Thanks to her L’Oréal campaign, Inès de la Fressange has been all over the shop. Whenever I turn on the box or open a glossy, there she is but rather than getting weary of the lovely, leggy lady, I can’t have enough...
Thanks to her L’Oréal campaign, Inès de la Fressange has been all over the shop. Whenever I turn on the box or open a glossy, there she is but rather than getting weary of the lovely, leggy lady, I can’t have enough. Inès is festive, an upper and represents everything that seems right about Christmas.
Of course, most people talk about her elegance. Difficult not to since she’s France’s answer to Audrey Hepburn: possessing the same gamine features and effortless dress sense. The only major difference being that Inès towers whereas the Oscar-winning actress was teeny wee. Still, what both dark haired beauties share is serious social grace. I met Hepburn and was instantly charmed by her voice and manner. Hepburn defined gazelle-like. And so does Inès.
Recently, there was a party at Roger Vivier’s flagship where she’s the roving ambassadress. Sporting a red Prada sweater, teamed with Chanel’s signature chain necklaces and Vivier’s ‘Chipie’ ballerines, there was a glow of activity around her whether she was greeting Karl Lagerfeld or lightly teasing Bertrand Burgalat, the hip musician. All smiles, Inès was impishly delightful but never mean and perhaps that explains the 54-year-old’s present situation, highlighted by two exquisite daughters and blissful romantic front. There again, there is much wisdom to Inès.
Inès is festive, an upper and represents everything that seems right about Christmas
When launching her book Parisian Chic – a useful, well-done style workout – naturally I asked her secrets. After advising against unkempt hair – “avoid the witch from Woodstock,” she said - and stressing the importance of smiling, sleeping and cleaning off mascara - “even if it’s 3am,” she said – here’s what the untouched Inès said about Botox and other youth preserving methods. “People do not count your wrinkles when you talk,” she insisted. “Ageing is a shock but you have to deal with it.” Tough but true.
Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni is a paris-based British journalist who covers fashion and lifestyle as well as being the author of Sam Spiegel - The Biography of A Hollywood Legend, Understanding Chic, an essay from the Paris Was Ours anthology and soon-to-be released Chanel book, for Assouline's fashion series.
Robert Beck is former New Yorker currently based in Paris. Also known as C.J. Rabbitt, he is the author and illustrator of several children's books, including The Tale of Rabbitt in Paradis, Un Lapin à Paris and the soon-to-be-published A Bunny in the Ballet.
