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What You Didn’t Know About the French Open
The French Open or Roland Garros started out in 1891 as a national tournament, until in 1925 it opened its doors to foreign players and became Les internationaux de France de Tennis. That same year marked the 114th edition of the popular French tournament at Porte d’Auteuil, from May 19th to June 7th. Here are some anecdotes of the history of the tournament… The Beginning of the Open Era The Open Era, the period in contemporary tennis that opened its doors to both professionals and amateurs, began in 1968 in Paris, two months before the birth of the French Open. This international act was signed in the private rooms of the Automobile Club de France, in the Place de la Concorde. Roland Garros was the first Grand Slam tournament to become an Open, in May 1968, in the midst of the Paris student riots. Roland Garros, who are you? Roland Garros is not a tennis player from the 30’s. The world’s best known clay court tournament is named after an aviation pioneer missing in action in 1918, at the age of 30. He is known for his feats and specially for being the first person to cross the Mediterranean Sea by air on September 23rd, 1913. The tournament was named after him in 1928. Roland Garros and History The Stade Roland Garros has not always been synonymous with entertainment and sports. It was confiscated towards the end of 1939 and during WWII to serve as a detention center working hand in hand with the Santé Prison and the Vel ‘d’Hiv Roundup. André Agassi’s Wig When it came...
Fashion Week in Paris
If fashion were a country, Paris would be its capital, with the permission of Milan and New York, of course. The French city exudes elegance and glamor in all of its boulevards and avenues, and its inhabitants often showcase their good taste in their daily outfits. For this reason, when you walk around the city it feels a bit like you’re on a makeshift catwalk where none of the passersby lack style. Paris is the epicenter and home to the fashion industry, and from March 3 to 11, will bring together the crème de la crème of the industry for Fashion Week Autumn-Winter 2015/2016. Get ready, fashion addicts, because the most anticipated prêt-à-porter styles for the next season are coming to the French capital. The moment of Chanel Without a doubt, one of the highlights of this Fashion Week in Paris is the show by maison Chanel parade, led by German designer Karl Lagerfeld. This fashion show will take place at the Grand Palais on March 10 starting at 10:30 am. Fashion critics, models, celebrities, and other trend hunters take a seat in the front row of this company whose reign in the fashion world started back in 1910, when it was founded by legendary designer Coco Chanel. The history of this fashion house can even be traced through the footsteps of its founder throughout the streets of Paris. This route starts at number 21 Rue Cambon, where she opened her first store, and culminates in the Church of the Madeleine, where her funeral was celebrated with all the well-known names of the fashion world in attendance. This itinerary...
Next Objective: Paris Fashion Week Autumn – Winter 2014
The catwalk of Paris is one of the most glamorous in the world and one with a lot of pull among fashion designers worldwide. And the city of Paris is both the birthplace of modern and vintage. Come check out all the newest styles for the autumn and winter season of 2014. When? The last week of September. You’ll see unending designs and colors for Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Amaya Arzuaga, Miu Miu, Chanel, Paco Rabanne, Saint Laurent, Kenzo, Loewe, Hermes, Chanel, Celine and Rochas. There’s also a concentration on textures that are ahead of even the most visionary. Fashion week in Paris is marked by the contrast between the ostentatious and more modest creations, vanguard vs. tradition, sophisticated clothes that are quirky yet extremely straight-forward and simple. A world of contrasts. Fashion week in Paris brings an entire generation’s haute couture to the forefront of society. Foto: mi chiel What to expect from this year’s fashion week Black and White: In addition to fashionable colors, which I will explain below, the catwalk is also decorated in white and black, the colors of yin and yang. This combination can be seen in many of the designs of Hermès, Christian Dior, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten and, of course, Valentino. Hues of blue: Also quite popular are various shades of blue: dark, pastel, sky, Smurf, ocean … This is a popular trend among designers both young and old. Prints: These never go out of style. Prints with shoulder pads and turtlenecks. In all the colors and all styles. You will also see many pastel shades. Céline, Chloé,...
The Route of Le Corbusier in Paris
The Father of Functional Architecture This architect and Franco-Swiss painter, father of the functional architecture, was able to greatly affect the lives of people through his architecture. Le Corbusier (meaning “The Raven”) wanted to change the world through architecture and he stood by one of his principles until the end of this days: functional, practical and modern over ornate and useless. You can see his best work in Paris. Photo: Anapuig Le Corbusier used to say “une machine-à-habiter”, meaning that he saw the house as a machine for living, not as a place to hang out. And he did this from a point of view that was even metaphysical. He wanted something more for his creations and finally achieved it. And it made him one of the most influential architects of the last century. Charles Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, as he was called, moved toParisat a very young age. In 1905, he completed his first work. It was a single-family home, a rarity at the time, called the Villa Fallet. Le Corbusier said that is when he began to refine functionality. Traveling for a worldview He was a tireless traveler and over many years acquired sufficient experience and a more global vision of the world, not only in architecture. In 1911, he decided to go on sabbatical and travel around the world. From Vienna he traveled to Romania, and then he went through Turkey, Italy and Greece, although at the time he would have preferred to return to his routine and focus on creating functional homes and buildings. Eventually, Le Corbusier “jumped over the pond” and began to give...
