Fiona Alderman’s Blog: Sunlight in the Sahara & Pierre Cardin

(Photograph Pierre Cardin – Attribute Benjamin Loyauté, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Sunlight from the Sahara

Yes, a strange light in the sky appeared a few weeks ago. I woke up feeling  that there was an eerie calm and I looked out of the window to see an orange sky. I thought at first it was the promise of snow but no.  During the day I spoke to people and they said it was from the sands of the Sahara. All the cars were covered in sand. I thought it was a joke but no it was true. All day it continued, birds stopped singing, and it did seem like the end of the world.
It was very unusual, spreading throughout the world and apparently not such a rare event.

Covid 19 – Vaccine

On the dark side, we went to Sarlat to get the vaccination for my beloved Barry. He is 76 and so was on the first list to be called with his age plus other health factors, it was important that he was considered a priority.
Already a bit worried how it would go, I was able to come and help with the questionnaire beforehand. It was held in a theatre space in Sarlat, but when we descended into the building it was like going down into hell. Not good. All the walls and flooring were blacked out as is usual in an open space theatre. We went through all of the procedure quite quickly but five minutes after Barry had the vaccine he was sick. Everybody to the rescue, wheeled onto a trolley, doctor and nurses in attendance. I am left alone.  All ok just probably the apprehension plus the dark environment, which isn’t very helpful in these circumstances?
‘Trouble at mill’ springs to mind with a Yorkshire expression which finely describes what is happening in local authorities between council members recently reported in the U K, and which is currently happening here in rural Salignac. There will be elections again in March to re elect the Mayor. Unusual to say the least and a lot of disharmony between all three parties.

Pierre Cardin and the Bubbles

pierre cardin

(“File:1968 Pierre Cardin dress, pink heat moulded Dynel.jpg” by Museum at FIT from USA is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Pierre Cardin, the renowned fashion designer,  died a few months ago leaving a wealth of talent and an amazing career lasting nearly 70 years. Of Italian origin, one of eleven siblings, his family fled to France after World War 1 and here he started his  life long consuming passion in fashion and in design.
He first worked with notable designers such as Paquin, Schiaparelli, becoming head of the Christian Dior tailoring workshop. He founded his own fashion house in 1950 in Paris and became noted for his ” bubble dress” which was a bias cut short skirt with stiff moulds projecting outwards, giving a very different geometric look.
He became totally unique with his vision and unusual feminine wear. From the mini to the maxi length, to pom-poms and fringes, to dresses with batwing sleeves and slits in the skirts. He was also the innovator of the Pret a Porter range of clothes, making clothes that were affordable to most people.He also invented the collarless jacket for men, as worn by the Beatles in the swinging sixties!
He was inspired by space and even tried on the original spacesuit of Neil Armstrong , subsequently designing spacesuits for N .A .S .A and even the uniforms for Pakistan International Airlines. A business man throughout it seems and a very successful one too.
He had his own brands of perfumes, cosmetics, pens, furniture and  industrial design, and the sumptuous interior of deluxe cars.
Cardin was highly awarded both in haute couture and the French Legion d’honheur.
His house, one of many, is now up for sale near Cannes. Worth many billions. It is called the bubble house because of its rounded forms and almost feminine shapes.
He died peacefully surrounded by friends and family and will be well remembered for his sense of style and elegance.
Fifi’s stories from rural France. February 2021.
www.salignacfoundation.com Short courses in contemporary dance and film.SW France
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France -The Chateau
Fiona Alderman: Happy New Year from Rural France

This section: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France

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Avatar of PatByrne Publisher of Pat's Guide to Glasgow West End; the community guide to the West End of Glasgow. Fiction and non-fiction writer.

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