Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Happy Belated Birthday Ines





When I was a geeky teenager in Miami Florida I lived in dream world of fashion magazines and punk rock music. I longed for the life of this woman right here. She was IT. Cooler than Cool. Still is! Ines de la Fressange was Lagerfeld's muse. I cut my hair like her. I planned if I had daughters to name one Ines and one Isabella (for Rosellini)

When I wasn't wearing my aqua polyester school girl uniform (yes you read that right - I could have moonlighted at Howard Johnson's in that thing) I wore black and draped myself in pearls --- much to the pleasure of my mother and the dismay of my papa. (My coming out party at 15 was a black gown, it wasn't a statement I was trying to make. I just look awful in white.)

I think one of the reasons I admired her was because she had originally suffered rejection by many agencies before her potential was finally spotted by an agent at Pauline's, and landed her Chanel contract. I always root for the underdog.

When Ines was unceremoniously fired as Chanel's muse for having accepted the honor of the French Marianne I was so shocked at lifes' injustice. (Marianne in case you haven't heard, is a French national symbol and the honor includes one's visage on a postage stamp. Other Mariannes include Catherine Denueve, and Brigette Bardot. We'll leave the history of Marianne for another day.)

I met Ines once in Miami at the height of her fame, at a perfume launch for Coco. (Skinniest legs eve.)

Ines turned fifty in August, no Botox on that face. She has not aged more than 5 minutes. The Elle cover is celebrating her half century). So there is hope for all of us that can't or refuse to run to the plastic surgeon at a whim.
Have faith, it's true! 50 really is the new 30.

2 comments:

Brown Bee Studio said...

I believe you're right about the "new" 30 Anita! ;0]

The Peak of Chic said...

Fashion was so fun in the 80s, wasn't it! I remember being a child and watching Elsa Klensch on CNN every Saturday morning!