Textiles and Fashion Discoveries of Paris and London, Part 1

When you travel for work, it's easy to get stuck into the same old 'the Milk Run' (as a friend calls it) of staying in same trusted hotels, strolling the same favourite routes and neighbourhoods; browsing at the same beloved boutiques; dining at the same restaurants (with friends who love them as much as you do) and even visiting the same museums. 

But every now and then it's important, I think, to step off the Milk Run and discover cities anew—just as you did the first time you went overseas. Changing the pace and the paths you take can renew your sense of wonder at places, and make you fall in love with destinations all over again.

This happened to me this week. 

In the spirit of this new 'Gratitude Attitude' that we're all joyfully adopting, I decided to try and uncover parts of London and Paris I'd never seen. 

I'm here for a few days to source textiles and fashion places for new books, including the Paris book that's been stuck behind a writer's block. For the last few months I've been reluctant to leave my partner at home after a few very sad months, but the state election is on, our house is in chaos because of it (my partner works in politics part-time), and so it seemed like a good time to finally GET OUT OF TOWN and find inspiration again!

As it turned out, the last week of November is the perfect time to travel: Paris hotels are dirt cheap (I found many for $100/n), the Christmas lights are twinkling, and the weather is still gentle. More than that, people are busy and so things that would normally be booked out are available. But the most wonderful thing about getting off the ol' Milk Run is discovering a new side to Paris and London.

Let me show you what I mean.

Every month, the V&A Museum has a tour of its archives. I'd never bothered with it before as it's often over-subscribed, but this week there was a place, so I cleared a few hours to try it.

Oh my. What a textile lover's dream.

Held at Blythe House in West Kensington, the archives are where the museum's collections of fashion and textiles are stored when they're not on show. Our group only saw one room but there were 54,000 pieces in that one room. Rows and rows of vintage Dior, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Chanel and so on... I can't tell you how amazed we all were. The gasps seem to rise higher and higher.

I dare not show you much as I'm not sure how much we're allowed to reveal (the security was tighter than MI5!), but I can tell you it's well worth it. If you love fashion and textiles, it's an incredible place to see. The V&T has always been held in high regard by fashion and textile lovers but this team should be applauded for their dedication to preserving such magnificent history.

Another little-explored section of London—at least for me—is the northern part of Notting Hill, and having heard about the wonders of The Cloth Shop, a fabulous fabric resource in W10, I decided to head north. 

(Tip: If you want to see Portobello Road, go on Fridays when there are no crowds. It's bliss.)

The Cloth Shop is a secret treasure trove of textile goodies in the midst of the bustling markets: a store full of beautiful linens (some as little as 12 pounds) and striped bolts galore.

The staff is also lovely. There's a cat too, who happily sits on all the expensive trimmings.

While you're there, pop around the corner to Alice Temperley, a designer loved by both British celebs and Australian expats for her intricately detailed pieces. (link) 

She has stores in King's Road and Mayfair, but this is her original, and is still her private atelier.

This house is on the way to Temperley.

 If you look carefully, the brass plaque says 'BANK ROBBER'. 

Clearly a thief with wit and style.

I'd also never really stopped to notice the flower stalls in London before. This as one filled with Christmas bouquets in shades of crimson and magenta. Just beautiful.

More London cuteness. I can't believe I've never seen this side of Notting Hill before.

But perhaps my biggest London 'discovery' has been the bedrooms of Blakes Hotel. 

Which have to be seen to be believed.

Most design lovers and hotel hedonists know about Blakes—it was the first 'boutique hotel' in the world. Like many, however, I'd never really spent much time here. Until now. With cheap November deals (try Sundays and Mondays for the best bargain prices), I booked a night. 

They kindly gave me the red-and-white room. Which was like walking into an urban oasis on a cold London afternoon.

This is the bathrom. Balcony and all. 

(Can you see the ceiling? It's all lined in fabric. Incredible.)

The detail in the curtains, curtain pulls and door handles was enough to make a design lover gasp.

Apparently Lady Gaga stays in a similar red-lined room here. A room that, incidentally, has just been voted The Most Romantic Hotel Room In The World by Mr and Mrs Smith Guides.

