A Horse Owner In Paris… for the Hermes Fashion Show!
Written by Zane Carson Carruth
Two of Paris, France’s signature events are Paris Fashion Week and the Qatar Prix de ‘Arc de Triomphe Thoroughbred horse race held at the Paris Longchamp racecourse. My husband and I had the thrill of attending both October 1 & 2, 2022.
On October 1st, I was a guest at the Hermes Fashion Show and was not prepared for the glamour and excitement I experienced. We were greeted with a glass of champagne and show notes handed out by attendants dressed in suits to set the stage for the classy and sophisticated show one would expect from Hermes.
I was fortunate enough to have backstage passes along with an unobstructed view of the fashion show!
Nadege Vanhee-Cybulski, the Hermes artistic director, played off the Burning Man Festival atmosphere on the set. Guests were seated on risers facing a huge set in the shape of a mound of desert sand. The white mound came alive with moving colors when the show started. It was all very utilitarian and minimalist driven, creating a somber stage for the expressionless models to walk. The models wore the same cubist-style platform sandals in various colors as they walked the runway in the sleek, no-frills collection in browns, and orange, with splashes of color. A blast of russet-colored looks came later, followed by silky dresses with hints of orange and pink, created from perforated leather. One could say it was typical Hermes, which is what we wanted to see.
The crowd was very eclectic to say the least. This was the first time I saw hordes of Influencers taking selfies and friends filming them. The media was snapping photos of them fast and furious as well. I learned that day - Influencers have the prestige and are the new norm.
What a day - an unbelievable experience I will never forget!
The weekend was a blur as we were off to the races as they say, the next day.
For more than 100 years, during the first weekend of October, the equestrian world has met at Paris Longchamp for the largest horse race in the world. Upon arrival of the Qatar Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe race at the Paris Longchamp track, we were struck by how grand the racetrack and lawn area were. Tables and chairs were set out on the lawn and most of the attendees watched the race from there.
This grand weekend event was attended by over 35,000 spectators, including 250 journalists representing 26 different countries. It is clearly
an international horseracing setting.
We came to watch LA PARISIENNE, a filly owned by Bradley Thoroughbreds, of which we are partners. We were joined by 7 other La Parisienne couples that weekend and there was no lack of enthusiasm amongst the group.
I noticed several stark differences between a US racetrack and Longchamp. The most glaring was the stable area. The individual stalls had Dutch doors that ensured complete privacy for the horse. The other huge difference was the paddock. There was no consideration for the safety of the owners. We had to have our heads on a swivel and be ready to move quickly if a horse acted up. Which of course they did!
We had a fabulous time and even though our beautiful filly didn’t win, we felt like winners just being there.
For more Zane… www.zanecarruth.com
