion and he currently serves as Chanel's artistic director. Jacques Helleu is the eye behind the House of Chanel's enduring image, having explored the meanings of this legendary brand in daring commercials and fabulous print ads for the past forty years. He has given tangible, glamorous shape to the essential mystique of Chanel's perfumes, by bringing together artistic luminaries (from photographer Helmut Newton, to director Baz Luhrman, to actress Catherine Deneuve, and countless others) and masterfully guiding the creative combustion that has resulted.

You can order it from Amazon.

May every artistic director be as successful as he was...

Pics from okadi,imagesdesparfums and fashionspot