Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Cover story: Lapo Elkann's Paris pied a terre photographed for AD Russia June 2010. Lapo Elkann, the name alone is a calling card. It rolls in the mouth like something exotic, slightly extravagant, intriguing. Grand son and heir of the famous avvocato Giovanni Agnelli, born in New York, brought up in Brazil, London and France, in turn, worker , under a nickname of course, in one of his grand father’s factory, personal assistant to Henry Kissinger, before joining Maserati and finally the family heirdom Fiat, and last but not least, elected the most elegant man in the world by Vanity Fair. The good fairies have been busy. Now how should the nest of a bird which such a rare pedigree look like ? Discouragingly simple. Lapo didn’t buy the place nor went through the troublesome hassle of having anything built. He just found it there already built, a stone throw away from the Seine, signed the lease and walked across the street to his friend’s Gallery Yves Gastou and furnished it. Something between a garçonniere and a playground, everything at close hand without a hint of affectation or show off but a cunning eye on proportions and quality. The entrance leads to a small kitchen opening on a large sitting room with Italian flag-like high curtains and an oversized original DS 500 sofa from De Sede and a rare coffee table by Jean Claude Fahri. The large hanging 1970’s vintage lamps where already there. Up a small staircase, the bedroom is adjacent to the bathroom- cloakroom. The bed is itself a monument of design in polished steel by Pierre Cardin surrounded on both sides by a whimsical pair of Mickey Mouse chests in lacquered wood designed by Walt Disney… And toys everywhere. According to Lapo, design flows in his blood as an inherent part of his Italian roots. Why should he pretend in anything ? He has it all. Fortunato indeed.

8 comments:

P.Gaye Tapp at Little Augury said...

Glad you got to photograph here-I bet this interior will be repeated loads. If you can have any number of homes or "pads" this would be one.

IVAN TERESTCHENKO said...

Typical magazine game really, as you say Gaye, lets hope it syndicates all over...

YHBHS said...

i adore your write up about this...

"Why should he pretend in anything ? He has it all. Fortunato indeed. "

Ivan, loving your photos, and documents. Love when interiors reflect, connect, and tell a story....

off to class!

best,
David John

Victoria Thorne said...

In complete agreement with Gaye and David...perfect, thoughtful, to-the-point write up. Comes utterly alive -- words and pictures act as one. "...design flows in his blood..."

Hollywood forever, Kevin said...

I have to say as well, I agree. You captured something, the words and the pictures are one, indeed. Now, regarding your sculptures, I know from the past I've gushed over them before but I am truly in love!

Unknown said...

TRÈS ÉLÉGANT ET TRÈS POINTU, J'AIME BEAUCOUP VOTRE BLOG, SINCÈREMENT, STÉPHANE MALINGUE -LUXE-ET-VANITES.BLOGSPOT.COM

IVAN TERESTCHENKO said...

Merci Stephane. J'aime assez vos vanités. Les os et les cranes ... oui oui, j'aime bien !

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