Romain de Tirtoff (23 November 1892 – 21 April 1990) was a Russian-born artist and designer known by the pseudonym, Erté, from the French pronunciation of his initials.

I had the amazing experience of working with the legendary Erté on two occasions. Both were tied into launches of his new works.  The first was in 1974, it was the year that Saks Fifth Avenue (Corporate) was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the store’s opening in New York (the store opened on Fifth Avenue on September 15, 1924) and the Chicago store was celebrating this special event with an elaborate cocktail party.  Designers had been asked to do special Art Deco inspired garments which we used in our Michigan Avenue windows as well as on models for the event.  At the same time, Erté was launching his jewelry collection at the Circle Gallery in the Chicago Marriott Hotel on Michigan Avenue and I was asked to have models dressed in Art Deco garments do informal modeling for this cocktail party…what a perfect tie-in!  One of his art pieces featured a gown with a beaded cobweb for a sleeve.  We had a similar piece in our collection and I thought it would be amusing to feature it.  How presumptuous of me….here I was with a group of models gowned in Art Deco inspired garments and one inspired by the master himself!!!!  As I remember it, I held back on sending out the model in the “spider web” gown but finally did…he LOVED it and thought it was very clever!  My reputation was saved!!!!

The second was in 1981 to celebrate his 89th birthday at a champagne reception at the Circle Gallery followed by a ball. I co-chaired (I was asked to be involved because of the successful first event I did with Erté) the evening with Jo Hopkins Deutsch for the Fashion Group International of Chicago. There was a student Erté fashion design competition and the winners were presented their awards by this famed creator!  This exhibition featured a retrospective of all his work.  Guests were encouraged to wear Erté inspired dress or black tie.  It was a very dramatic exciting evening.  The piece you see below was given to the guests, Jo’s and mine were personally signed by Erté.  Unfortunately, the writing has faded with time but says “To Nena Ivon with many thanks for a wonderful evening” with his signature!  A true treasure of mine.

My framed poster from the Fashion Group event.  The signing in on her sleeve.  (I must remember to always do non-glare glass on my pieces, I had a very difficult time photographing this, finally put it on the floor!!!)

The original Top Hats as pictured on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar can you spot all the differences?

Front of the invitation to the Fashion Group event.

My other serigraph, La Traviata, was given to me by my Mother in 1982.  I don’t remember the occasion, but it is my favorite opera.

Both these posters were hanging in my office at Saks and now live in my friends, Tom Hawley and Tom Mantel’s, home along with their Erté‘s, see the photo below.

Two spectacular pieces flanking a magnificent Erté bronze.

“Kings Favorite” bronze with painted enamel face and silver leaf on the gown.  Isn’t she glorious!!!

To have been able to work with this iconic creator was obviously a once (no, a twice) in a lifetime experience.  Imagine being able to talk with an artist without equal in the world of fashion…a man who created more than 200 covers for Harper’s Bazaar, started his career with Paul Poiret (it has been debated that it was Erté, not Poiret, who created the now famous “lampshade” silhouette), designed for the Follies Bergère and the Ziegfeld Follies, for film, as well as dressing many of the celebrities of the time and to have created for most of the 20th century…I am truly a very lucky gal!

A Harper’s Bazar cover before the name change to Bazaar!

Costumes for the Follies Bergère.

There are many books on Erté including his autobiography,.  I have found the biographies written by Charles Spencer to be the most definitive.

My collection of Erté and other books on Russian designers and clothing…the one in Russian I got in Moscow, can’t read it but the pictures tell the story well.  The Jacqueline Onassis edited In The Russian Style was the companion book for the Met’s/Vreeland Russian costume exhibition which was extraordinary!

Looks like I need to add to my collection and this is only a sampling!

He was a total joy to work with, very debonair, very French and, of course, without equal in creativity.

***I meant to include a note on a film I wanted to recommend yesterday in my posting on malachite.  The film is The Russian Arc, it was filmed with one camera in the Hermitage.  I find it fascinating, others find it quite strange…to each his own!  Give it a try and let me know your thoughts, which I always welcome on each of my postings.  Thanks for coming along with my wanderings through nenasnotes!

By now you know I am obsessed with the color green, it would, therefore, be logical that I would collect objects in green.  Since I have made this week a celebration of Russian (and Greek) Orthodox Christmas, which is this Saturday, January 7th, I wanted to continue the theme with a discussion of my small malachite collection. I visited Russia in 2002 and had the opportunity to spend a week in Moscow and a week in St. Petersburg.  It was an amazing trip and I will discuss my impressions of the Cities in another post, today I wanted to concentrate on this interesting mineral. I did get a couple of malachite objects there but I  purchased more amber than malachite, again another story. I just learned that this mineral is special to Libra’s.  Most certainly a fact I didn’t know… lucky me, I’m a Libra!

