Bonjour à tous et à toutes,
Nearly every discussion amongst my friends lately has touched on the fact that this month has felt interminable. From the ‘back to school’ transition into fall (I hear Paris experienced a brief cold snap that shocked everyone into the new season) to the usual parade of unusually terrible headlines, it’s been a slog.
You might have noticed the lack of essays this month — I admit, this is partially due to the aforementioned slog, which left me unusually bereft of inspiration, as well as the ripple effects of the news which broke at the top of the month (for more on that, you can read my statement here.) I’ll be back in October with a piece about a courtesan who was ghosted by the rock star of her era, as well as a piece about the first drag superstar.
When I wasn’t moving through the soup that was September, I was happy to experience a few things that certainly made me optimistic for the days ahead (for only darkness can live with light in equal measure to counterbalance it.)
Though I am usually beach and water averse, I often say that I like to ritually cleanse myself in the ocean once per year (I typically find myself on the beach once a year, despite the fact that I live in Los Angeles and routinely visit the Côte d’Azur for work.) This year’s dip was in service to my close friend Jean-Luc Eldenwood, who enlisted me to be in a music video for a song off of his gorgeous new album, which will be released soon. I won’t give much away, other than that I very much enjoyed my short-lived video vixen moment, and I learned that R.A.T. Beach in Palos Verdes is stunning and its waters are pleasantly warm, even during a cool sunset.
Like seemingly every other French and Franco-adjacent Angeleno, I went to the Hollywood Bowl to see the legendary band Air play their album Moon Safari with the orchestra. The show was incredible — the production was eye-popping and the music was moving with the added dimension of the orchestra. Most of the friends I conferred with after the show used the word “spiritual” to describe it, which was apt. They have a few stops left on this tour, so if you’re in a position to go, I highly recommend it.
Finally, I was thrilled to welcome my friend Kathryn Hewitson to LA. Kathryn is a talented British fashion designer and the brains behind the brand Pristine, which I have been a patron of for a few years now. We became internet pen pals after I made numerous requests for customized clothes, which she generously accommodated. Over the weekend, we gathered a group of her loyal clients to hang out and meet in person — everyone came decked in their finest Pristine, and everyone looked amazing. Kathryn’s creations are mostly made by herself in her London studio, with extremely high-quality fabrics. I always feel punk, powerful, naughty and feminine in her pieces, and I always get stopped by strangers with compliments when I’m in them. If you are looking to invest in something special to wear this fall, I can’t recommend Pristine enough, and I am so looking forward to seeing what Kathryn has up her chic sleeves in the future.
à très bientôt,
Chloë