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GOLDEN GIRLS: Photographs of gold-wreathed women decorated the Bloomingdale's special collections floor last night to fete French photographer Bettina Rheims' exhibit, "Liquid Gold." Her 11 portraits were commissioned by the French wine region of Chablis, which gave Rheims carte blanche in bringing her interpretations of the white wine to life any way she chose.
"It took long research," Rheims said of her process. "I looked at paintings of wine. I wanted to know how the wine is made, the tools that are used, the instruments, how it's put together." Asked if she herself is a big Chablis fan, the artist smiled: "I actually don't drink much. I'm more of a Diet Coke and green tea person."
President of Chablis Wines Michel Laroche was also on hand to toast the special collaboration. "We wanted to communicate wine in a different way," he said of the exhibit. "We see bottles of wine all the time. We wanted to express it artistically." And did Laroche approve of Rheims' interpretation of his brand? "It's definitely a female wine," he said, looking at the pictures. "Red wine is much more of a man — this wine is a woman, and we all know that women have all the power."
"Liquid Gold" can be viewed in the Bloomingdale's windows before making its way to the New York Palace Hotel in July, followed by Metrazur Restaurant in Grand Central Terminal in September.
BOSOM BUDDIES: Diane von Furstenberg had a double helping of Barbra Streisand this week. The designer caught Streisand's concert in Paris Tuesday, and was also invited Thursday night to see the legendary entertainer decorated with a Legion of Honor medal by French President Nicholas Sarkozy at the Elysée Palace. (First Lady Cecilia Sarkozy is a Streisand fan and also took in Tuesday night's show, dressed in Dior.)
While the European tour was a first for Streisand, von Furstenberg continues to spread her roots across the continent. The designer disclosed plans to open DVF boutiques this fall in Madrid and Moscow, plus a second location for London and a third for Paris, on Rue François 1er, only steps away from the Dior flagship on Avenue Montaigne. Von Furstenberg also is opening a boutique in her hometown of Brussels this fall.
"It took long research," Rheims said of her process. "I looked at paintings of wine. I wanted to know how the wine is made, the tools that are used, the instruments, how it's put together." Asked if she herself is a big Chablis fan, the artist smiled: "I actually don't drink much. I'm more of a Diet Coke and green tea person."
President of Chablis Wines Michel Laroche was also on hand to toast the special collaboration. "We wanted to communicate wine in a different way," he said of the exhibit. "We see bottles of wine all the time. We wanted to express it artistically." And did Laroche approve of Rheims' interpretation of his brand? "It's definitely a female wine," he said, looking at the pictures. "Red wine is much more of a man — this wine is a woman, and we all know that women have all the power."
"Liquid Gold" can be viewed in the Bloomingdale's windows before making its way to the New York Palace Hotel in July, followed by Metrazur Restaurant in Grand Central Terminal in September.
BOSOM BUDDIES: Diane von Furstenberg had a double helping of Barbra Streisand this week. The designer caught Streisand's concert in Paris Tuesday, and was also invited Thursday night to see the legendary entertainer decorated with a Legion of Honor medal by French President Nicholas Sarkozy at the Elysée Palace. (First Lady Cecilia Sarkozy is a Streisand fan and also took in Tuesday night's show, dressed in Dior.)
While the European tour was a first for Streisand, von Furstenberg continues to spread her roots across the continent. The designer disclosed plans to open DVF boutiques this fall in Madrid and Moscow, plus a second location for London and a third for Paris, on Rue François 1er, only steps away from the Dior flagship on Avenue Montaigne. Von Furstenberg also is opening a boutique in her hometown of Brussels this fall.
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