Sun, Glamour, and Luxury: The History of The French Riviera
Friday, November 18, 2016
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| Nice, France |
Living in Miami I’m completely spoiled by having the
luxury of going to the beach year-round, but I spent my childhood up north in
Washington, D.C. and lived in New York for three years so I know the feeling of
liberation that comes with the Spring/Summer season. The weather is warmer,
clothes get lighter, and the burdens of life seemingly fade away. For me the beach
is the ultimate place to be during the summer. I had the best times growing up
spending family vacations in Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach and in my twenties
living in NYC taking beach vacations to Miami with friends. But now I dream of
more exotic locales…
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| Nice, France |
Number one on my bucket list is definitely the South
of France. Nothing screams luxury, relaxation, and glamour than soaking up the
sun in Nice, Cannes, St. Tropez, or Monaco. Fashion icons such as Grace Kelly, Brigitte
Bardot, and Jane Birkin have resided or made the region their premier vacation
destinations. But what is all the fuss, why has the South of France been able
to capture the interest of the wealthy for so long?
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| French Riviera |
The region, officially named Cote d’Azur or the French
Riviera became an attractive vacation destination for British Aristocrats in the
late 18th century primarily because of the sun. England has a very
rainy climate with limited sun and the French Riviera in contrast is sunny
approximately 300 days out of the year. The early aristocratic visitors felt
the sea breeze and constant sunshine was good for their health and began frequenting
the region to seek refuge and reprieve from the harsh climate in England. In
the 19th century a railroad was built that made it easier to access
the region bringing more wealthy individuals and royal families and
establishing the area as a luxury destination for centuries to come. In the
early 1900’s many painters and writers came to take in the light and
picturesque view of the Mediterranean from the shores of Nice, Cannes, Saint
Tropez, and Monaco using the landscape as inspiration for their work. Notable
artists such as Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Edith Wharton were all known to
spend time there.
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| Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier of Monaco |
The 1950’s and 1960’s ushered in a new era for the Cote
d’Azur as Hollywood began to settle in the region both by filming movies there
and vacationing there more frequently. In 1956 Brigitte Bardot starred in “And
God Created Woman”, now a classic film, about a young woman who’s an orphan but
manages to seduce her way into the hearts and beds of three wealthy men on the
French Riviera. A tale that inspired Hollywood starlets to visit the locale
off-screen and immerse themselves in the beauty and glamour that was captured
on film. Another event that dramatically enhanced the way the world viewed the
area was actress Grace Kelly’s marriage to Prince Ranier of Monaco, which
brought in European royalty and Hollywood celebrities alike to the Riviera for the event of the century, broadcasted to 30 million people around the world. This event opened up
the region to “new wealth” and with that came a new taste for in-your-face
luxury transitioning the locale to what it is today; an area populated by
luxury shops, expensive cars, and mega yachts.
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| Dior Resort 2016 at Pierre Cardin's Palace of Bubbles |
In fashion, there have been many events that have
brought celebrities and the fashion elite to the Cote d’Azur. The Cannes Film
Festival became a noteworthy occasion in the mid-1950’s when the Palme D’or
award was given to the director of the best film shown at the festival. Also,
when Elizabeth Taylor hit the red carpet in 1957 with a crown on her head it
elevated the glamour on the Cannes red carpet and today is one of the premier
red carpet events for fashion designers and the celebrities they dress. AmfAR
(American Foundation for AIDS Research) has hosted a gala every year since
1993, during the Cannes film festival. The event is attended by the fashion and
film elite, includes a fashion show as well as an auction that raises millions of dollars
for the organization. In 2010 Karl Lagerfeld staged the Chanel 2011 Resort
fashion show in St. Tropez showing a collection that was as cool and rich as
the setting it took place in and for the past 5 years the company has set up a
summer pop up shop in the town. For the Dior Resort 2016 show, designer Raf Simons staged the show on the French Riviera at Pierre Cardin’s
“Palace of Bubbles”. The show brought Raf Simons into his own aesthetic at Dior
and ushered the brand into a new era with the famed Cote d’Azur as the setting
for its origin.
This region is a fantasyland of luxury and glamour
that has appealed to the tastes of the wealthy for many centuries. I look
forward to fulfilling my dream of visiting the beautiful French Riviera, but until
then I’ll live vicariously through all the beautiful people that keep the Cote
d’Azur lively and relevant. What’s your dream beach vacation?! Share in the
comments!