Rock en Seine 2013
Paris is one of the most culturally active cities in the world and with the arrival of summer, outdoor festivals become major players in the entertainment scene in the city. This time of year, thousands of tourists from all around the world come to visit the French capital to explore its charming streets, visit its unique museums and sample the exquisite French cuisine. However, other type of tourists, the summer festivals hunters, will meet from the 23rd to the 25th of August at Saint-Cloud park in Paris to attend the world famous Rock en Seine, which is, by the way, the largest open-air musical festival in France. The 2013 edition of Rock en Seine marks the tenth anniversary of the festival, which will feature renowned artists of various musical styles such as Rock (of course), power pop electronica, Indie and Folk, among others. This year Paul Kalkbrenner, Phoenix and System of a Down will be the leading bands of the festival. Paul Kalkbrenner will be in charge of kicking off the first day of the festival. This electronic musician from Germany will play his greatest hits to spice up the mood of the festival. Kalkbrenner will be followed by the performances of great artists such as the Scots Belle and Sebastian who will play “The Boy with the Arab Strap” while making the audience sing their greatest hit in one voice. Daughter, a young British band, will carry us along the paths of folk Indie with Elena Torna’s angelic voice. Skaters, Team Ghost, Alex Hepburn, Kendrick Lamar and Johnny Marr among many others will be part of the first...
Tour de France 2013
Few sporting events, if any at all, have such a spectacular and beautiful final stage as the Tour de France does. This cycling race which mostly takes place during the month of July through all of France has its end at the Champs-Elysées, in Paris, an impressive stage that is quite fitting for the importance of this event. The Tour de France is a cycling race that has been taking place since 1903. Le Tour, as it´s commonly known, gathers the best cyclists in the world, who prepare themselves all year long to be able to compete at the top of the leaderboard. Flat stages, mountain stages, single and team time trials… the different stages make up a varied route that crowns the most regular and complete cyclist at the end of the whole event. Photo: Josh Hallett This year, the Tour starts on the island of Corsica, in the city of Bastia, and the 19 teams that are taking part in it have arrived from many different places, such as Kazakhstan, United States or Luxembourg among many others. This year´s edition is made up by 21 stages, some of them in emblematic spots from the history of the race, such as the Mont Ventoux and Alpe d´Huez, the former on July 14th, French National Day, a very important day for the Tour every year. The Tour will go through the Côte d´Azur, the Pyrenees, Normandy and Mont Saint-Michel, the centre of France, the French Alps and will end up in Paris. 21 fascinating stages that will culminate in the beautiful French capital. That´s why it´s not just a sporting...
Kimbra in concert a Rock en Seine
One of the most popular music events in Europe is the popular Rock en Seine event, which is a Rock ‘n Roll festival that lasts for two to three days. The festival was first held back in 2003 and it only lasted for a single day. The location for the event is the Chateau de Saint-Cloud’s park, which is located west of the city of Paris. The entire park and the particular garden where the festival is held was designed back in the 17th century by Le Notre. Interestingly enough, it was at this festival that the band Oasis split up back in 2009 after two members had a huge fight before headlining on the main stage at the event. Rock en Seine 2012 will mark the 10th anniversary of the beginning of this festival and the dates of this year’s event will be from Friday August 24, 2012 through Sunday August 26 2012. This year many great bands are included in the lineup for the event. Some of the new bands that have been announced as part of the lineup include the following: – Of Monsters and Men – Miike Snow – The Knux – The Waterboys – Billy Talent – Kimbra Kimbra is one of the acts that is being featured at Rock en Seine for the first time this year (scheduled for Aug 26). Kimbra is the name used by Kimbra Lee Johnson, a singer-songwriter and guitarist from New Zealand. The style of her music is a soul and jazz combination that for many is reminiscent of the late Amy Winehouse. Some of the influences for...Jerome De Noirmont Paris
Jerome De Noirmont is one of the most important art galleries in Paris. If you´re interested in new artists that are growing, this is the place for you.
White Hills: concert in Paris
White Hills is probably the most important psychedelia and space rock band in the world. Their consistency in producing new albums during the last few years, as well as their non-stop tours all year long make them into one of the most productive bands of global underground psychedelia. They´ve certainly been influenced by the cosmic riffs of Hawkwind, the brutality and dirtiness of The Stooges and the essence of the galactic sound of German Krautrock, and White Hills brings forward an intense, dynamic and original psychedelic rock, knowing how to pick from sources such as the darkest after-punk and post-rock, creating sound landscapes of dazzling ecstasy and speed. Also, on stage they´re an important machine of effects, noise and wavy rhythms, with make up and costumes straight out of a 1972 sci-fi film, some sort of cross between the glamour of Ziggy Stardust and the irreverence and rawness of the 1980s Flaming Lips. Whie Hills are mainly Dave W. on guitar and lyrics and the ultra sexy bass player Ego Sensation. Both, in constant collaboration with different drummers and experimental musicians during their recordings, among who we find the famous DJ Shazzula, the experimental musician Anthrony (if you want to know who he is check out the centre of the stage during Nirvana´s concert at Reading in 1992) and the incredible drummer Kid Millions, from the New York band Oneida. They make White Hills a chameleonic machinery which still refreshes the trends of international space rock, which at times seems to have the route to outer space. Today, White Hills is signed up to the important international record label Thrill Jocket, who...