Here's another room, which Amelia, the gorgeous reservations girl, kindly showed me. 

The price for this room is incredibly cheap, considering the design.

If you love fabrics, this is the London hotel for you.

Trust me. You'll be as ga-ga as Lady Gaga.

I'm back in London next week, so will post more textile gorgeousness then.

I'm now in Paris for a few days to source fashion, style and design destinations for the new Paris book (just to finish it off), and will post many of my Parisian discoveries this week.

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Travel Insights: Where To Go in 2015

If you're planning your 2015 sojourns, here are some inspiration and ideas to get you started.

The most important thing to remember when planning trips is that some destinations are seasonal, so pick your month with care.

I was set to do some work in Cambodia in May, enroute to London and Paris, but was advised to avoid the monsoon period, and travel in December instead. The rains can also wash out Paris at certain times of the year, usually late April and May, so take an umbrella and/or raincoat if you're heading there at that time. The best months to see Paris are April and September. 
New York is also beautiful in April, when the blossoms and bulbs all come out, while autumn/October in Manhattan is magical.
Charleston is also best in April (lots of private gardens open up to the public), while New Orleans is fab — both weather-wise and in terms of a festive spirit—at Halloween.
London is best in June when the roses come out, or Christmas, when the Chrissy decorations glow like a fairytale.
And Sydney is stunning in spring (Sept), but horribly muggy in summer (Jan).


All that said, it really doesn't matter when you travel, as long as you do travel.
Here are some places and ideas to get your 2015 itineraries started.

A BOOKSHOP THAT'S NOW A HOTEL

With the quirky name of Only You, this new, navy-trimmed beauty opened earlier this year. It was created from a former bookshop (now the bar) and a former 19th-century palace once owned by an aristocratic Spanish family. 

The interior design retains the charm of the original buildings while adding some surprising touches. The elevators in the foyer, for example, have been hidden behind a beautiful blue-and-white Chinoiserie facade. 

Its designer Lázaro Rosa Violán is fast becoming the new Michele Bonan (the talent behind JK Capri), blending classic lines with contemporary art and eclectic pieces. The hotel is right in central Madrid and has rooms from €160. Leaving you lots of money to splurge on Spanish tapas and wine. 

www.onlyyouhotels.com

A BALCONY THAT'S NOW A BAR

If you haven't yet been to this London cutie, put it on The List. Inspired by grand Parisian brasseries, The Balcon Bar is one of the city's prettiest and most delightful spots for a pick-me-up G&T or a chat with friends over a dirty great magnum of French Champagne. 

The design and colour palette – periwinkle blue paired with rich mahogany timbers and high ceilings—is so alluring, people have been known to steal the design ideas for their own home. 

www.thebalconlondon.com

Other lovely places to check out in London include the just-opened Mondrian Hotel, the ever-improving Fashion and Textile Museum (just near the Design Museum), the pretty new Cabbages and Roses store off King's Road, and the new designer boutiques and buzzing scene set around elegant Mount Street in Mayfair.

PUTTING BANGKOK BACK ON THE (DESIGN) MAP

Ever since it opened in 2012, The Siam Hotel in Bangkok has become one of the most talked-about hotels in travel circles. It's owned by a Thai rock start but there's definitely no sign of ripped jeans and Jaggereque swagger here: just coolly glamorous suites and Instagram-worthy antique collections. The aesthetic is classic colonial, so vintage suitcases and old hunting hats dot the sideboards, but the colour palette of cool blue, Dior grey and ebony black modernises the design.

The best part? The enormous spa-style bathrooms and private pools (above). The hotel also provides handy floorplans so you can see how much luxury you're getting for your Baht. 

It makes those Bangkok stopovers look a whole lot brighter.

(NB This place isn't cheap, so put it on the 'Indulgence List')

www.thesiamhotel.com

SAILING UNEXPLORED ARCHIPALEGOS

Remember when Gwyneth Paltrow was slapped around by social media for posting about her 4-day, $62,000 trip aboard the Silolona schooner? (link) (Personally, I think: Good on her. If she has the cash, why not?) Well, Gwennie may have been onto something, because sailing the Indonesian archipelago has become one of THE hottest activities in travel as we face the head winds of 2015.

