Hervé Léger by Max Azria: A Fusion of Classic French Couture and Modern American Design

By Therese San Diego

The French brand Hervé Léger, founded in 1985, highlighted the female figure with its signature "bandage dress". American designer Max Azria, who made his debut in the fashion industry in Paris and moved to the United States in the '80s, acquired the French fashion house in 1998.

Azria gave a new spin to Hervé Léger's classic designs together with his wife, Lubov, who described her role in "revamping [the] Hervé Léger label" by "keeping it true to its origins," while her husband attested to making it "more dynamic and more 2010."

Here are some pieces from the Hervé Léger by Max Azria Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection.

photo credit: www.style.com

The collection exuded a futuristic feel with metallic embellishments and intricate detailing on sleeves.

photo credit: www.style.com

Textured dresses in earthy shades also gave off the exotic vibe of an "urban tribe," as the designers put it.

Watch the video clip of New York Magazine's interview with Max and Lubov Azria from last season and learn more about the evolution of Hervé Léger--and how it is pronounced, too.

France's First Lady on Film

By Pamela Grace Lim

photo credit: http://friller.com

The French supermodel-turned-singer Carla Bruni is the first lady of France. And what better way to tell the world about her life, career and marriage than through an 80-minute documentary film? The result: "Somebody Told Me About... Carla Bruni" (2009), which was shown on French television early this year--right on New Year's Day.



Filmmaker George Scott started out with a proposal to make a music film about the model-turned-signer. At first, Bruni, 41, doubted if her life was interesting enough, saying, "you don't have much to work on with me," but agreed to do the film anyway.



A month later, she became one of the most talked-about women in the world. The reason? Her public affair with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.



After this revelation, Scott thought Bruni would no longer pursue the film--but she did. Scott was given a pass to follow Bruni around the presidential Elysée Palace, as well as her Paris and Riviera homes, for a first glimpse of the life of the first lady, now famously known as Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. The couple formally tied the knot in February 2008.

photo credit: http://layoder.files.wordpress.com

The documentary film covered interviews, recordings and revelations about the romance and marriage of Bruni-Sarkozy. She openly shared how she told Sarkozy that she will not give up her music career just because she is going to be the wife of a president. One of the highlights of the film was when Sarkozy made a surprise visit while she was set to record her new album. The cameras caught Sarkozy shaking hands with the whole French crew, kissing his wife, and smiling so broadly as he watched her sing. Scott observed that the president was obviously very much in love.



Bruni-Sarkozy also gave Scott access to her family and friends, providing a deeper look into her background and personality.



Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi was born in Turin, Italy on December 23, 1967 to mother Marisa Borini, a concert pianist, and stepfather Alberto Bruni Tedeschi, a composer and owner of a tire manufacturing company, CEAT. In the 1970s, her family moved to France due to kidnap threats from terrorists. Bruni began her modeling career in her teenage years, and by the '90s, became one of the world's highest paid models. She modeled for French brands Chanel and Christian Dior, and made it to the cover of about 250 magazines. On top of that, she can speak Italian, French and English fluently.

photo credit: http://elobservador.rctv.net

In the late '90s, the then-29-year-old Bruni decided to leave the fashion world, and entered a new career as a singer-songwriter. Her first album, titled "Quelqu'un m'a dit (Someone Told Me)" was released in 2002. It was followed by her second album, "No Promises," in January 2007.



Bruni-Sarkozy also said that she was timid when she was young, the opposite of what she has become. “Perhaps you unconsciously seek out what is most difficult, or perhaps contradiction is really important in a human being,” she said.



Scott also got another exclusive look at the presidential couple's vacation when he visited Bruni-Sarkozy's family mansion in August at Cap Nègre. The film also features the state visit to London where Bruni-Sarkozy paid a warm tribute to the Royal family. It also tackled the controversies she got involved in, including the publication in British newspapers of a nude photograph taken during her modeling days. She confidently stated that she is not ashamed of anything she has done: "Other models posed nude but none of them married a president."



As the first lady, Bruni-Sarkozy says she wants to send the message that she is serious about her responsibilities, and as a singer, she wishes to continue writing new songs for other people and continue to perform live, even when her husband is no longer president.

Bonne Nouvelle! (Good News!)

We will no longer be limiting Tour de France updates to Fridays! Watch for more articles throughout the week for your daily dose of French culture, news, and French Club announcements.



Merci! (Thank you!)

Bon Appétit at MC

By Therese San Diego

Yesterday, the Miriam College French Club held a cooking demo where Monsieur Fanciz taught members how to make salads with a special French dressing, and French kaldereta with pasta. Too bad for those who missed it--the food was truly divine! Perhaps it was mainly because of the freshness of the ingredients, which Monsieur Fanciz said is always crucial in any dish.

