GWYNETH PALTROW

If you love following blogs, one way or another you would have come across GOOP, a weekly newsletter authored by none other than Ms. Gwyneth Paltrow herself.  Here, she shares her thoughts on travel, cooking, fashion, beauty, and family/parenting.

In this GOOP entry, Gwyneth shares a step-by-step "how to make a pizza" using a backyard wood burning oven, along with pictures of herself during the process.

I love that she is casually wearing her Collier de Chien cuff (that luxury meets a little bit of punk and a lot of attitude vibe), and letting flour dough cover it all over! 

The final result is this delectable Margherita pizza that you could almost smell even from a photo.

 (This pizza reminds me of Naples and Da Michele, the place where pizza was invented.)

CARLA BRUNI-SARKOZY

The beautiful French first lady leaves the Ritz in Paris after having lunch wearing a loose tunic top. There have been reports that the 43 year-old former model/singer/songwriter and her husband, French president Nicolas Sarkozy, are expecting their first child together, but she has refused to confirm it when interviewed.  In the photos, she seems to be using her elegant Hermes Victoria handbag to cover a baby bump.

Doesn't this remind you of another special lady who brought a bag to iconic status when she used it to hide her pregnancy almost 6 decades ago? I wonder if this bag will ever gain the moniker "Carla" or "Bruni"? 

 

 (photos from here)

EVA HERZIGOVA

Model Eva Herzigova is seen leaving Nice airport after the 64^th Cannes Film Festival pulling off a casual-chic look perfect for travel.  She is wearing high-waisted, wide-legged jeans, a printed sheer blouse, a black jacket, high-heeled sandals, with an Hermes belt and bag.  Doesn’t her look say “effortless”?

Let's talk about scarves

We cannot talk about Hermes, without giving homage to their beautiful and iconic scarves.  Beautifully crafted, each 90cmx90cm piece of natural silk is hand-stitched, and can include the work of as many as forty artisans to make.  An artist designs the scarf and the design is engraved and transferred to silkscreens.  The silk is then painted using the screens, one for each color, layer by layer, from the darkest color to the lightest. A scarf can take up to two years to finish, before it is painstakingly inspected, wrapped in acid-free paper, and placed in a signature orange box.  A true piece of art that can be worn.

Since I was a little girl, I’ve loved the intrigue and grace of wearing scarves, nothing made me feel more grown up or a lady.  You can wrap it around your shouders, fold it around your neck, wear it as a belt, tie it around your hair or let it hang like a statement from your handbag.

Here are a few of my favorites from the Autumn/Winter 2011 designs.

 

This last, called the L'ivresse l'infini, makes my heart skip a beat each time I see it.

Candy Birkin

Hermes' latest series of candies this Spring-Summer 2011 are truly reminiscent of juicy, fruity, sugary, sweet treats.  They come in four bright and happy shades, and can make many a bag-lover's mouth water.

It is made solely with Epsom leather and matching silver hardware.  Epsom is a harder leather that keeps the bag's structured shape; it doesn't scratch or damage easily; and lovely even with daily wear.

Rose Tyrien, a bright, happy pink that makes hearts flutter

Lime, a vivid, sun-drenched yellow

 Kiwi, a juicy, luscious green 

Celeste, a soft, pale blue reminiscent of a sunny sky

UMA THURMAN

41-year-old actress, Uma Thurman boards a yacht during the 64th Annual Cannes Film Festival where she served as a member of Robert de Niro's jury, alongside actor Jude Law.  Her Havanne 40CM Crocodile Kelly came along for the ride.

PADMA LAKSHMI

“Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi stayed in high spirits, in spite of the rain, as she hailed a cab after having lunch at Gramercy tavern in New York with a male friend.  The former model looked stylish color-blocking in red skinny jeans, black boots, a black leather jacket over a black and white striped top, and her 30CM Black B.

KELLY RUTHERFORD

Gossip Girl’s Lily van der Woodsen loves her designer bags, and so does Kelly Rutherford, the actress playing her in the tv series.  

She is seen here, playing her real-life favorite role of “mom”, while carrying her Kelly, Birkin, and Evelyne bags.  She loves Hermès so much, her eldest son is named Hermès!

She once explained, “At my baby shower, my friends joked that I should name my baby Hermès because I love Hermès. Everywhere he looks, he’s going to have his name on everything, especially my credit card bills!”

KELLY

Let’s talk about Kelly.  Perhaps, it is safe to say that one of the most sought-after bags in the world is the Hermes Kelly bag.  (In fact, the first time I saw one – the clean, tailored-shape, and the two leather metal-tipped straps sealed with a cute little padlock, it took my breath away.  Yes, it looks a tad more mature than what a girl in college would be carrying, but I’ve always loved the retro-classic-chic vibe.  And I knew then that I wanted one when I grew up.  But, I had yet to learn about the price tag.)

This bag came into being in 1930, but was propelled into stardom in 1956, when Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco used her Hermes bag to shield her pregnant belly from the prying eyes of reporters and paparazzi.  Photographs of her covering her pregnancy bulge with her handbag were splashed all over the world, earning the bag the name “Kelly” and its iconic status today.

 

Kelly bags come in 5 different sizes and are made from a plethora of materials from crocodile, ostrich, alligator, to matte or shiny leather.  Functionality-speaking, some have complained about the complicated way to open and close this purse.  You will need both hands to unclasp the straps and open the flap, for you to take out your keys, your wallet, your lipstick, or your pistol, and go through the same step-by-step process to seal.  There is no way to tote this around while leaving it open like its sister, the Birkin.  But then, maybe a proper lady has no business opening her pocketbook in public.