“It’s not the tool that matters—it’s the eye. A good painting is still a good painting, whether it’s made with a brush or a stylus. It is about sharing experiences. Machines don’t have experiences.” David Hockney, A Rabbit’s Foot
These were some of David Hockney’s last words, published recently inA Rabbit’s Foot magazine. Always streets ahead of the curve in using new technology, he was a real thinker, whose many books weren’t only visual feasts, but an education in how to look.
While he made pioneering work with Polaroid cameras, faxes and iPads, he didn’t seem all that impressed with A.I. “People are fascinated by machines—but machines don’t see. They calculate. An image made without a human looking isn’t very interesting to me.”
In the accompanying photo, Hockney wore this dazzling oversize check suit and I love the coordinating tie and glasses. He was (quite rightly) held up as a fashion icon and had only recently had six new suits made by his French tailor. Now that’s style dedication.
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGES: David Hockey/ A Rabbit’s Foot NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here.
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London’s been hot lately and all I can think about is copious slices of lemon in my iced Pellegrino and endless top-ups of chilled Limonata.
It’s also the season for cooling citrus fragrances that transport you to the breezy coasts of Southern Italy. Acqua di Parma is forever the go-to for such escapist olfaction. It has just released its new Bergamotto la SpugnaturaEau de Parfum* in a blue sculptural-capped porcelain bottle designed by architectural designer, Laura Gonzalez (below).
The fragrance is my kind of citrus. Using an ancient artisanal technique that releases the essence of the bergamot peel using natural sea sponges, it opens with an initial cooling blast of bergamot and grapefruit that’s softened by a dry down of vetiver and cedarwood. After the initial spritz, the longevity isn’t that strong, which suits me – London is already an oppressive fug of oud and intense rose at this time of year, so I prefer this gentle woody yet refreshing skin scent. (Also, am I the only person who sprays a single – but firm – cloud of perfume and not several pumps?)
Accompanying the EDP is the Acqua di Parma Bergamotto la Spugnatura Hair and Body Oil*, a more sensorial alternative to a perfume. I love the ritual of a body oil in summer, either in the morning post-shower or after sundown to use instead of perfume. And alongside Bergamotto, there’s the citrus-adjacent Blu Mediterraneo Fico di Amalfi Eau de Toilette* also in a new limited-edition Gonzalez-designed bottle, combining fig, citrus and cedarwood notes.
Or for the more gourmand-inclined, consider Acqua di Parma’s trio of delicious candles (below) leaning cool and milky rather than super-sweet; Sorbetto Al Limone*, Latte di Mandorla* (almond and iced milk – oh my!) and Granita al Gelso* (“mulberry and brioche with vanilla bourbon” – yes I’m drunk on the description).
Other citruses of note, some new, some older. Tom Ford’s new Taormina Orange Eau de Parfum* is as juicy and sexy as you’d expect, tempered with a sophisticated twist of spicy cardamom oil. FYI: this one has staying power. Loewe has upgraded its Aire Sutileza Elixir Eau de Parfum* under new creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez with a high concentration of essential oils for stronger potency (below). The new version has the freshness of bergamot and lemon, the sharpness of pear plus a warm, grounding musk note.
For me, Hermès colognes are frankly unsurpassable. Eau D’Orange Vert* and Eau de Citron Noir* are longstanding heatwave coolers, while their accompanying shower gels and soaps are essential duty-free reach-fors. Also for the shower, Arket’s Pomelo shower oil* is clean and refreshing with a side of cedarwood sweetness. And while not strictly citrus – but in the same outdoorsy summery wheelhouse – Dries van Noten’s new Basil and Hinoki Hand Cream* (below) is instantly uplifting, energising and comforting.
What about you? Drop your citrus faves in the comments…
NOW CLICK BELOW TO SHOP THE POST (I MAY EARN A COMMISSION ON THE BASKET VALUE OF ITEMS BOUGHT*)…
WORDS: Disneyrollergirl / Navaz Batliwalla IMAGES: Alex Katz Still Life with Lemons, 1955; Acqua di Parma x 3; Loewe; Dries van Noten NOTE: Most images are digitally enhanced. Some posts use affiliate links* and PR samples. Please read my privacy and cookies policy here.
CLICK HERE to get Disneyrollergirl blog posts straight to your inbox once a week CLICK HERE to buy my book, The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman CLICK HERE to buy my beauty book, Face Values: The New Beauty Rituals and Skincare
Ding dong! It’s time for the semi-annual spring knitwear update. What’s new this time around? Ummm, not much; I’m still after the usual – short sleeve knits, merinos, and cashmere-mixes (100% cashmere is a bit too soft and pill-y for me, I’ve decided).
I guess new-ish to the rotation is colour. (more…)
A few snippets of digital ephemera and IRL recommendations I’ve enjoyed lately…
1/ Merch as clothing systems.This is a great read on the evolution of merch. (Anyone for a Palantir hoodie?)
“Which brings us back to peak merch. If the last wave was about identity as consumption – proof of taste, proof of experience, proof-you-were-there – this next phase feels more like identity as positioning. The shift isn’t that merch signals allegiance (it always has), but what that allegiance points to. Not scenes, subcultures or shared memories – but systems, ideologies and power structures that are much harder to decode.” (more…)
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