Black Frock Compendium

Novel- 1941- February
It was a sight to see... a black frock compendium marched down Avenue George V. All three, Coco, Schiaparelli and Balenciaga had a strong Catholic upbringing and, though it was not the first thought for people who attended the fashion shows, it may have surprised a few to know that 'convent black' was the whisper of the runways. Both Coco and Schiaparelli had been sent to convents when they were children.
This would be the last time Schiaparelli would visit Paris during World War II. Coco was waging a battle for sole proprietary ownership of Chanel No. 5 and had found herself a suitor that would offer her a safe zone during this time.
Balenciaga floated back and forth, between Spain and Paris, keeping his businesses operating.
On this day, these three, who may have been runway rivals, walked arm in arm, in a show of solidarity, to the American Cathedral to... pray?... remember?... worship?... rebel?...
Only they would know what the march represented, for themselves, and for the public spectacle of it. Times

of war do not come with a handbook of rules.
As they entered, Lawrence K. Whipp was playing the organ.
The three designers walked to the front of the church, and in respect of tradition, they knelt at the altar and bowed their heads. Softly...

Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos
Santificado sea tu Nombre
Venga tu reino
Hágase tu voluntad
En la tierra como en el cielo
Danos hoy el pan de este día
y perdona nuestras deudas
como nosotros perdonamos nuestros deudores
y no nos dejes caer en al tentacion
sino que líbranos del malo.

Amen…  Así sea

Amen, Amen... 

followed in female voices.

As they exited the church, a shiver ran up the spine of Schiap’s back as the organ played. It was 12 noon and as the bells of the church chimed... the sounds blended with gunshots of execution leveled at French Resistance fighters just outside Paris.

Back at 10 Avenue George V, the two women settled into chairs and Cristobal went to fetch a bottle of wine from the cellars at number 12.

The two rivals were silent but serene, both lost in thought, thinking about the past and the future.

"Will you stay in Paris?"

Schiaparelli spoke first.

Coco inhaled deeply on her cigarette... sighing... and...sighing,... the habit of remaining covert in an haute couture business tying her tongue and compressing her thin lips into an impenetrable castle wall.

She did not answer as wine glasses were heard bouncing off of each other in bell tones of echoes.

Cristobal served the women and they lifted their glasses,...

silently...

and touched them together with the same determined solemnity that had marched down the street to the church.

           "Nice red statement," Cristobal said. "A truly palindromic colour... this scarlet." 

'Flame of Prophecy' Cristobal

Novel-
'Dearest Lucy,
I woke this morning to find the world painted in hoarfrost. Here, in Paris, it may be the most beautiful thing there is right now. As the sun came up, I wrote the word 'Mercy' on a screen door as I walked to the American Cathedral on Avenue George V.

As I knelt to pray, I felt there were changes coming. I did not stay long but made my way back down the Avenue...

My footsteps were already half covered by the snow and the poignancy of this white dust art was not lost on me.
I stopped at the display window of Balenciaga, a 'flame of prophecy' rose startling me in the white landscape.

That one shock of colour was a little, little flame of hope in this black frock compendium... and maybe, Cristobal, which means 'bearing Christ' was named to carry this torch.
Valentine's Day is coming soon, my dearest Lucy. If you happen by New York, buy a gown by Cristobal... and think of the time we will be together, to dance again.
Yours,
Richard

Cerulean Time Travel

From Hampshire to Derbyshire, Highclere Castle to Kedleston Hall... Highland Park Ford Plant to
100 Renaissance Center... we use our particle accelerators to access cerulean time travel.
Oh dear, I think I'm getting things all mixed up by watching 'Real Steel' last night.

Downton Abbey has more cerulean wallpaper than... Kedleston Hall?
Hard to say!
Robert Adam forged decorative motifs in repeat patterning as evidenced by the sofa for Kedleston Hall, which, also, has coordinating wallpaper behind it. 'Robert Adam (1728-1792), approached decorating with the concept of an interior and its furnishings as a coordinated whole.' (exerpt from essay 'History of Interior Design.')
Downton Abbey, set in time... over 100 years later than 'Adam style,'  borrows a current trend... 100 years into the future,... of the setting of the show which begins in 1912,... of coordinating fashion and interior design.
Time travel borrowings is the currency of being 'in step.'   
Simmy had been perusing the time worn treasures at the Dutch Dime Store when she spotted a shock of blue velvet drapery. She had inspected the drapes for damages and, amazingly, they were intact.
'Just the thing for my 'Downton Abbey' crush,' she murmured.
After two rounds in the washing machine, the dryer lint was respectably coloured to suggest, Ahem!, that these beauties had never been washed.
A piece of cerulean satin became the cover for a cushion and the damask chair, circa 2010, was a current showpiece of ancient damascus or damask.
Now, that brings us back to the future movie 'Real Steel' where damascus steel morphs from sword to robot in choice of weaponry. Shining blue eyes glow through da mask of the robot called 'Atom.' Born futuristically, we must use our mental particle accelerators to enjoy the 'Atom smasher.'
So,... a very strange world of time travel we live in,... yes?
Like I said, 'Time travel borrowings is the currency of being 'in step.' Quote by El

