Latest news with #DeborahDavis
Vogue
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Everything You Need to Know About Félix, the Couturier Who Is Believed to Have Designed Madame X's Dress
In Deborah Davis's 2003 book Strapless (a fascinating read), the author definitively attributes it to Maison Félix. The Metropolitan Museum's Elizabeth L. Block, who has written extensively about the house, is slightly more cautious, writing that 'The draw of Félix for women who traveled in artistic circles supports the view that Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau wears a Félix dress in John Singer Sargent's famous painting of 1883–84, Madame X.' There is a contemporary report that links Gautreau to Maison Felix, renowned for its attenuated silhouettes. Although a competitor with the House of Worth—which is now being celebrated with an exhibition in Paris—Maison Feéix has been relegated to the sidelines of fashion history, this despite the house being called 'a shrine' when it closed in 1901. Although Vogue was founded eight years after Madame X made her debut, it's there I started digging deeper. A Félix dress was featured in the magazine's first issue, dated December 17, 1892. Block's article was a foundational source as were periodical and book archives. From these I have created an impressionistic time line of the history of the house and its intersection with Gatreau. As you'll read, the roots of the house are in hair. Coiffeur Joseph-Augustin Escalier, known as Félix, a favorite of Empress Eugenie, established the business as in 1846 and it came into the hands of brother hair dressers Auguste Poussineau and Émile Martin Poussineau, about 11 years later. The duo added millinery and then dressmaking to their activities and became known for attiring not only aristocrats and fashion leaders but some of the most famous actresses of the day, chief among them Sarah Bernhardt. 1846 Maison Félix established at 13 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré by Joseph-Augustin Escalier. 'The rise of the Maison Felix was due to the Empress Eugenie. While still the Senorita Montijo . . . Eugenie was suddenly robbed by death of her usual hairdresser. There was to be a grand ball that night, and a messenger was dispatched to secure a substitute. He returned with a certain M. Joseph, who pleased her so well that, after a few trials, she told him she would appoint him her coiffure in ordinary. One morning her coupe stopped at his door, No. 13, on the Faubourg Saint Honoré, Eugenie glanced at the number and frowned. When she entered the shop, she said: 'Monsieur, your number must be changed: it is useless to reckon on success with an unlucky number. So much influence had Eugenie that the emperor ordered the city authorities to change the number to 15, and for 40 years 15 it has remained. Eugenie objected also to the name Joseph and commanded him to change it to Felix. . . . Then she advised him to decorate his shop in mauve plush, because mauve was her favorite color, and she meant to make it the fashion. On these conditions she agreed to make Felix the fashion, and she succeeded, for his genius was very great. Felix II added millinery to the coiffure and dressmaking departments, while the third Felix, without royal patronage, has become the richest and most famous couturier in Paris.' —'Late Paris Fashions,' Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, May 13, 1900
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: For the Love of Dogs, Forever and Jesus Christ Superstar
Marie Antoinette BBC Two, 9pm It's time to scurry through the corridors of Versailles and take a long, hard look at the Hall of Mirrors — yes, we're returning to the world of 18th-century French royalty, and it's certainly an extraordinary place to be. As viewers of the drama's first series are already aware, Marie Antoinette is set during a lavish yet scandalous period in European history; Austrian-born Marie was thrust into it at the age of 14 when she was sent to Paris to marry the Dauphin of France. So far, we've seen her grow from being a stubborn young princess into an independent woman. The second run continues to depict her as a feminist icon, revealing her to be rather more avant-garde than some history books have led us to believe. The sharp scripts are, once again, written by the show's creator, Deborah Davis, who previously received an Oscar nod for her work on acclaimed historical movie The Favourite, while Emilia Schüle returns as Marie, with Louis Cunningham as her husband, who is now Louis