Tom's Townhouse

I always wonder why we don't see Tom Ford's homes published in more magazines.  Perhaps he doesn't want us all peering into his private spaces or maybe there were published in foreign magazines and I just didn't see them.  Whatever the case, you can see some pics of his Mayfair townhouse in London that was just sold.  The perfection reminds me of the character George in A Single Man.  Nothing is out of place though I didn't really expect it to be.  It's modern but not stark.  I like the choice of curvier dining chairs around the clean lined dining table. Tom is moving to the South Kensington area according to Fashionologie so maybe we'll see that home in a magazine someday if we're lucky. 

Photos via Fashionologie

By George

I've seen the photo of The Divers above dozens of times yet didn't realize the photographer was George Hoyningen-Huene until recently.  He was born in Russia in 1900 and during the Russian Revolution fled to London and later Paris.  He worked as a photographer and eventually became chief of photography at French Vogue.  In 1931, he met Horst who was the subject of many of his photos and who would also later become a photographer for Vogue.  In 1935 he moved to New York where he worked for Harper's Bazaar and on books before moving to Hollywood in the 1940's.  

It's his beach photographs of bathing suits from the late 1920's and early 1930's that are my favorites.  They are still used for inspiration for magazine shoots to this day.  I especially love the fact that bathing costumes from that era are larger than some of the clothes that people wear on the street today. Those were the days. 

Bathers in Lelong suits, 1929.

Horst, 1930

1930

Vogue, July 1, 1928

Horst Torso, 1931

Bathing suits by Jean Patou, 1930.

Johnny Weissmuller, 1930

Vogue, July 6, 1929

Schiaparelli bathing suit, 1929.

Vogue, July 1931

Beachwear by Schiaparelli, 1930.

Swimwear by Jean Patou, 1928.

Johnny Weissmuller

French Riviera, 1932

Beachwear by Chanel, 1933

Lovely Liaigre

I first became acquainted with the work of Christian Liaigre a few years back.  A certain designer loved to use his furniture in his projects.  It never really had the same effect since the interiors were also modern.  I've said it before and I'll say it again but contemporary furniture looks best to me in the elaborate boiseried apartments of Europe.  Christian Liaigre furniture therefore looks really amazing in the designer's own Paris apartment that was just featured in the Wall Street Journal Magazine.  Christian Liaigre has also opened a new showroom in New York at 34 East 61st Street and I can't wait to stop by as soon as the weather cools off. 

Photos by Eric Morin

Cool on the Cape

Memorial Day is supposed to be a day to remember the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. In reality, it's become the unofficial start of summer and beach season. I loved visiting Cape Cod when I lived in Boston so I felt a pang of nostalgia when I saw John Derian's Provincetown house in on Bon Appetit magazine. It's such a lovely simple home full of friends, fun, and food.  If you look close, you may even see Chance designer Julia Leach who I wrote about last week.   

Happy Summer!

Photos by Cedric Angeles