It is said that malachite is a healing stone.  Here a cross section of the mineral.

The Malachite Room in the Winter Palace (The Hermitage). I want these doors, can you even imagine?????  They were magnificent, to say the least.

A malachite mantle in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The green paint on the walls is almost the same as my walls….who knew!!!

Close up of my faux malachite mantle, made especially for me by my dear friend, the incredibly talented, Mark Heister, with its gold embellishment. I featured the entire fireplace in my mantel posting several weeks ago.

In 2005 we had a very special visitor at Saks Fifth Avenue, Chicago, Tatiana Fabergé who brought her incredible collection of objects to us, it was the first time since 1917 that new Fabergé was available. I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the pieces and to be able to own a Fabergé was beyond belief and to have it signed by Tatiana Fabergé, words escape me. I purchased two items for myself, a green enamel egg and a malachite and gilt frame. She was kind and signed both for me.  I did purchase a couple of eggs to give as gifts.

Tatiana Fabergé, great-great-granddaughter of Gustav Fabergé, founder of the company, whose son was Carl Fabergé.

A photo of my Father in my signed Fabergé malachite and gilt frame. He is wearing a favorite Hawaiian shirt all the rage in the late 1940’s, seriously!!!

The Czar in a Fabergé malachite frame, in the Hermitage malachite room, notice the attached stand, it is the same on my frame!

My small collection of malachite items….the necklaces, along with large ball drop earrings, were purchased in Moscow as was the charming watercolor of Saint Basil’s Cathedral, in its own malachite and gilt frame.  The needlepoint pillow is from Jonathan Adler.

Time for our weekly recipe….this one is kindly shared by Tom Hawley from his Mother, Elenor’s, recipe box.  I can attest to the fact that is is absolutely delicious and very easy to make.

Elenor Hawley’s Quick Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pounds of beef  cut into strips (we used cooked beef, see below)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Dash of pepper

Dredge beef in flour and pepper in a plastic bag

Brown in 1/4 cup butter

Add

1 pint sliced fresh mushrooms

1 clove of garlic minced (we used jarred garlic, a generous teaspoon, worked perfectly)

1/2 cup chopped onion

Cook until mushrooms are browned

Add

2 beef bullion cubes dissolved in 2 cups water boil and reduce liquid, about 10 minutes just watch to be sure most of the liquid is absorbed

Stir in 1 cup sour cream

Serve over wide egg noodles

We used leftover beef from a standing rib roast, unbelievably delicious!!! Use a good piece of beef don’t use tenderloin it is too lean….you do need a bit of fat  Since this was already cooked we only browned it and cooked with the other ingredients for about 20 minutes or until the mushrooms were tender. If using raw meat cook for about 40-45 minutes after browning.

Our meal was served with glazed carrots, followed by a green salad lightly dressed with a vinaigrette and a rich dessert.  Of course, lots of wine, this time we did a bold red but since is it a Russian dish why not more champagne!

Enjoy!!

The finished product…..

Here we are in a brand new year…can’t even imagine how that happened but it has and we all reflect on where we are, where we have been and where we are going.  I was asked, several years ago, to write an article about what I thought “fashion” in Chicago was all about.  Being a native Chicagoan I resent that our moniker “Second City” is used in a negative way…it means it is Chicago’s brand new city after the Great Fire not that we are second to any other city! I do realize that I am a voice in the wind but it really annoys me!  I am sharing my thoughts on how our fashionable citizens choose their style and more importantly, maintain their elegance by being individuals!

THE CHICago FASHIONISTA

Second City, I think not….remember our name contains the word Chic!!!!! We don’t use hay in our hair as accessories…we prefer wonderful fascinators.

Chicago’s fashion savvy are very aware where to find the best of the season and how to put it together with panache.  Perhaps they depend on that special secret sales associate to assure them that they won’t appear in the same dress their best friend has chosen or work with their stylist (a term that needs more definition, does everyone think they are a “stylist” maybe…but really….). They know a  good sales associate and fitter are key to their shopping experience, it is magical to have that perfect relationship!  Even the most seasoned shopper welcomes positive reinforcement and creative suggestions to add to their closets, therefore avoiding mistakes by impulse buying. Who among us hasn’t done that, just think of all the “on sale” things that end up on the top shelf of the closet or under the bed, never worn?  On the other hand buying on sale, something that works with your already established items can be the smart thing to do.

