Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Christian Lacroix Lists Paris Apartment

SELLER: Christian Lacroix
LOCATION: Paris, France
PRICE: €2,000,000
SIZE: 2,150 square foot (approx.), 4 bedrooms

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Like all the other real estate gossips, Your Mama peruses the Private Properties column in The Wall Street Journal every week and the paper's most recent column reported that Haute-Couture hotshot Christian Lacroix (that's Luh-kwah, children) listed his Parisian pied-a-terre for sale with an asking price of €2,000,000. A few flicks of the beads on Your Mama's bejeweled abacus shows that converts to 2,652,500 U.S. clams at today's rates.

Iffin any of the children aren't already familiar with and in awe of Monsieur Luh-kwah's super sumptuous, prodigiously ruffled, cacophonously colorful, fantastically theatrical and hideously expensive clothing confections Your Mama recommends that you haul your deprived hineys immediately over to the couturier's internet portal and spend a some time swooning over the dee-lishus high fashion insanity.

Although we could talk a blue streak about Monsieur Luh-kwah's glorious follies in fabric, it's the real estate we're here to discuss, so let's get to the Luh-kwah's crib located in the gay, gay, gay Marais district in central Paris. Yes children, we know there are lots of Jewish people and Chinese folks and all other sorts of groups living up in the Marais too, but this historic and charming neighborhood is unquestionably a destination for hordes of Parisian homosexuals and their admirers.

Oh dear, we digress yet again.

Listing information and the Private Properties column report reveal the Lacroix apartment, located in a 17th century building near the soo-blime Place des Vosges, spans two floors–plus a mezzanine library accessed via some rickety looking stairs just barely wide enough to fit the slim hips of a visiting supermodel–and measures around 2,150 square feet with wonderfully high 13 foot ceilings. The kitchen and the bathrooms have been renovated.

Four bedrooms occupy the lower floor while the upper floor includes the public rooms which surround a 200 square feet interior courtyard where we wish Monsieur Lacroix had thought to put away the damn ladder before having photographs snapped. The modest and surprisingly restrained apartment retains much original detailing including well worn parquet floors and those unbelievably decadant and dee-voonly gorgeous gilded moldings in the master bedroom.

We can already hear some of the children snickering and having all kinds of righteous hissy fits and screaming that this place is one decorative hot mess. And if you look at it through Architectural Digest eyes, it is. However, Your Mama takes an entirely different view of Monsieur Lacroix's perfectly lived-in Parisian pied a terre. This is so very clearly not the apartment of a person who does up the day-core according to what is appropriate as determined by all dee-zine rag divas who get to decide that toile is the new tartan (which, of course, it is), but rather the very personal and quirky home of a man who does not give two centimes for what's considered "in style" interior design wise. Your Mama gives Monsieur Lacroix a standing ovation for listening to the music that plays in his own head and choosing to be surrounded by objects, artworks and furniture chosen for their personal meaning and inspiration and not for their vanity.

Monsieur Lacroix reportedly purchased and moved to another apartment nearby. Your Mama hopes and imagines his new digs will turn out every bit as personal as this one and we look forward to sipping some tea and fingering next seasons fabric swatches while curled up on that crazy-ass striped sofa that we'd sell our soul to the devil to own.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would LOVE to live here, absolutely beautiful. I like how the apt is his personal style, and "eclectic", but minus the architectual elements it would look shiteous, and just passes here.

Anonymous said...

Great commentary--I always look at the pics first and I 100% agree with Mama on this one. Never been to Paris, but it has the perfect feel with those floor to ceiling windows, flower boxes, etc. It looks lived in and livable. Love it.

Anonymous said...

Lacroix sweetie... Lacroix sweetie

Anakin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anakin said...

hello : ) Just to let you know that we have linked back to use and reused the pic at http://www.luxuo.com/luxury-locations/christian-lacroix-lists-paris-apartment.html hope yo udont mind :)

Anonymous said...

OOOOOOOOOO i knew you'd get your li'l mitts on these pix, Mama. THANK YOU!

sUbLiMe!!!!

(love the abfab ref...)

Starck Mad said...

A bit 'my first apartment' for me... Especially when you contrast it with the YSL apartment, currently on auction? I would much rather see a Gaultier, or Mugler property. :))

Anonymous said...

The YSL apartment is filled to the gills with amazing stuff, but it's totally fussy in comparison to CL's apartment.

Anonymous said...

I love it except for that little loft area - hate the stair and handrail design plus, once you're up there, it doesn't look tall enough to stand in. I could live with it, though. The rest of the apartment is wonderful with just enough wear to not be pretentious. It has that "Old money/I just threw it together and really don't care" look - but you know it certainly wasn't. Love the outside, too.

Anonymous said...

Edina: "It's a Lacroix, Sweetie. Now if I can just find something to wear with it...."

Saffron: "Maybe I could throw up on something?"

Edina: "Here we are.."

Saffron: "Oh I see someone already has"

Patsy: "Eddie, What ARE you wearing??"

Edina: "It's a Lacroix"

Patsy: "It's fabulous"

Anonymous said...

Patsy: "Eddie, What ARE you wearing??"

Edina: "It's a Lacroix"

Patsy: "It's fabulous"

That about sums it up! A very interesting place to be sure, very Paris, very Lacroix. Very personal. Very, Very Good.

lil' gay boy said...

One hundred percent pure fabu...

Anonymous said...

He makes some brilliant clothes. And I like this little abode.

Anonymous said...

I have a handstitched lacroix shirt that I bought in Harrods - and it really is fabulous. This apartment is so cool too!

Anonymous said...

Love this apartment. The southwest section of Le Marais is the gay hub, centered around Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie and Vieille du Temple streets.

Anonymous said...

Love, love, love it. I would happily move my sweetie, my coffee maker and all of my books right in. I even like the funky little "library" nook - crawl up there with some huge pillows and a cup of tea - a unique, cozy spot. Love the high ceilings, the huge windows, the french doors opening out to the courtyard....

Americans are obsessed with picture-perfect, antiseptic homes they see in magazines - but what percentage of people actually lives that way, really? It's an illusion.
The European approach is much more relaxed, organic and, IMHO, inviting.

Anonymous said...

Considering how much his Couture pieces sell for [that's couture, not ready to wear] I'm surprised at the size & price of this place ... Interesting nonetheless & Place De Vosges is beautiful but so is all of Paris ...

Starck Mad said...

au contraire, Miss Anonymous, while you might think the YSL apartment looks 'fussy'.....every square inch is thoughtful, tasteful, and no doubt worth a fortune.

The Lacroix place? Very messy flea market vibe.

Paris is the most gorgeous city on earth despite this.

LOVE Paris!

Anonymous said...

Jeezus, alright, I'll take it, I'll take it!

Anonymous said...

I think it's absolutely gorgeous! It's exactly the kind of place I'd want to live in if I lived in Paris!

Anonymous said...

Stark Mad - some of us LIKE the messy flea market vibe - but I respect your right to prefer something more conformist. To each their own.

Anonymous said...

Love it! "The Elegance of the Hedgehog"

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Lacroix, baby spew. Lacroix, baby spew....

January 21, 2009 3:21 PM

lol that's all I think of when I hear his name because of that show!

Anonymous said...

Edina muses to herself - "I wonder if Lacroix does kitchens?"

Anonymous said...

Love this style. Agree with anon@9:04, the library seems like such a cozy spot.

lisa @ luxe said...

Love this! I did a little post about you on my fashion blog and linked you. Hope that is okay, if not, just let me know. xoxo lisa @ luxe