My Inspiration...

Bonjour mes beaux amies! So today I have decided to share with you some of the things that inspire me and my work the most. So sit back with a cup of tea, or glass of vino (depending on the time of day) and enjoy!

First of all, the biggest inspiration to me (as the name of my label suggests) is my favourite city in the world...yes, you've guessed it...París, of course my darlings!! I have always been in love with this city from a very young age, (after watching too many Pepé Le Pew cartoons) but it wasn't until I was 18 that I finally arrived at the destination I had dreamed of for years and it was certainly worth the wait!

          Pepé Le Pew in action!!

I was in my element strolling along narrow winding streets, sipping coffee's and nibbling on croissants in old, shabby chic café's, peering in the windows of beautiful boutiques and in general just breathing in the Parisienne air and lifestyle, taking it all in!   I absolutely adore the Eiffel Tower and have incorporated it into my work in both my headpieces and jewellery as well as my beautiful Parisienne style labels.

Femme Fatales from the Silver Screen of the 1940's, including Lana Turner, Ingrid Bergman and Katherine Hepburn to name a few, and the seductive glamour of Film Noir also have a huge influence on me and my work.  I adore the aura of mystery and intrique that surrounds this era... the red lipstick, the long satin gloves, the full length evening gowns and the peekaboo hairstyle made famous by the stunning Veronica Lakes, as seen below, are a little bit of magic to me! These women were deadly seductresses- strong, sassy, independant women and this is exactly how I would like my customers to feel when wearing one of my headpieces or hats!

 

Although the role of the Femme Fatale evolved in the 1940's the character type actually derived from the anti-heroine vamps of early cinema, such as Theda Bara and It girls Clara Bow and Louise Brooks. These girlies were all part of the Flapper movement of the promiscuous Roaring '20's, one of my favourite genres of all time!! Many of my lace headband and turbans are inspired by this fabulous Flapper era...if only I could step back in time this is where I would want to be... wildly dancing the Charleston and sipping champagne!

Another form of entertainment that was very popular in the 1920's was Burlesque and hundreds of aspiring dancers flocked to Paris to kick their legs in the Can-Can and perform on the stages of the infamous Moulin Rouge (www.moulinrouge.fr) and  Folies Bergère music halls. My favourite dancers from this time that I love to imagine shaking their booties are Joséphine Baker and Mistinguett or Miss Music Hall as she was known!

So finally that brings me onto my last source of inspiration.. one of the most important ladies of all that inspire and influence my label and who is once again a strong, feisty woman (who just happened to be the Queen of France in the 18th century)..yes, the fabulous Marie Antoinette, who else???

             The fabulous Marie-Antoinette.

Who could not adore a queen who went excessively over her clothing budget every year by buying extravagant headdresses, lavish adornments, huge plumes and voluminous ball gowns not to mention the amount of money she spent on her friends and entertainment, including masked Balls and gambling!

Marie Antoinette set trends in fashion all over France and Europe at the time and is still a huge influence on fashion to this day, with her translucent skin, long blonde hair and full bossommed figure she is a true, genuine Style Icon.

Needless to say though that her extravagant spending sprees soon led to an envy and hatred of the Queen all over France. It wasn't long before all sorts of rumours were spreading and unfortunately, the reign of Marie Antoinette came to a horrific end where she was grotesquely treated and brutally beheaded on the 16th of October, 1793, at the age of 38. However, her legacy lives on and she will never, ever be forgotten.

So my dears....there you have it, these are the main things that inspire me and Mes Petits Chapeaux, my little hats, and accessories as I am designing and making them in my little studio!  I hope it is reflected in my work. On that note, I will leave you for now my darlings...but don't worry I will be back soon with lots more tales to tell you....be good in the meantime!

Au revoir mes beaux amies xxx

Kirsten Dunst from Sophia Copolla's film 'Marie Antoinette'.

Image of Eiffel Tower (top) by Duncan Ramsey http://www.flickr.com/photos/dramzy/

Images of my work throughout blog by Maria McGrail www.mariamcgrail.com