Summer Tour de France
The Cote d’Azur has let fashion and photography invade its beaches for the past three weeks. The tour of the Riviera begins with the International Fashion and Photography Festival at Hyères, before cruising into St. Tropez with Chanel, and ends with the relentless red-carpeting of the Cannes Festival. Those are the stated reasons for sailing in that region, but the real treasures are the quieter moments: the cliffs at the Iles d’Or and L’Ile du Levant, for instance.
Hyères is an incubator of young talent, and I really enjoyed the work of Isabel Mastache Martinez, a Spanish designer with the peculiar ability to incorporate the male sex organ into her designs. But I agreed with the jury’s choice for the winner, Alexandra Verschueren. She offered original ideas and constructions perfectly concealed under the veil of wearability. Perfect for the times and for the beach, with fresh crisp cottons and splashes of color.