The best
press launches have an element of emotion in them. That’s what imprints the
event in the minds of journalists as they scurry from one venue to another. It
can be as simple a particularly lovely chat with brand owners and perfumers –
or anyone else involved in the project. Or it can be, as happened in Paris this
week at the launch of Nina L’Eau, a tender moment with a magical creature
straight out of a fairy tale.
The
fragrance, composed by Olivier Cresp (Firmenich), is a fruity floral, leaning
more towards the floral, with neroli, apple blossom and gardenia. The film, “Mon
Secret” by Eugenio Recuenco, is a graceful, dream-like romp through the
looking-glass and into a snow-white maze…But even
though the model, Frida Gustavsson, is utterly lovely in her Nina Ricci couture
silk muslin gown, the real star of the film for me is Paloma.
Paloma was
one of three snowy owls used in the film, along with Igloo (who perched in a
room just being her stately self) and Snow (who was off on another shoot). Paloma was
there with her handler, and we were each invited in turn to don his hawker’s
glove for her to perch on our arm. She was a chatty little diva, mewing and
flapping her wings. Sometimes, perhaps because the person holding her was
nervous, she tried to fly away but of course she was on a tether and flopped down until her handler gently picked her up and soothed her. Then
she kind of nipped at his shirt as though she were cuddling.
When my
turn came, Paloma settled on my arm and her white wing brushed my cheek as she flapped
to right herself. Her handler told me to scratch her behind the ears and above
the eyes, so I did – an entire life’s training as a cat slave came in handy –
and she tilted her head towards me, half closing her huge fiery eyes … If she
could have purred, she would have done it. And there she stayed, quietly
enjoying the scratching and stroking of her silk-soft feathers, until I remembered other people were waiting for
their photo op.
The snowy
owl is actually the national bird of my native Québec, so that this beautiful
young creature is a bit like my totem. And that wide-eye look you see here is
not nerves or fear: it’s pure wonder.
Don’t
forget the review and sample draw a couple of posts down: it’s on until next
Monday.
The two top pictures of the making-of the film come courtesy of Nina Ricci. The bottom one of the dress is my own. My portrait with Paloma is a Polaroid, because a Polaroid is even better than Photoshop at making people look better.
The two top pictures of the making-of the film come courtesy of Nina Ricci. The bottom one of the dress is my own. My portrait with Paloma is a Polaroid, because a Polaroid is even better than Photoshop at making people look better.
L'actu 
Articles
"Cat slave" - that's so spot on! We have had cats that we have called Snowy Owl/Tawny Owl/Brown Owl because they have that way of looking at you with their big eyes. What a lovely feeling to have Paloma on your hand, and what a privilege.
RépondreSupprimerJillie
Jillie, it was magical... Even though Paloma is trained and used to strangers, it was so touching to feel trusted by that beautiful, otherwordly creature. Like an extremely dignified cat with feathers instead of fur!
RépondreSupprimerWhat a lovely story D. Thank you for sharing.
RépondreSupprimerMy pleasure, prince!
RépondreSupprimerThis just made my top 5 list of your blog posts :-)
RépondreSupprimerHow wonderful! I seldom see but often hear the barred owls that live in the woods around my house. There is, truly, something otherworldly about their presence. Every once in awhile I find an owl feather and add it to the collection in a vase on a windowsill, always wishing that I might see the owls closer. You are so lucky to have had such a close encounter. Thank you for sharing it.
RépondreSupprimerDusan, sometimes it's great to just revert to being a wide-eyed, awestruck kid, isn't it?
RépondreSupprimerKathryn, I once saw a snowy owl in the wild, at dusk, a few hundred miles north of Montreal. My dad and I just stopped the car and admired. It was like a magical apparition.
RépondreSupprimerHow gorgeous.
RépondreSupprimerIsn't she just? I could have tickled her soft feathers all day. Or just looked at her being her little predator self, really.
RépondreSupprimerThis was so beautiful. Thank you for sharing it. It's the best picture of you, too!
RépondreSupprimerMaybe the owl is your familiar!
Carole
I absolutely adored this post. What a beautiful girl your Paloma!
RépondreSupprimerMy cat has huge, round eyes, so her name is Sasha Owl; and occasionally, she actually responds.
Oh, I have to ask...what is the fabulous lipstick you are wearing in the Polaroid? :)
Carole, thank you. As I said, Polaroids are very flattering (I just found a source for the film in Paris and will be able to use my old camera, yay!).
RépondreSupprimerI don't know if Paloma is my familiar, but we certainly took to each other. Her handler said it was because she felt I was comfortable with her. On the picture it looks as though she's telling me a secret.
Taffy, cats and owls certainly have a lot in common, don't they? My cat answers back all the time (Siamese are pretty chatty).
RépondreSupprimerThe lipstick is MAC Chili. Nice, creamy and matte, with a brick tone I find more flattering than blue-reds for my complexion.
Lovely story! Owls are so beautiful - how fitting that the snowy owl is the official bird of Québec. :-) Lucky you getting to pet her!
RépondreSupprimerTara, in Québec we call them "harfang des neiges" (it comes from a Swedish word for "hare-eater" -- gaah). The Inuit call them "ukpik".
RépondreSupprimerlove this!!! my tabby love, george, looks so much like a grey owl - it always amazes me.
RépondreSupprimerlove love love owls. got divebombed by them on nighttime walks in dallas of all places. i was clearly walking through their hunting ground and they were letting me know!
cheers,
minette
Minette, I know, cats and owls are somehow really connected! Maybe those Dallas owls had chicks to protect? I know that's why swallows attack.
RépondreSupprimerdenyse, i hadn't thought about chicks - it's always possible. mockingbirds divebomb me when i take george for walks in this stroller, so yes, i know they take threats seriously.
RépondreSupprimerthe owl divebombing was completely silent until the bird was very close to my head - only then would i hear the wings whoosh by. that's why i thought it was about the hunting ground and not babies. but the silent treatment definitely worked! i apologized and walked as quickly as i could!
yes, i call my georgie my little owl. they have similar body movements, too.
cheers,
minette
Minette, that must've been eerie... And kind of cool. So sweet you walk with George, is he on a leash? I used to have a cat I took on hikes with a leash and harness, she was very good at it.
RépondreSupprimerit was cool and eerie, yes!
RépondreSupprimerha. actually, i walk, george rides in his chariot, a large pet stroller. it is our compromise for his safety. he can't go on a leash because he gorges on grass, pukes and has seizures (he's on meds). and i can't let him go loose because of dogs, cars and not-nice humans.
the stroller is mesh up front so i get him close to the bushes so he can sniff them. he gets to look around, say hi to other cats and sometimes people, and this seems to make him happy.
was able to let him out loose early in his life, and he climbed trees like a monkey (would jump from tree to tree!), and we both miss that. but it's my job as him mommy to keep him safe. and so we compromise with the stroller.
a lot of information, i know. but maybe some other pet lovers will learn about strollers and make their pets happy. they are also for arthritic pets and city pets. if you google "pet stroller" you will find them.
xxx,
minette
Minette, I agree cities are no good for cats on the loose, which is why when I walked my cat on a leash it was in the woods, out of harm's way. When she got tired I carried her in a little dedicated backpack!
RépondreSupprimer