illustrated notebook

Happy birthday Lanvin, you’re looking much more youthful than your 12o years!  To celebrate the house’s enduring legacy, Alber Elbaz has given us all a slice of the birthday cake, in the shape of three beautifully illustrated, limited-edition note books for just €15 a pop!

I admit to having a bit of a notebook/diary fetish and my collection of Daisy de Villeneuve, MACBA and Moleskine jotters are usually left untouched, as they’re too pretty to be ruined by my dreadful handwriting!

In an exclusive range for Colette, Alber revisits Lanvin’s origins as a label for both mothers and daughters (a particularly French sentiment favoured for justifying the price of designer pieces).  Jeanne Lanvin began her fashion career in 1889 by designing dresses for her daughter, Marguerite.  The designs became hugely popular in Europe due to their delicate trimmings and intricate beadwork and the house of Lanvin was inaugurated into the Syndicat de la Couture, 20 years later.

The mother-daughter relationship is sweetly reflected in the illustrations featuring a chic little girl who looks up to her mother and then grows up and marries the man of her dreams…ahh!  I love it how she is balancing on tip toes in the Y of HAPPY – sounds like a motto for life, no?

There is even a cheeky appearance from Alber, wearing his signature bow-tie and glasses.  The notebooks are almost as lovely as Alber himself, and they really do make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

If you want to spread even more Lanvin love this Christmas, Colette also stock a set of pencils and sharpener, a fan and some kitsch-cool snowglobes (from a more pricey €100).

However, after spotting by the SOLD OUT button on Colette’s website, I’m concerned that they could be another fashion myth that leads to much sulking and disappointment.  So, I’m playing detective and am marching down to Colette next Monday while I’m in Paris to see if I can get my hands on one, or three.  I’ll report back sharpish and try to find out when they’ll be available again to buy online.

Photo credit: Colette