Why? Well, Indonesia's remote islands are possibly the last unexplored place on earth, now that Bhutan is busier than the Eurostar.

 The relatively secret Raja Ampat has long been regarded by the diving world as a pristine diving and snorkelling destination, but there are hundreds of unexplored islands to snorkel/swim/hike here. Furthermore, Bali-based brands such as Villa Sungai and Plantaran (above) offer amazing old refitted schooners to cruise on, with all meals and drinks included.

Two other tropical destinations that are starting to see schooners—one of the best ways to explore watery places – are the Maldives and Fiji. Both are particularly suited to schooner-ish adventures because you can sail from island to island, snorkelling the pristine reefs in between. I've been liaising with a lovely California travel agency, Pacific Harbor Travel, about their dedicated snorkelling cruises to the Maldives and Fiji—perfect for travellers who want to escape the stress of life by drifting underwater for their entire holiday. The best part? They're usually less than $400/day (all-inclusive), as opposed to the standard $700+ (without meals) charged by most Maldives resorts. 

Sounds idyllic, doesn't it? 

Gwennie may have had the right idea escaping on a schooner, after all...

LUXE FOR LESS IN MARRAKECH

Ever since an online friend, Miss Slim Paley (link) photographed and posted about the Royal Mansour in Marrakech, I've had it on the Wish List. Commissioned by King Mohamed VI of Morocco to accommodate state guests, its interior comprises intricate, finely-detailed tiles, furniture and lighting handmade by local artisans whose decorative arts skills have been passed down through the generations. 

SP finds ALL the best hideaways in the world—she also did the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru in the Maldives; one of the most beautiful places on earth—but what I love is that she elected not to stay here and pay the eye-watering prices but simply went for lunch instead. (Which then lingered into cocktails and dinner. Cos that's the sort of ravishing place it is.)

Booking a lunch instead of a bed is the cheap way of seeing such luscious places. The hotel doesn't mind how long you stay, as long as you keep ordering wine, and you're normally welcome to wander around the courtyards and grounds between courses, or afterwards. 

We're having a pre-Christmas lunch at Amanjiwo to save money this very way.

www.royalmansour.com   

slimpaley.com

TIPS FROM TRAVEL BLOGGERS

If you're stuck for inspiration, or just want some travel eye candy to get you through the lunch hour, some great travel blogs are Tuula Vintage www.tuulavintage.com (also has lists of vintage stores) and Friend in Fashion www.friendinfashion.com.au (image above). Four Months in Paris is also full of Parisian pleasures parisinfourmonths.com while Pret a Voyager always has great ideas – her map posts are gorgeous. www.pret-a-voyager.com I also love A Lady In London because she has what seems like an incredible life but also seems very down-to-earth about it – www.aladyinlondon.com

LIVING LIKE LOUIS VUITTON

If you've 'done' a lot of Paris and want to see different things, there are all sorts of secret corners offering aesthetic treasures. Along with Frank Gehry's new Fondation Louis Vuitton (just opened last month), there's also Louis Vuitton Espace Culturel, a quiet gallery space on the second floor of the Paris flagship store. Not only does it offer a glorious view of the rooftops of Paris but it also features ongoing exhibitions, and each one comes with a covetable, limited-edition cloth-covered catalogue. You can wander through with a guide, or explore the space on your own. 

The well-stocked reading room is bliss, too. And it's all FREE.

If you can't get to Paris, consider buying the truly beautiful Louis Vuitton book, 100 Legendary Trunks: The History of the Travel Trunk (above). I received this for a Christmas gift and it remains my favourite design book. (link) A great Chrissy gift for the adventurer in your family.

