The book is in French. 'Old England' is a store in Paris that was established by the Henriquet family in 1867. The family still runs it today. And while my French is limited to wine bottles and the menu at Le Veau d'Or -- I get this. Man, do I get this.
Update: A reader pointed out in the comments section that Henriquet no longer owns Old England. Sold in 1999 to Richemont, parent of Cartier and sold by Richemont to a group of investors in 2006, Old England has been sold again to Albert Goldberg, owner of Faconnable.
C'est merveilleux!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see one of my favourite fragrances, Blenheim Bouquet, illustrated.
ReplyDeleteThe Old England store is one of my favorites in Paris. I would much rather shop there than at Le Bon Marche or Galleries Lafayette.
ReplyDeleteNote: when I was hanging around in Paris with North African diplomats, they always wanted to shop at Old England. They preferred the English style to the French in mens clothes.
To paraphrase you, your French may be limited, and while my notion of mens finer clothing is limited, I do get that B&W picture of that store interior. I mean, for starters, check out that they have a floor lamp. Aside from its aesthetics, you can actually see what tone the fabric will be like under truer tungsten light instead of the usual despicable green-cast fluorescents. Corinthian columns, ceiling plaster motif and an Indian blanket chair - very nice.
ReplyDeleteSo many department stores have dumbed down their interiors it's like you found the bargain basement, and now just want to flee.
-DB
James Joyce was Irish.
ReplyDeleteRichard M-
ReplyDeleteJoyce was a customer.
The wine cardigan is "links-knit" alpaca, probably Lemmermeyer of Vienna. Known as 'golf' sweaters in the mid 20th century - below the Mason-Dixon line they were more common than Shetland knitwear at ye olde collegyate shopppes and as ubiquitous as WeeJuns.
ReplyDeleteThe shawl collar cardigan in the B&W photo is most likely William Lockie of Hawick (Haa-ick, sounds as if you're hocking a loogie) as would be a significant portion of the knitwear on display.
The blanket's from "Big Chief Jim-Bob's Souvenir Wigwam", Cherokee, NC circa 1947. I think Joyce shopped there for blackthorn sheleighlys as a persuasive advantage in literary disagreements at Dublin's infamous "Ewe's Buttocks" pub.
Ta'er digresses.
So nicely done and intrigingly old school charming!
ReplyDeleteLove the older interior of department store nice!
Merci!
L.
Old England is not owned by any family it was part of the Richemont group (they own Cartier,Dunhill, Montblanc ect} who then sold it to a Hedge fund,its a very expensive shop to run in Paris more like vanity shopkeeping,as most parisians find it cheaper to chaneltunel to london and shop cheper with the euro stering ratio being better
ReplyDeleteTo be entirely British, you need a mouth full of teeth going every which way, like the late Lord Clark.
ReplyDeleteTopiary teeth carefully nurtured over many generations.
thanks again, tintin.
ReplyDeleteI see you are pineing for Blighty, perhaps not Marmite soliders and bake beans on toast,but Arcadia being St James gentleman providers.Lovely to see a blogger taking the time to acknowledge an update (Old England/Richemont)Now here is something you may enjoy.HOUSE OF LACHASSE;THE STORY OF A VERY ENGLISH GENTLEMAN by PETER LWEIS-CROWN OBE
ReplyDeletePUBLISHED by DELANCEYPRESS
WWW.delanceypress..co.uk
QUOTE
"COUTURE IS ALWAYS SLIGHTLY VULGAR BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE LARGER THAN LIFE FOR PEOPLE TO NOTICE CHANGE"
Very much in the Hardy Amies vain of THE ENGLISHMAN'S SUIT.
So, what I am learning from this blog is that there ARE men out there into details, craft, artistry and sophisticated fashion, who are NOT gay?
ReplyDeleteyes?
Where can I find them?
anyone? anyone?
Anon - I'm getting that book. Many thanks.
ReplyDeleteThose Tricks- There's plenty around this blog and in this city. I'm already taken but I can intro you to some swell straight guys. Of course, they all divorced and poor but beggars can't be choosers.
I read your piece on Moyers. Fantastic. Looking forward to following your blog on how the film industry broke your heart. You're not alone.
aw, thanks for reading, tin tin.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a rather large group of defectors out there.
I'm getting lots of great response to it.
And it hasn't even gotten CLOSE to the juicy part, yet.
Can't wait.
heehee
-s
if anybody wants to check it out :
hollywoodbrokemyheart.com
James Joyce in color? It looks so real.
ReplyDelete