They might shop pre-season when ALL the International designer trunk shows come right after their debuts from around the world (including our fashion forward local creators).  Or they might wait until early receipts come into the vast variety of stores Chicago has to offer.  They can pick from Designer’s Boutiques (aren’t we lucky to have all the best of the best with more coming, this seems to be a weekly occurrence!) to Ikram, to Saks Fifth Avenue (perhaps I am partial to that retailer since I spent my entire retail career there!!!) to Neiman Marcus to Barney’s…the list is endless.

I can think of many of our superbly dressed (no, I’m not mentioning names, they know who they are and so do you, you read Candid Candace, the many local blogs, Michigan Avenue and CS  for pity sake!!) who used to wear a designer label head to toe, in my opinion that isn’t the modern approach, mixing designers, prices, high with low and low with high, is the way to go and our CHICagoans seem to be doing just that. Where else can you spend days in three vertical malls on Michigan Avenue or countless hours in neighborhood boutiques or even find the season’s dream outfits at H&M or Zara. The fashion self-assured photograph their wardrobe along with chosen accessories, label their shoe boxes and categorize their accessories for easy access. They dress in a comfortable way, do not think for a minute I mean messy…if they wear jeans and a t-shirt they are designer labels, defining their individual style with their choices.  I don’t feel our fashion intelligentsia has to scream “look at me I am wearing an entirely new outfit head to toe” but rather “look at me I am a smart shopper who is in tune with herself and can pick what are the newest items to add to my already established wardrobe”.  They are indifferent to fleeting fashion trends unless those trends can work with their other choices and their lifestyle.

Our fashionista is cool, calm, confident, classic, current…she (or he!) knows what works for them and has the confidence to carry off their own brand, themselves!!  Second City, nonsense!!!

Submitted, several years ago, to Michigan Avenue, never published.  Updated here.

 

 

 

 

It seems I have always been fascinated with the story of Mata Hari, I guess I thought she had a very glamorous life probably because of seeing Greta Garbo in the movie Mata Hari, dressed magnificently by Adrian.

Well, the real story of this doomed woman really isn’t glamorous at all and that she was executed by a firing squad for allegedly being a spy during the First World War most certainly doesn’t make for a romantic story.

              Mata Hari in a costume by Erte (I am profiling Erte in my Fashion Flashback post on Friday), while he was working for Paul Poiret.

The new novel by acclaimed author, Paulo Coelho, whose 1988 novel, The Alchemist, is still found on the New York Times bestseller list having sold over 65 million copies.  His works have sold over 200 million copies and are published in 80 languages, http://www.paulocoelhoblog.com

I found The Spy to be an interesting read.  It begins at the end of Margaretha Zelle’s (Mata Hari’s real name) life and is told in her “own words” as a letter detailing her life from an early sexual assault while still in school to an abusive husband to using men to get ahead and to become the infamous dancer, as we know her, of the early 20th century.  Her life was one of extreme heartbreak, of becoming an independent woman using men to not only survive but to advance her thriving career.

 

When she is accused of being a spy, she is confident that she will be released, but realizing that may not be the case she writes her “memoirs” as a letter. Coelho has obviously used facts, brilliantly, to create his fiction but reading this book gives you the impression that everything you are reading really happened (did it??) I would definitely recommend the book if you like intrigue, reading about a liberated woman before it was fashionable and life at the beginning of the twentieth century. Coelho recommends several books on Mati Hari in his authors notes, they also sound like must reads.   This novel certainly put a different spin on how I perceived this exotic woman.

A couple of thoughts I had while thinking about this posting…who would have dressed this unconventional woman, of course, it had to be Paul Poiret, the star of the fashion world at that time and who better to dress Greta Garbo in the film but Adrian, the star of the costume designers of the Hollywood Studio system  Doing a little research I found an image of Mata Hari in a Poiret garment as you can see in the photo below, in addition, I wanted to share a couple of the costumes for Greta Garbo.

Mata Hari in Paul Poiret “lampshade” garment

Greta Garbo costumed by Adrian in Mati Hari

The 1931 romantized MGM film was before code.

 

http://www.bookcellarinc.com   My recommended Independant bookseller

 

 

 

 

 

 

One more Holiday to celebrate, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christmas on January 7, 2017. As a little girl, I was privileged to celebrate two Christmases and two Easters.  I thought this was quite magical.

I wanted to share a new Russian icon that I have added to my collection.  This one is silver with painted wooden faces and hands, I decided not to polish it, I like the more rustic look of it this way.  I got this at the last Randolph Street Market.  Mark your calendars for the next Market, Saturday and Sunday, January 28 and 29 from 10 to 5 each day.   Go to http://www.randolphstreetmarket.com for the 2017 schedule, to purchase your ticket and while you are at it why not treat yourself, for the New Year, to a season pass.