THE FRENCH RIVIERA — THEN AND NOW

Another sumptuous book to inspire you is The French Riviera in the 1920s, by Xavier Girard. It's a new release from Assouline and I was lucky to receive it as a gift from The Man for surviving a tough few months. It's now my second-favourite book. The photos alone are worth the price tag. See if Santa will gift it to you. It will inspire you to visit / return to the French Riviera, trust me! (link)

KATE SPADE, ON HOLIDAYS

Another new title that's creating a buzz amongst stylish travellers is Kate Spade's new travel book, Places To Go; People To See. (link) 

Full of quirky lists and even-more irresistible drawings, it reminds you that travel is meant to be fun: something we all forget on occasion.

KEEPING YOUR MEMENTOS 

Something we've started to do in our house is collect little bits and pieces from our travels and display them in our kitchen, where we pass them every day as we walk outside. It reminds us of the places we've been fortunate to visit, the sights we've seen, and the lovely people we've met along the way... It also reminds us to be grateful for our travels, cos it's unlikely we'll be lounging around the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc when we're eighty...!

The team at Maison Valentino has also done it. They love travel so much, they featured a mood board as part of a recent fashion show.

AND LASTLY, A TREAT FOR ALL THE SENSES

I'm going to leave you with a place that was recently voted by hotel and publishing company Mr and Mrs Smith as being one of the most beautiful in the world. It's Six Senses's sublime hideaway at Ninh Van Bay in Vietnam. (link)

Now this isn't cheap, so reserve it for anniversaries or indulgences, but it's said to be worth every cent. Some of the villas have their own private plunge pools carved out of the rock cliffs, as well as hand-crafted timber soaking baths.

And just look at that view...

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Weekend Books, Insights & Inspiration

FOLLY FANTASTIC

One of the most beautiful books published this year has been One Man's Folly: The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood (April 2014).

Chronicling the remarkable homes and interiors of American collector and designer Furlow Gatewood, who for many years worked alongside antiques dealer John Rossellini (Bunny Williams' husband) as his business partner in their New York store, this book is more than another design book. Every page, shot so beautifully by Paul Costello (Sara Ruffin Costello's husband) captures the casual elegance of Furlow's style. 

I love that the pages show the flotsam and jetsam of daily life – dogs and all (I even spotted some dishes in a sink on one page). It allows you to relate to this sophisticated but clearly down-to-earth Southern gentleman, even if his taste is exquisite and his collections worthy of a museum. If only more design books showed the 'reality' of our homes.

I've only just bought it this weekend, but wish I'd purchased it sooner.

Price: $99. (But well worth it.)

Publisher: Rizzoli New York. 

WATERCOLOUR LESSONS ON A WINTER'S DAY

Orange, pink and green seem to colour-palette companions, if Furlow Gatewood is to be believed. Thank goodness, because our new Garden Tour branding is going down those lines. 

I did do these with a very small brush one rainy afternoon this week: our new With Compliments slips. (Don't worry: the tour itineraries have a lot more care and detail going into them.)

CHASING THE ROSE

AN ADVENTURE IN THE VENETIAN COUNTRYSIDE

This is another book that lots of people are talking about. I bought it yesterday on recommendation from a friend. It's a lovely read, especially for rose lovers. It's a delightful story about Andrea di Robilant's search for a fabled antique rose – a journey that takes him from modern-day Venice back to the time of Josephine Bonaparte and into some of the most outstanding rose gardens of Europe. The text is so evocative you can almost smell the scent of the petals.

The watercolour jacket (cover) and pages are beautifully designed, too. They're by Venice-born, London-based designer Nina Fuga.

Nina Fuga also did the cover and some of the page designs for fashion designer Collette Dinnigan's recent illustrated biography, plus a range of Collette's romantic Parisian scarves.

GOING ROCOCO

Speaking of romantic, one of the prettiest small gardens in the Cotswolds is this little charmer set in a hidden Cotswold valley: the Painswick Rococo Garden. I visited it one sunny afternoon last month, after hearing a few whispers about how pretty it was, and although I didn't expect much I was bowled over by how beautiful it was.

There are very few Rococo gardens in England and this is a superb example. 

Garden design between 1720 and 1760 was a time of great change, and gardens became flamboyant, frivolous and full of follies and fun. (Furlow Gatewood would have loved them.) They were a place for garden parties; somewhere for Georgian folk to let their hair down. Curiously, there were few flowers back then because gardens were almost theatrical sets used as a backdrop for the decadent garden parties. Garden Historians have since named this period Rococo.

