Celine history begins not with a celebrated couture collection or an extravagant Paris runway, but with a small business making beautifully crafted shoes for children. From those modest beginnings, Céline Vipiana developed a distinctive vision of French luxury built around quality, practicality, elegant materials and clothes designed for real life. Over the following decades, Celine evolved
Royal Crown Derby Marks: A How to Collector’s Guide
Royal Crown Derby marks can reveal a surprising amount about a piece of English porcelain. Turn over a plate, cup, vase or decorative object and the marks on its base may identify the factory, establish a period of manufacture, reveal the pattern and, in many cases, identify the year in which it was made. Reading those
Royal Crown Derby marks can reveal a surprising amount about a piece of English porcelain. Turn over a plate, cup, vase or decorative object and the marks on its base may identify the factory, establish a period of manufacture, reveal the pattern and, in many cases, identify the year in which it was made. Reading those
Petit Point: The Remarkable Art of Miniature Embroidery
Petit point embroidery transforms thousands of tiny stitches into flowers, landscapes, figures, ornaments and miniature scenes that can appear almost painted rather than sewn. At its finest, the individual stitches become difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Instead, they merge into subtle changes of color and remarkably detailed images created entirely with thread. Although collectors
Petit point embroidery transforms thousands of tiny stitches into flowers, landscapes, figures, ornaments and miniature scenes that can appear almost painted rather than sewn. At its finest, the individual stitches become difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Instead, they merge into subtle changes of color and remarkably detailed images created entirely with thread. Although collectors
Cartier History: The Extraordinary Rise of a Luxury Icon
Few luxury houses have influenced the appearance of modern jewelry, watches and personal accessories as profoundly as Cartier. Founded in Paris in 1847, the Maison grew from a family jewelry business into an international name associated with royalty, extraordinary gemstones, innovative watches and some of the most recognizable designs of the 20th century. Yet Cartier’s history
Few luxury houses have influenced the appearance of modern jewelry, watches and personal accessories as profoundly as Cartier. Founded in Paris in 1847, the Maison grew from a family jewelry business into an international name associated with royalty, extraordinary gemstones, innovative watches and some of the most recognizable designs of the 20th century. Yet Cartier’s history
Charles Jourdan: A Daring Approach to French Shoes and Fashion
Few names in 20th-century French footwear combine craftsmanship, modern design and provocative visual culture quite like Charles Jourdan. From its beginnings in Romans-sur-Isère, the historic center of French shoemaking, the company developed from a regional manufacturer into an internationally recognized luxury house. Its shoes appeared under the Charles Jourdan name and were also produced for
Few names in 20th-century French footwear combine craftsmanship, modern design and provocative visual culture quite like Charles Jourdan. From its beginnings in Romans-sur-Isère, the historic center of French shoemaking, the company developed from a regional manufacturer into an internationally recognized luxury house. Its shoes appeared under the Charles Jourdan name and were also produced for
Gucci: A Century of Italian Luxury, Fashion and Design
Few names in fashion have achieved the immediate recognition of Gucci. More than a century after its founding in Florence, the house has developed a visual vocabulary that extends far beyond a single product or logo. Bamboo handles, horsebit hardware, green-and-red Web stripes, the interlocking GG, Flora prints and distinctive leather goods have all become
Few names in fashion have achieved the immediate recognition of Gucci. More than a century after its founding in Florence, the house has developed a visual vocabulary that extends far beyond a single product or logo. Bamboo handles, horsebit hardware, green-and-red Web stripes, the interlocking GG, Flora prints and distinctive leather goods have all become