Happy New Year!

Everyone who reads my blog knows my book obsession, especially fashion and lifestyle books…Here are the ones I added to my library this year (I use Library Thing to catalog all my fashion books, it is brilliant!).  I have reviewed some of them in nenasnotes will do more in 2017.

Reviewed, one of my favorites of the year..I did a week on Stephanie Lake and Bonnie Cashin.  It will continue to be on my TBR pile for research and pleasure. In addition, it will be the first book for my upcoming Fashion Book Club!     http://www.StephanieLakeDesign.com                                                                                  https://www.amazon.com/Bonnie-Cashin-Chic-Where-:Find/dp/0847848051)

Reviewed, written by the creator Mike Hines, with amazing photography by Doug Human.  I also did a profile post on Mike.  http://www.epochfloral.com

Reviewed immediately after the exhibition opened, which I also reviewed, superb monograph.  http://www.chicagohistory.org

Reviewed and did a post on Adria J. Cimino.

http://www.adriajcimino.com/http://www.amazon.com/Adria-J.-Cimino/e/B00IBW3X5I

Reviewed, fantastic book, this will be an ongoing read and reference, it is brilliant!

Mentioned in one of my early posts but didn’t do a review

Reviewed, one of the best books I have read about Chanel

Not reviewed, on my to be read list

A new Christmas gift to be reviewed

Not read as yet, to be reviewed

On my TBR pile

 

A birthday gift TBR and reviewed…visually stunning but then all the accompanying texts for the Met Costume Exhibitions are spectacular!  I can’t even imagine how fabulous the upcoming Comme des Garçons exhibition will be! We will have to wait for May.

TBR pile

A gift that I have been reading will review.  Great photos and story.

Another birthday gift mostly pictures and purchased at the Randolph Street Market, a fun glimpse into the world of millinery!

A gift to myself also purchased at the Randolph Street Market, not read as yet

A new, actually a vintage book,  received as a gift for Christmas.  I love all of Fleur Cowles work including her Flair yearbook as well as her Flair magazines.  The cover of this book features Tiger Flower, I actually did a needlepoint pillow with this image.  I worked with her when she came to Saks on a book tour.

I think there are a couple more, rather a short grouping this year…I’ll have to make up for it in 2017!

My Independent Bookseller of choice: http://www.bookcellarinc.com

 

 

 

A collage of images from the magnificent 3 Arts Club Cafe inside RH in Chicago.  It is one of my new favorite places to meet for lunch or a couple of glasses of wine with friends.  The chandeliers are exquisite, to say the least!

I happen to be mad for chandeliers whether in a public space or in someone’s home.  Today’s post will cover photos I have taken in public spaces to celebrate the coming New Year (they remind me of fireworks to honor a brand new beginning!) as well as Christmas, Hanukkah, (the Festival of Lights), and Kwanzaa all observed, at the same time this year. I hope you enjoy my pictorial of some of my favorites.

Just down the street from RH is the Public Hotel, here is what you see when you enter, how clever….amazing!!!!

In the Portrait Gallery at the Chicago History Museum, glorious.

The Grand Ballroom at the Hilton Chicago, always extraordinarily beautiful, here with red lighting for a Dance for Life benefit.  I have done more shows and events at the Hilton Chicago than any other venue in the City and it is always perfection!

A close up of one of the elaborate pieces in the Hilton Chicago Grand Ballroom.

One of the dramatic fixtures in the Peninsula Chicago’s Lobby Restaurant.  Photo courtesy of Greg Hyder.

As you can see I like traditional pieces and aren’t we lucky that such beauty is available for everyone to share. Obviously, I have just scratched the surface so expect more posts on Chicago’s “public” chandeliers as well as those in my and my friend’s homes.

All photos were taken by me (with the exception of the Peninsula Chicago’s photo) with my iPhone.

http://www.3artsclubcafe.com

http://www.PublicChicago.com

http://www.chicagohistory.org

http://www.chicagohiltonhotel.com

http://www.chicago.peninsula.com

I wanted to share a very special menu that I have served for many years first on Chrismas Eve (that year a repeat for New Year’s Eve!) and now for New Year’s Eve or very special occasions.  The original recipe appealed to me in a magnificent cookbook Glorious Food by Christopher Idone published by Stewart Tabori & Chang in 1982. If you can find a copy grab it immediately, the entire book, for it’s exquisite photography alone, is one you will want in your cookbook library.

