The concept of “French-girl beauty” is one much discussed in the hair and make-up industry, but how to create a product range which perfectly encapsulates that elusive brand of insouciant Parisian chic? The answer: ask a French girl, which is exactly what make-up brand Nars has done via its upcoming collaboration with Charlotte Gainsbourg – actress, singer and daughter of Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg [ . . . ]
More: Charlotte Gainsbourg For Nars Makeup Collection | British Vogue
On Point | NPR
France readies for a high-stakes election that could lead to the end of the European Union itself. We’ll look at the populist wave and France.
JEAN-LUC MÉLENCHON, an insurgent left-wing candidate for France’s presidency, is surging. His candidacy, organized under the newly-established party La France Insoumise (“Unsubmissive France”) has gone from a quixotic bid to a viable challenge in just a few months. Railing against growing economic inequality, participation in foreign wars, and political corruption, Mélenchon has skyrocketed in the polls from distant fourth to within a hair’s breadth of the frontrunners. (This rise has been accompanied by the release of a web-based video game called “Fiscal Kombat” where Mélenchon fights corrupt politicians and bankers.)The Financial Times demonstrated his surge through an aggregation of French national opinion polls [ . . . ]
Full Story: France’s Bernie Sanders Started His Own Party and Is Surging in the Polls
By Michael Stevenson
There seems to be more new devices and apps to watch movies and listen to music than there are good new movies and bands.
Entertainment technology needs to take a prolonged hiatus.
Rodolphe Burger & Philippe Poirier
I am a new fan of Rodolphe Burger and captivated by this recording, which blends the dark and delicious minimalism of Nick Cave, the Velvet Underground and Serge Gainsbourg
By Phoebe Maltz Bovy
Charlotte Gainsbourg — daughter of French-Jewish singer Serge Gainsbourg and English actress (and handbag namesake) Jane Birkin — continues the family tradition of combining artistic excellence with Parisian glamorousness. Gainsbourg plays an important role in Joseph Cedar’s new film, “Norman”, and is also (oh to be so chic and part-French!) promoting a makeup line with Nars. And like any self-respecting representative of Frenchwoman style, Gainsbourg shares some beauty rituals but pushes back against the whole French beauty thing.
I want to be immune to the breathless (heh) items about how to look like a Parisienne, but I click, I always click. Even if the answer — as per Gainsbourg, and as per all ten trillion articles of this type — is to wear less foundation if you wish to look more French. Well, not exactly — it’s that French ladies supposedly wear less foundation than their American equivalents. Which may well be, but I have it on good authority (the mirror) that an American woman can eschew foundation and not look even the least bit French.
Source: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Reluctant Icon Of French Chic – The Forward
