ParisTilton Discovers Denim in Paris

Atelier Notify in the Bon Marché

Denim has certainly been claimed here in the USA 

but the fabric originated in France. 

'Serge de Nîmes' ('fabric of Nîmes’) 

remains the sturdy textile adopted by 

businessman Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis 

to create the classic 'blue jean’. 

(’Genes’ was a term the French used to describe the people of Genoa, Italy 

where the first trousers were made.) 

The ‘Born in the USA’, never-go-out-of-style, 

always chic, universally adapted 'uniform' of today 

is definitely the blue jean. 

In the current fashion climate 

multitudes of styles abound 

and jeans are worn all over the world. 

Jeans are an important part of the French casual ‘uniform’ 

of scarf (winter and summer), 

t-shirt, 

jacket (leather, denim or sport), 

jeans (in many colors and iterations)

 and shoes (optional boot, flat or heel).

It was exciting to hear about a new space in the Bon Marché, 

Atelier Notify, 

devoted exclusively to denim and all the ways it can be enhanced. 

(Thanks to ParisTilton tour participants 

Robyn and Paula for the heads up about this.)

With Ken. Photo by Marcy Tilton.

Ken, a graduate of Esmod, Paris,

 was a great help, a font of information 

and his English was excellent 

(always a plus for me whose French is limited).

Atelier Notify will happily customize anything for you. 

The perfect way to make your wardrobe 

uniquely your own.

Choose your fabric.

Choose the style.

Your jeans will be fit to order.

 Watch them work.

At the embroidery machine.

 Adjusting pants.

Enjoying the work.

Discussing the work.

Some of the many embroidery choices.

Embroidered words and images.

The French sense of humor injected into their style.

Each seam has been ripped open.

Whimsical drawings of Paris.

Painted words. Photo by Marcy Tilton.

An added bonus

is the coffee shop just behind the space

complete with a DJ.

Hand made. 

Made by hand. 

Anything touched by the hand -- recognized as being special, 

unique, one-of-a-kind. 

Occupying a space in some pretty high end real-estate. 

About time. 

Typically work done by women. 

Although I noted only one woman 

working in the space...

After talking with Ken 

and seeing all the possibilities they offer, 

I realized that 

I had done all of these things on fabric myself 

-- paint, embroider, add ge-gaws, appliqué, rip, tear, fringe, stitch. 

On denim, on leather, 

on pants, purses, shoes, jackets, coats, tops, 

skirts, scarves, bracelets, pins and more. 

​I could work there. 

I'd probably have to speak French though...

I hope you can join one of our 

ParisTilton Tours in 2017 

where we can see what we will discover together!

This was originally posted as a blog

on ParisTilton.

Sunday in Paris

When the sun actually shines on a Sunday in Paris 

the day feels somehow more special. 

Always laughing with Martine and Marcy.

A great Sunday starts at the flea market, 

where a search through vintage linen undergarments 

produced a beautiful camisole. 

Each piece in the trunk provided a sewing lesson 

with French seams, perfectly hand-stitched buttonholes, handmade lace and hand-stitched edgings.

Dyed vintage table linens 

will make a chic accompaniment to morning tea.

This young French ghoul is ready for Halloween!

Then it was off to the

Foundation Louis Vuitton, the stunning

Frank Gehry designed museum in the Bois de Boulogne

to view the Shchukin collection

which has had rave reviews.

The reviews are correct but obviously

they were not written by people

who stood in line for hours

(with tickets mind you).

Crowded lines between galleries.

The lines were hideous.

Yes, it's a first world problem.

Yes, I've become a country girl.

Yes, it's exemplary that so many people

are willing to wait in long lines to view art.

Yes, it was a Sunday afternoon

on a Holiday weekend with school vacation...

And, the lines were hideous --

outside (thank god it was a lovely day),

inside (once you've seen the first gallery

you know you have to go on) and

always for the toilettes.

Totally worth it! 

An amazing collection.

Most works never seen by the public before.

Portrait of Doctor Rey by Vincent Van Gogh.

This portrait by Van Gogh was my favorite piece.

So contemporary he could be

a hipster from Portland, Oregon.

Maurice Lobre, Dauphin’s Salon at Versaille.

I've been studying painting

with the talented Sarah F. Burns 

and was drawn to the sunlight on the floor

as well as the poignant subject matter in this piece.

The terrace views give even 

the modern skyline of Paris a certain romance.

A ‘living’ sculpture’, by Adrian Villar Rojas, 'Where the Slaves Live'.

Detail of the ‘living’ sculpture’, by Adrian Villar Rojas, 'Where the Slaves Live'.

This emotionally compelling piece 'lives' on the terrace.

An in-the-moment time capsule, 

the plants grow 

as the organic matter deteriorates.

The FLV building is a masterpiece

with ever shifting views.

Although the color panel installation

is compelling in a certain way

I look forward to returning when the glass panels

are in their original state.

À bientôt!

Paris Postcards

An autumn day at Giverny

Blue sky pond reflecting

the final burst of leafy chroma.

Flea market fun with Ruth and Jenny. 

 Photos and playing in the Palais Royale.

 Judi, Sherry and Carmen 

installed on the installation.

Stone sculpture in the gardens.

Dye colors at the couture flower house.

Cheryl, Ruth, Debra and Marcy
enjoy the flowers.

Contemporary textiles from the

Korea Now exhibition

at Musée des Arts Décoratifs.

A marvelous mix of old

and new textile techniques

with a different point of view. 

Wish you were here!

À ma maison and last days in Paris

All over Paris love is in the air

as are English phrases

on garments and fabrics

which is mildly disappointing

for those of us searching for something

quintessentially 'French'.

(Such a cliché...)

All shopped out

(hard to believe I know)

so we didn't go in

but you've gotta love the name...

I started noticing

couples who dress alike

(and in this case blend into their surroundings).

You might not know that Marcy and I

were dressed alike when we were little girls,

which might explain why we often 

come out of our respective bedrooms 

wearing the same colors top to bottom.

One of us usually goes back to change...

Then there was this sartorialist

standing on the busy corner by 

Saint Germain des Prés.

Looking good,

and you can't even see the red plaid

in his stylishly cropped pant.

He turned away when he noticed me and my camera.

Why one would choose to dress like this

and then be shy is a question

I cannot answer here.

Wise words on a hip chair at Merci.

Still one of my favorite places to lunch in Paris

and always a source of design inspiration

offbeat items and warm weirdness.

This season at Merci they are in the process

of yarn bombing the little car

that sits in the entry.

Fabric and textile arts have 

come a long way, baby.

~~~

Always such a pleasure

(small and large)

to sleep in my own bed

after 30 hours of travel

with little sleep,

eating tasteless processed salty snacks

and a few dry carrot sticks.

Good thing it was so uneventful and fluid

that I finished reading, Paris, the Novel

 which tells a story weaving history,

the growth of the city, some of its now familiar 

always charming locations

and an interesting cast of characters.

So much heat and rain here

that our lush garden seems as beautiful

as at Giverny.

More beautiful actually

because it's home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please check out Marcy's and my new Craftsy Class

launching May 22.

Links will be posted on both our websites.

in the meantime click this link to

sign up for 'The Ultimate T-shirt' give-a-way.