I adored this little folly painted in a cheery shade of Italian pink. But Painswick's real attraction is the white folly that looks out over an enormous kitchen garden, all set in a magical hidden valley.

It's a garden that's well worth seeing, especially if you have children. They'll love it.

www.rococogarden.org.uk

HORTICULTURAL ART IN LONDON

If you're in London and you love all things horticulture, then there are lots of things to see that are free, especially in May, when the Chelsea Flower Show is on. The Chelsea in Bloom festival is, of course, a must-see (www.chelseainbloom.co.uk), as the Chelsea Flower Show. The former is free (you simply wander around the King's Road quarter where many windows do flower-themed displays), but the CFS is costly. If you forget to buy tickets, there are people you can purchase them from. (Tip: Check the Internet during the week of the show, and arrange the meet the seller face-to-face to check the ticket's legitimacy.)

Even walking around the streets of neighbouring South Kensington will reward you with green-thumbed creations. This was a small part of an enormous display of heart-shaped topiaries and heart-shaped ivy in front of a hotel on Kensington High Street.

Another cute freebie for garden lovers is this gorgeous, leaf-inspired sculpture in South Kensington, on the corner of Palace Gate and Kensington Gate, set in amidst a pretty copse of pleached trees. 

One way to see it is to start at the Natural History Museum one Saturday morning (don't miss the Wildlife Garden) and then wind your way north to the Portobello Road Markets along Gloucester Road (which becomes Palace Gate). You'll see it on the left. Keep wandering north, to the Sunken Garden in the Kensington Gardens and then veer left to Kensington Church Street so you pass the bloomingly beautiful pub, the Churchill Arms (one of the prettiest pubs in London, thanks to all the flower displays). 

From there, it's only a short walk north to Portobello Road, and after the markets, you can explore the Notting Hill Gate's leafy streets and grab some lunch at a cute cafe.

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN

Another garden worth visiting in London is the Chelsea Physic Garden. 

I missed this on our Garden Tour last year because I was looking after two of the group who needed assistance, so I went back and saw it this year. 

It's a small garden but packed with interesting features and corners that detail how plants are used in medicinal and other purposes. 

The 'Dye Plant' bed was fascinating, and the 'Scented Flowers' area was equally surprising. This was a rose-scented geranium (above). The garden encourages you to bend down and sniff or touch its plants (which everyone was doing), which contributes to the enjoyment.

chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

LINEN LOVELINESS

A third book for your To Buy List is this crisp beauty: Linens by Jane Scott Hodges, with a cover so luscious you can almost smell the scented water and sun-dried sheets!

There was a similar linen book published a decade ago (with a very similar cover), but it's difficult to find now, so pick up this appealing alternative instead.

SISSINGHURST IN SUMMER

A gratuitous pic of Sissinghurst's rose garden, simply because it's so beautiful!

 (It will also be on the tour next year.)

And finally, what a sad story about Stuart Rattle that appeared in this weekend's Australian newspaper. 

I was half hoping that a decent journalist would write an in-depth cover story about the terrible murder of this much-loved design icon, as there are so many questions left hanging, but I wondered whether anyone would be courageous enough to take the story on? It's such a sensitive matter, and you really need to tread lightly around these kinds of cases. Thankfully The Australia's Kate Legge has done a superb job under difficult circumstances.

I only met Stuart a few times while interviewing him for various stories, and he was always gracious, kind, funny, and full of wit and self-deprecating humour. It's still such a shock. I can only imagine how his close friends must feel, and my heart goes out to them.

We may never know what really happened last December, and perhaps that's a good thing? Perhaps it's best that we remember Stuart Rattle in the way he no doubt would have wished: by his remarkable garden, his gracious home Musk Farm, and his inimitable elegance and style.

Penguin is bringing out a book about Stuart's work later this year. If it's under Julie Gibbs' Lantern imprint, it will no doubt be done with love and care and attention to detail, just as Stuart would have wanted.

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