PASTA WITH CAVIAR

Serves 2

Ingredients

6 to 8 ounces fresh fettuccine (be sure it is fresh not dried makes all the difference)

4 ounces clarified butter (must be clarified!)

Grated zest of one lemon

7 ounces of fresh Sevruga caviar

Cook the pasta in unsalted water until it reaches the desired doneness

Drain in a colander and return to pot.  Toss with butter and zest.

Turn the pasta out onto a warm plate, I am using some of my vintage green transferware in this photo along with vintage crystal and my best sterling flatware, and top with as much caviar as you like in the center. Each person will mix their caviar into their pasta.

Serve with a vintage champagne, it is New Year’s Eve after all!

This is very rich, I don’t serve anything before and do a light salad after the entree using a mixture of greens tossed with drained mandarin oranges, slivered almonds and a light vinegarette.

The salad waiting for its accoutrements.

I always do a lavish dessert, sometimes a pot au chocolate  (I’ll give you that recipe another time) or Strawberries Romanoff!  All, of course, with more champagne!

NENA’S STRAWBERRIES ROMANOFF

1 pint fresh ripe strawberries

Powdered Sugar

Orange Liquor

Fresh whipped cream

Wash, hull, and slice, in half, the strawberries place in a bowl with a lid or a bowl you can tightly cover, coat liberally (you aren’t sweetening the whipped cream) with powdered sugar, add as much orange liquor as you like (I like!), probably a couple tablespoons, but don’t over do, taste to see if you have enough you can always add more.  This mixture needs to be refrigerated for at least a couple of hours, more if you have the time, the more it marinates the better the flavor. Toss every so often. When you put the berry mixture into the refrigerator put your bowl and beaters in the freezer to chill.  Stiffly whip the cream just before serving, and fold into the strawberries. Serve immediately.  I like to serve in coupe glasses.

The strawberries in their liquor bath!

Enjoy your New Year’s Eve celebration from the Ivon kitchen to yours!

Since everyone is doing their year-end wrapups I thought I would share, in no particular order, my reading for 2016!  I have placed an asterisk next to those that I enjoyed the most and a double asterisk next to those I have reviewed.  As you can see most are works of fiction…a couple of “cozies”, a few non-fiction and, of course, some mysteries! For this weeks Friday Fashion Flashback, I will list this year’s fashion/lifestyle books.

Historical fiction (fiction about real people, one of my favorite genres)

*Oil and Marble by Stephanie Storey (one of my most favorites of the year!  Loved it!!)

*Sisi by Allison Pataki

Georgia by Dawn Clifton Tripp

Adeline by Noah Vincent

The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes

Marlene by C. W. Gortner

The Summer Guest by Alison Anderson

Fiction

**Paris, Rue des Martyrs by Adria J. Cimino

**A Perfumer’s Secret by Adria J. Cimino

I’ll See You In Paris by Michelle Gable

Black Rabbit Hall by Eve Chase

The Arrangement by Ashley Warlick

Maestra by L. S. Hilton

Gorsky by Vesna Goldsworthy

Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift

*A Fine Imitation by Amber Brock

*My Mrs. Brown by William D. Norwich

Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss

*The Fifth Avenue Artists Society by Joy Callaway

The Decent Proposal by Kemper Donovan

*Belgravia by Julian Fellowes

*The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

The Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown

*A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams

The Muse by Jessie Burton

*A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James

The Paris Librarian by Mark Pryor

*The Song of Hartgrove Hall by Natasha Solomons

*The Forgotten Room by Karen White

*The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin

Moonlight Over Paris by Jennifer Robson

*White Collar Girl by Renee Rosen

*What the Lady Wants by Renee Rosen

*The Improbability of Love by Hannah Mary Rothschild (another of my most favorites)

Mysteries

*The Inheritance by Charles Finch

*A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny

The Other Side of Silence by Philip Kerr

The Darkness Knows by Cheryl Honigford

Cozy Mysteries (*all of them, refreshing between heavier fare!)

Blood Will Tell by Jeanne M. Dams

Smile and Be A Villian by Jeanne M. Dams

Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs

Design for Dying by Renee Patrick

Murder at Beechwood by Alyssa Maxwell

The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan

Non-Fiction

*The Empress of Art by Susan Jaques

*The Six, the Lives of the Mitford Sisters by Laura Thompson

I am currently reading The Spy by Paulo Coelho. Not really Holiday material, dark, and depressing account of Mata Hari…I’ll do a review when I am finished.

 

http://www.thebookcellarinc.com  (my independent bookseller of choice!)