Lucky, Lucky Me
I have a client in Paris who is an admirer of Harris tweed. Though just a two-hour train ride away, the world feels so different there—the intricate swirls on the buildings are more elaborate, and lunches linger luxuriously. Paris is one of my favorite cities, especially in autumn, when the streets and shutters are bathed in a perfect golden light.
The journey of this particular coat began in June at London’s Masterpiece fair. You may have heard about the ‘Artist’s Overcoat’ created for Nic Fiddian-Green, crafted from a rare Harris tweed with a bright, narrow stripe running through it.
Nic swished through his recreated studio at Masterpiece, draped in this beautiful full-length coat, even in the uncharacteristic heat of an English summer. It caught the eye of an exceptionally elegant Frenchman.
And so, as Monday heralded the official start of autumn, it was time to take this bespoke coat to Paris for its first fitting.
My luck continues to grow.
The coat’s owner is the proprietor of what can only be described as the most romantic business in the world—no exaggeration. He inherited a 150-year-old company, housed in a building purposefully designed for it, tucked away on a quiet Parisian street. Stepping into his world is like entering a dream.
His office is a vision of soft green wood, samples of carvings, and shelves brimming with art and design books. Rolls of sketches lean casually against the desk. We toured his workshop, where fencing swords and helmets lie abandoned on workbenches, remnants of a time when the craftsmen practiced fencing during their lunch breaks.
The business is a world leader in oak paneling, and the high walls are lined with it. The proprietor collects, restores, and recreates historic rooms. Sometimes, he waits years for the right room to come to market. At just six years old, he discovered a sketch of a paneled room, and it took him forty years to finally acquire it. Often, he saves these rooms from the clutches of modern renovators.
But make no mistake—this business is as modern as it is historic. The workshops have incorporated the inspirations of Picasso, Miró, and even Koons into paneling designs.
As we turned a corner, we found orange panels that once lined Empress Josephine’s library, inspired by her Egyptian collection. Further on, we passed white and gold panels, adorned with delightfully round foxes, that once resided in the Parisian flat of a fashion designer—until he favored monochrome.
Monkeys, painted elegantly on panels, once depicted French aristocrats at play—an amusing, whimsical touch from another era, now out of style. Art Deco panels and radiator covers stand proudly as some of the finest examples from their time.
The proprietor believes the most important word in his work is esprit, meaning spirit. And indeed, this spirit—of taste, craft, and a family’s dedication—soars throughout the workshop, lifting my own in the process.
The coat is heading to a wonderful home.