XVI, the king of France. The couple's story picks up with the duo at the height of their powers. However, an unprecedented financial crisis looms large on the horizon, while attacks on the royal family from Provence and Chartres stir up hatred against them that threatens to spiral out of control. And there's even worse to come thanks to the infamous Affair of the Diamond Necklace. Life in court may never be the same — or safe — again... Tarrac na Farraige RTÉ One, 7pm New series focusing on the fishing industry, as experienced by a wide variety of people living in the nation's coastal communities as they fight to remain cost effective amid a sea of change. For the Love of Dogs with Alison Hammond Virgin Media One, 8.30pm A lively bulldog-cross puppy takes a shine to the presenter's gloves — he may need to calm down a little if he's to find a new home. Meanwhile, a nervous Bernese mountain dog needs some TLC. Nashville, Seo Muid ag Teacht! TG4, 9.30pm ADVERTISEMENT Cameras follow singers Diane, John and Kelly Cannon from Donegal as they head to Nashville to attend the Country Music Association festival, where they rub shoulders with the likes of Dolly Parton, Shaboozey and Steve Earle. Jesus Christ Superstar BBC Four, 8pm Lavish musical adapted from Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage show. The plot follows the final days of Jesus Christ, as seen through the eyes of his disciple-turned-betrayer Judas Iscariot. Ted Neeley and Yvonne Elliman star. Mara Brock Akil has adapted Judy Blume's seminal 1975 book for a new generation. Set in 2018 LA, it's an epic love story about two black teenagers who explore their identities via the seismic experience of being each other's firsts. Untold: Shooting Guards Netflix, streaming now We're getting treated to our annual dose of Untold a little bit earlier this year. Usually released in the autumn, the always revelatory and expertly shot documentary series continues to chronicle the untold aspects of some of sport's darkest stories. With three all-new films releasing weekly across May 6, 13, and 20, this new series kicks off with an anatomy of former Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton. Their collective claim to fame is jarring the world of basketball by drawing guns on each other in their NBA locker room in 2009. Through raw first-hand accounts, Arenas and Crittenton unpack the events that had a life-altering impact on both men, which ultimately led Crittenton down a dark and tragic path. Keeping with sporting releases, season two of Full Speed has landed, chronicling all the drama surrounding the 2024 NASCAR championship. The Devil's Plan: Death Room Netflix, streaming now Prepare to be amazed, enraged, and very confused at certain junctures as a clutch of new contenders convene for a new battle of minds (and those all-important pieces). From a poker pro to the mandatory 'Go' legend, to a Hollywood actor and another lawyer, who will triumph through this season's endless challenges? Star Wars: Tales Of The Underworld Disney+, streaming now Where else would you be getting yet more unsolicited Star Wars-related viewing? This time it's animated and features the tribulations of bounty hunter Asajj Ventress and outlaw Cad Bane over six episodes. The Handmaid's Tale Prime Video, streaming now While I still can't bring myself to watch it, for those of you fully immersed in the 'fictional' realm of Gilead, the sixth and final season is now available. The Four Seasons Netflix, streaming now Three couples — Kate (Tina Fey) and Jack (Will Forte), Nick (Steve Carell) and Anne (Kerri Kenney-Silver), plus Danny (Colman Domingo) and Claude (Marco Calvani) — face serious introspection when one of the couples announces their split. For more saccharine aspirational viewing, Prime Video has released Another Simple Favour, starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. A Complete Unknown Disney+, streaming now Arriving in 1960s New York armed with his guitar, 19-year-old Bob Dylan (portrayed by Timothée Chalamet's impressive jawline) is set to revolutionise American music. Angi: Fake Life, True Crime Netflix, streaming now In 2008, the remains of 35-year-old designer Ana Páez were discovered in Barcelona. Dubbed 'The Almost Perfect Crime', this documentary revisits the case and explores the dark past of María Ángeles Molina ('Angi') and her late husband. In other European offerings, the final instalment of Lost Bullet arrives Wednesday, while AppleTV+ is now offering pastry, espionage, and Bridgerton levels of fornication in Carême.