Mama is Fancy

Simmy needed to pick a vase for the flowers she had made for her mothers' 80th birthday. She tried this and that but nothing seemed right.
Then she tried a big, chunky crystal vase... she snapped a few photos and then, nodded slowly as she uploaded the pictures.
Yes... that was Fancy.
She replayed Rainy Day People and oldest construction son said, "Could you turn that down a little? You've got music playing upstairs and downstairs."
Simmy chuckled as 'The Best of Tchaikovsky' mingled with rainy day people don't talk they just listen till they've heard it all.
That was a perfect depiction of Mamas' personality... she listened... and she was a very formal woman so the two pieces of music, together, were a really good synergy.
Simmy looked at the wall behind the floral vase and chuckled. It was marred and scarred from the rambunctious behaviour of raising sons. That would never have been allowed in Mama's house. Things needed to be kept nice and hands were to be kept off the walls. That way you didn't have to wash them as often.  
Yes, Mama is fancy!

The Last Time I Saw

...Paris was a song that was released in 1940. It was composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Joni James sings a version that is sweet and clear. Unhurried, her voice is as pure as a perfectly cut diamond.
As Simmy read the email, telling of the death of a woman... Simmy had only one conversation, ever, with this lady, and yet,... tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered... Mae.
The last time Simmy had seen this lovely lady, Mae, she had been wearing a summer yellow dress, sitting in the living room of Simmy's brother. A glass of wine gently cupped in her hand as she conversed with family and spoke of her diagnosis. A lovely, ageless aura was her blessing, so becoming she was in that... gentle summer yellow dress.
And so, I remember her that way...

Cape Diamond Rose

Simmy put the finishing touches on the 'Cape Diamond Roses' that she was making for her mothers' 80th birthday.
'Not bad, not bad at all,' she said as she looked at the collection of faux roses that she had been making this week.
Jacques Cartier thought the glittering Cape Diamond to be a treasure trove of diamonds but, alas, he found it was only quartz.
So, Simmy was hoping the fake roses would also be a good enough semblance to pass for the real thing.
 

'Navy Lady' Rose

Chapter 42...
Date: March 8, 2010
Location- CFB ( Canadian Forces Base) Esquimalt
and Grandma Tilley's house
'Grand-mama, what are you getting all dressed up for?' Mattie asked her Grandmother.
'Well, today is a very special day, Mattie.'
Grandma Tilley sat down on her bed to put on her freshly polished serviceable black shoes.
Mattie quickly knelt down and handed Grandma one of the shoes. While she watched Grandma place the shoe horn into the back of the heel, she asked, "What's so special about today?"
'Well, your Great- grandma was something we call a WREN. During WWII the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service were a feisty bunch of women who volunteered to go to England for about, oh, 3 years or so. We went to help fight in the war.'
'Woah, I didn't know that,' Mattie's eyes looked as round as saucers.
'Do you know that your name and mine are really the same name?'
'Tilley and Mattie are the same name?'
The young 8 year old forehead furrowed into a puzzled look. 'Are you sure?'
'Oh yes, dear. I'm very sure. The proper name is Mathilda and it means mighty in battle,' Grandma Tilley pushed her other foot into the shoe and before she could lift her head up, little Mattie butted her forehead against Great Grandma Tilley's and said, 'We're warriors, Grandma!'
'Yes, we are, lovey!'
Grandma sat up and patted the bed next to her and Mattie didn't waste a second as she jumped up and looked into the handsome, strong face of Tilley.
'I think we have time for a little story before we have to go to the planting of the rose bushes. It was 1942...'

'Navy Lady' roses were planted at CFB ( Canadian Forces Base) Esquimalt in March of 2010. The rose bushes were planted to honour the Canadian women who served in the Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service. These WRENS played an active part in the fight against the Axis forces in WWII.