While the term ‘it bag’ gives me chills, Olympia Le-Tan’s book-like minaudières and totes cause a ‘gimmenow’ sweat. Occasionally, I fantasise about breaking into her office and stealing one or two pieces...
While the term ‘it bag’ gives me chills, Olympia Le-Tan’s book-like minaudières and totes cause a ‘gimmenow’ sweat. Occasionally, I fantasise about breaking into her office and stealing one or two pieces. A silly idea considering the fair Olympia – whose exotic looks belie her British, French and Vietnamese origins – lives right opposite. But my problem is this, her embroidered bags are hand-stitched and there’s a waiting list at key boutiques for whatever she produces. Meanwhile, the idea of being caught red-handed by the green-eyed and auburn-haired Olympia - who may play up her curves and St Trinian schoolgirl naughtiness to the international paparazzi, but can be pretty imperious too - is terrifying. Indeed it’s no shock that her great-grandfather was the Viceroy of Tonkin.
"Olympia transformed the Miss Haversham-like Museo Bellini into a soignée Florentine salon packed with chicissimo pals. "
Indeed, bringing the great Duke of Wellington to mind, Olympia is equally known for her brevity of speech and serious creative action - evident when she was invited by Pitti to be one of their guest designers in Florence. During a celebratory lunch at Paris’s Perron restaurant, Olympia was asked to follow the long, flowery speech of Pitti’s official spokesman. Well, she managed to stand up and say, “Many thanks but I think you’ve said it all,” then sit down again. Her true-to-character behaviour still cracks me up. That said, last week, Pitti soon realised that they were onto a winner. Not only did Olympia organize a series of Parisian hipster portraits – channelling iconic Italian films that were photographed by Max Farago – but she also transformed the Miss Haversham-like Museo Bellini into a soignée Florentine salon packed with chicissimo pals. A lingering memory remains of the Renaissance staircase covered in a fairytale tangle of pink roses and ivy. Olympia mentioned Visconti and I thought Zeffirelli. However, I don’t plan to cross swords about it!
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.