Here are a few photos that will surely make your mouth water.

photo credit: Therese San Diego

It was the battle of the salads! The ingredients? Various types of lettuce, watercress, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, beets, carrots, violet cabbage, hard-boiled egg, onions, garlic, celery kinchay, wansoy, spring onions, and basil. Smoked tanigue, pastrami and farmer's ham were also added.

Of course, a salad would not be complete without dressing. Monsieur Fanciz made a special dressing out of balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, French mayonnaise, French mustard, iodized salt and white pepper, which had us all coming back for more!

photo credit: Therese San Diego

The mere scent of the herbs and spices emanating from the kaldereta made us want to try it right away, but we had to wait until the beef, pork and chicken were cooked before we could sample the dish! It was light but very flavorful. Monsieur Fanciz used tomato-based sauce with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, leeks, ginger, onions, garlic, the same herbs used in the salad, and special spices including Herbes de Provence, rustic herbs, four colour corn pepper, cajun seasoning, and dry basil. The meats were first sautéed with the herbs and olive oil. Carrots, radish and mushrooms were added later.

photo credit: Therese San Diego

The kaldereta went well with the pasta wheels, which tasted great even with only butter and cheese. Other types of Italian pasta prepared were farfalle, tagliatelle and spirali tricolore. The butter was French and so was the Emmenthal cheese.



I bet you're already looking forward to the next cooking demo! Drop by Tour de France daily and you might just stumble upon the recipes for these delectable entrées.

In the Spotlight: Nicolas Sarkozy

By Justine Lourdes Labucay

photo credit: www.liberation.fr

Meet France's number one man: Nicolas Sarkozy. Since assuming presidency in May 2007, he has captured the world's full attention with his bold political positions on immigration and foreign policy, and his very public love life. Once described as "a human dynamo who left his opponents trailing and exhausted in his wake," Mr. Sarkozy is a Frenchman on top of his game.



Sarkozy was born in Paris in 1955 to a French mother and a Hungarian immigrant father and was raised in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, where he would later become town councilor and mayor.



Nicolas Sarkozy is a president of France set apart from his predecessors by the people themselves. In a recent article in The New York Times, Parisian psychiatrist Serge Hefez asserted that the French are inflicted with what he calls "Obsessive Sarkosis," an "unhealthy fascination with Nicolas Sarkozy." It seems that the French have developed a feeling of attachment to their president, and even identify with him through his exhibitions of typical human attributes, one of which is his having been divorced twice. While this comes across as an "upside," it also appears to be working the other way around.



This "self-identification" many maintain with Sarkozy could be the same reason others are repulsed by him. And with such polarization in the political backdrop, Sarkozy has been labeled a divisive figure for France. His approach is plainspoken and direct when carrying out policies -- often a cause for controversy and riot among demonstrators -- but he still gets your attention and gets things done.



He was recently included in Time Magazine's runners-up for Person of the Year 2008, where Tony Blair characterized him as having "the hallmark of any true leader: a capacity to take decisions and implement them." Sarkozy implemented strict measures to control illegal immigration in France and backed programs aiming to integrate skilled migrants into French society. He has also endorsed "positive discrimination" with the end goal of reducing unemployment among the youth.



Nicolas Sarkozy is a man you won't soon forget.

La Bonne Musique

We at Tour de France absolutely love music! Listen to some of our favorite artists--including French singers and bands, of course--by clicking on the player on the upper right corner of this page. Enjoy tracks from Hervé Vilard, Adamo, Françoise Hardy and more.


Feel free to comment on this post to request for your faves!

The Ultimate Dining Experience at La Maison

By Maryjo Arugay and Sharmaine Malvecino

photo credit: Maryjo Arugay and Sharmaine Malvecino

La Maison or "the house" in French is named such because home-style hearty fare is its forte. La Maison started in Cebu in 2006 and spread its branches in Metro Manila, with restaurants in TriNoMa, Greenbelt 5, and The Podium. It is owned by a corporation led by Nick Torres and co-owned by Frenchman Robert Lilja, who is also the chef of La Maison. According to the team leader, Anna Jatoc, the concept of La Maison was inspired by Lilja, a good friend of Torres.

photo credit: Maryjo Arugay and Sharmaine Malvecino

It's no wonder that the restaurant has become a favorite among families and friends. Every item on the menu is rich and encourages the spirit of sharing, from its specialized steak dishes, Chef's Duck Liver Pate and Dover Sole Fish Fillet, to the bestselling Barkada Ribs. Pasta dishes as well as desserts such as scrumptious crepes are also a must-try!

photo credit: Maryjo Arugay and Sharmaine Malvecino

The ambience is designed to make the guests feel instantly at home, and the highly personalized service from wait staff only adds to the comfort. Aside from the great food, La Maison prides itself in going that extra mile to guarantee customer satisfaction, so much so that if a dish does not meet customer expectations, La Maison will not charge for it.

photo credit: Maryjo Arugay and Sharmaine Malvecino

Go have a visit, there's nothing to lose. More likely, you and your barkada will be fighting over that last rib.