Nelly Vintage Homes: yves saint laurent

The full moon overnight Wednesday into Thursday is the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox. Folklore called it the Harvest Moon since so many crops would be harvested around this time. That got me thinking about wheat which is a symbol of bountiful harvest and prosperity. Even though everyone in America seems to be gluten free and not actually eating wheat, that doesn't mean you can't decorate with it.

The French have been displaying dried wheat and gold wheat sheaf tables in their homes for decades. Wheat can be found through out the rooms of Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent among others. Chanel made wheat "her lucky charm, a symbol of creativity that never ends."

When I working on my post of French jewelry designer Aurelie Bidermann, I remembered seeing dried wheat on her moodboard. She took a step further and used as a motif in an entire collection, Le Blé, which is the French word for wheat. I am definitely planning on buying her wheat ring and maybe even a bracelet. Until then, I will make due with the dried stalks of wheat I bought on eBay. When it comes to fostering creativity and prosperity, I will always let Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent lead my way.

Shine on, shine on harvest moon

Up in the sky,

I ain't had no lovin'

Since January, February, June or July

Sno Time ain't no time to stay

Outdoors and spoon,

So shine one, shine on harvest noon

For me and my gal.

- By Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth, 1903

Coco Chanel's Paris apartment with dried wheat and gold wheat sheaf table.

Wheat in Chanel's apartment.

Another ols photo of Coco Chanel's apartment on rue Cambon.

Sheaf of wheat cocktail table from 1stdibs.

Singer Lily Allen wearing Chanel wheat motif jewelry in her hair.

Wheat brooch from Chanel.

Another gold wheat sheaf table in the home of Yves Saint Laurent.

Dried wheat was in every room of Yves Saint Laurent's homes.

Writer Candace Bushnell has gold wheat sheaf scones in her apartment.

I'm loving these Italian gold wheat sheaf chairs from 1stdibs.

Gold wheat sheaf dining table in the Chicago home of designer Lauren Gold from Lonny. I'm putting this on my wish list. There isn't even one on 1stdibs right now.

Wheat on the moodboard of French jewelry designer Aurelie Bidermann.

Aurelie Bidermann's gold two cobs wheat bangle.

Aurelie Bidermann Demeter Large Wheat Necklace

Aurelie Bidermann Multi Wheat Earrings

Aurelie Bidermann Wheat Ring

Top Image from Canadian House & Home

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Resplendent Rochas Apartment

Brooke Astor isn’t the only chic woman whose estate was up for auction this week. The contents of the gorgeous apartment of Hélène Rochas who passed away last year is up for auction at Christie’s in Paris today. I apologize for the short notice but I myself just learned of this yesterday. Even if you missed bidding, you can still marvel at the décor.

Hélène Rochas was the widow of courtier Marcel Rochas of the venerable fashion house Rochas. Hélène met the twice divorced Marcel in the metro and became his wife at the age of 18. The couture house was closed in 1953 but after Marcel’s death in 1955, Hélène Rochas took over the perfume business and created an empire. She was known for her great beauty and lavish parties that she threw in her apartment in a hôtel particulier in the 7th arrondissement. It too is up for sale here.

Hubert de Givenchy stated that “Rochas was exceptionally skilled at blending classic and contemporary elements” and you can see that in many of those photos. I was thinking it reminded me of of the home of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berger and then I read that they lived close and were also friends. Her daughter, Sophie Rochas says “the original interior was conceived by her father and his decorator, Georges Geffroy” but that her made it her own over the years. You can see one example from the music room that was dark blue in the 1980’s and is now a soothing beige.

In WWD, “François de Ricqlès, chairman of Christie’s France and a friend of Hélène Rochas, describes the collection as the culmination of a cosmopolitan French style influenced by the wealthy Americans who started coming to Paris in the Twenties."

“It’s a form of taste that has practically died out, in which styles and eras are brought together with elegance and sobriety. The walls are white, the curtains are plain and what stands out is the beauty of the artworks,” he says. “I think it’s extremely Parisian.”

The Hélène Rochas auction catalog was online (not sure where it went) and was more than just a catalog. It’s was filled with memories from many of Hélène Rochas’ friends such as Hubert de Givenchy and Francois Catroux and was a touching tribute to a lovely lady.