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The Lasting Luxury of the Handcrafted Product.


by Annabel Schofield March 19, 2016

My great-grandmother, Sybil married my great-grandfather, Cyril in 1922. Her trousseau, like most of her elegant wardrobe was hand-made.  For those unenlightened few, a trousseau was a collection of clothing, lingerie, lace and linens that a bride collected for her wedding day, her honeymoon and marriage.  As a child, I would sneak into great-grandmama's bedroom as quietly as possible, gingerly open the heavy creaking door to the dark wooden armoire, and delicately touch and sniff these filmy items, an incorrigibly curious little mouse. With awe, I would examine the tiny stitches connecting the hand-spun lace to the powder-pink silk negligees and bed jackets, imagining the deftly skilled fingers of these expert magicians of the cloth.  I still own some of these precious items, still wrapped in yellowed and creased tissue paper, a testament to the fine enduring work forged by those bygone artisans. They also still exude the merest soupcon of the dried lavender scent that Sybil kept in minuscule linen sachets amongst her delicate garments to ward off marauding moths.

Boheme artisan at work

At La Perfection Louis in West Hollywood the Parisienne proprietors, Vanessa and
Aurelien
 fully understand the value of the modern handcrafted creation. It's truly a rare quality in today's technological world where a couture dress can be replicated cheaply for the high street within hours, and in large, faceless factories with brutal working conditions by their harried employees. La Perfection Louis understands that the many hours of pure joy and skilled workmanship that go into every one of the exclusive handmade products on offer at the Sunset Plaza showroom makes them special, and even more desirable for that fact. One can feel the love in every hand-sewn seam of an Anonyme, Paris leather bag, or of the hand-sharpened edge of a Boheme ski. Not only do these pieces benefit in performance from the excellence of workmanship involved, they will last forever, growing ever more lovely with age. 

Anonyme, Paris was founded in 2014 by Vincent Guillet who honed his craft working extensively for LVMH and their luxury brands Christian Dior and John Galliano and which are beloved by celebrities and tastemakers alike. Anonyme, Paris only works with the most highly skilled French artisans and leatherworkers to create one of a kind leather goods and accessories for men. To achieve this level of excellence and exclusivity takes time. No corners are cut in a rush to mass produce an Anonyme product. Every piece of ultra high-quality leather and the finest silk for linings are each lovingly cut and sewn by hand; and an Anonyme customer can be secure in the knowledge that they will never see another piece quite the same as theirs. Although the workmanship itself harks back to another less hurried time, Anonyme pieces are sharply modern in design and exceptionally functional for the modern businessperson or traveler. Anonyme, Paris and La Perfection Louis offer their newfound Californian clientele a rare juxtaposition of luxurious modernity and elegant classicism from Anonyme, Paris that will last for generations. 

La Perfection Louis on Sunset Plaza is also proud to offer its clients exquisite hand-fans by The House of Duvelleroy. These gorgeous, one of a kind pieces make the Artisans at the House of Duvelleroyperfect party accessories for a balmy, Hollywood Hills soiree, or for a celebrity red-carpet event alike. The House of Duvelleroy was founded on the Rive Droite in Paris in 1827 by Monsieur Jean-Pierre Duvelleroy, a man obsessed with perfection, romance and high-quality workmanship. Although the wearing of hand-fans
 in the west has  greatly declined since  the end of WWII, The House of Duvelleroy itself has
 thrived, solely due to the passion of its inheritor, who  managed to conserve the pleating moulds, vintage fans,  sketches for sticks, guards and leaves with the conviction  to “make something out of it one day”. La Perfection  Louis now offers its stylish Los Angeles clientele a  capsule collection of Duvelleroy fans all of which have  been lovingly, painstakingly fashioned by hand in Paris.  And although House of Duvelleroy fans may make  perfect heirlooms to pass onto ones beloved children,  they have also been prominently featured in the pages of  forward thinking publications such as Vogue and Madame  Figaro. The old world embraces the new in perfect harmony at The House of Duvelleroy. 

Although my gracious great-grandmama would have been appalled by the thought of a sport as physically demanding as skiing, dear Sybil could not have failed to be Boheme stamp of authenticityimpressed by the hours of exacting workmanship that go into the creation of each handmade Boheme ski and snowboard. La Perfection Louis is thrilled to offer for the first time to its American clients the exclusive Boheme line of winter-sports  equipment, each piece  handcrafted at the Boheme     factory at the base of the  French Alps. Designed for excellence and peak performance by  masters of the craft, Boheme skis and snowboards are lovingly  cut, shaped, sharpened and polished by the hands of artisans  with many years of cumulative experience between them; and  each one of a kind Boheme piece is never replicated and carries  an individual Boheme stamp of authenticity along with a  numbered card which allows the customer admittance to a very  exclusive and discerning club. This level of expertise does not  come cheaply, but Boheme skis and snowboards will outperform less lovingly crafted brands on any surface for many years to come. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do know that genteel Sybil would have adored the works of French master sculptor, Christophe Charbonnel that are currently available for private viewing at La Perfection Louis on Sunset Plaza. Christophe Charbonnel's neoclassical bronzes appeal to any collector with a refined sensibility, and are also a great investment (although great-grandmama would find it terribly coarse to speak of such things in polite society). There's something about M. Charbonnel's exquisite delicacy of technique that recalls another time: one of graciousness, beauty and elegance which is ever harder to find in today's fast-paced world. Christophe Charbonnel has exhibited extensively in his native France to great acclaim, and it is with great honor that La Perfection Louis offers his bronzes to their Los Angeles clientele. Any one of these Charbonnel pieces, with their classical and mythical subjects would make a graceful addition to ones Mulholland Drive or Beverly Hills home, or even a perfect counterpoint to the Malibu beach-house's relaxed Californian vibe. Handcrafted with love and expertise will never go out of style, and these exclusive Charbonnel bronzes will make perfect heirlooms to enchant many generations of nascent art-collector.

 

 

So please, if you lover of expert workmanship and luxury, I urge you to make an appointment to visit La Perfection Louis on Sunset Plaza in West Hollywood. My dear friends Vanessa and Aurelien are looking forward to introducing you to a fabulous new era in handmade quality and excellence, with a healthy dash of French je ne sais quoi!

Call today to make an appointment (323) 942-4000. 

 

 

 

 

 




Annabel Schofield
Annabel Schofield

Author