Dior, LVMH, Guerlain...just another day in class

Last week, on a cold Paris day, our fearless leader Jean-Pierre lead us on an excursion through Avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Élysées. We saw Dior, Chanel, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Dolce and Gabanna, jewelry stores, and other high-end shops. The Plaza Athenee is a high-class hotel that is also located on Ave Montaigne which has a Dior spa.

From wiki "By the 1980s, the avenue Montaigne was considered to be la grande dame of French streets for high fashion and accessories, and is now considered more important than rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré (which is where the Chanel store is with the staircase). Several established clothing designers set up here, particularly the LVMH (Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton) group. LVMH brought investment and international attention to the street, and its stable of top designers and firms, such as Céline, Loewe, Vuitton, Inès de la Fressange and formerly Christian Lacroix, own a substantial portfolio of the street's real estate."

The store opened in late 1946. The salon is known for the dove-gray color. Does anyone remember Carrie Bradshaw's spill on the marble floor? Christian Dior Fall 2009 Haute Couture show which takes place at the store LVMH Headquarters. Like the Murakami? Next on to beautiful Guerlain. Guerlain was founded in 1828 and is now coincedentially owned by LVMH--hmm, should I buy some stock? It is one of the oldest perfume houses in the world. I was the tester for their infamous Teracotta make-up. I had a nice healthy glow:)

Istituo Marangoni, Milano, or as my cousin Carla called it, insurance on my future

I was in Milano and then, Basaluzzo, and Genova this weekend.

I took Easy Jet, which is very cheap to Milano, Malpensa and then a shuttle from Malpensa to Milano (central). My objective in Milano was to visit the school Istituto Marangoni for possible masters program in fashion design. I could not believe how smooth my transportation from the plane, shuttle, and taxi went in order to arrive to the school on time for my orientation appointment, but it did!

Once there, Tiziana, the orientation officer answered all of my questions and then some. The school even has a masters for e-Fashion which is in partnership with the online shopping company yoox.com--very cool. The masters of fashion design really sounds wonderful and I was told that there are a couple of American students in the program as well. Hmm...there could be a designstudentlivinginMilano next year;)

this is in the lobby. videos of previous collections of students work played continually

The school is right in the near all the fancy high end shops

Gossip - Heavy Cross (Paris)

Saw them last night and it was très fantastique!!! I was walking home from school and I saw Beth Ditto taking photos with fans. She is a fantastic performer, the band was great, and the french are very polite in the rock concert arena as well:) (The beer is in half of the size that it is in the states--wonder if this has anything do with it? probably not, the french are respectful of performers even if they provoke unison jumping!!!) Beth Ditto is also a fashion force to reckon with as well. Oh, and by the way she was wearing a Mossimo graffitied dress before revealing her bra and spanx--très chaud, literally. Here is style.com's interview of her and her views of fashion.