#33. La Vie en Rouge: A Life in A Red Trigère Dress

Paris: Vintage Pauline Trigère red jersey dress with a Trigère turtle pin.

London: Pauline Trigère Red Wool Jersey Dress, Mikimoto pearls, YSL handbag, Jade Chiu accessories.

Vintage Pauline Trigere dress

At Picasso Museum in Paris

Reading "Life with Picasso"

New York Morgan Library

Going to La Coupoule across the street!

In a vintage Pauline Trigere.

I purchased this Pauline Trigère red wool jersey dress from a vintage store last year, likely from Ms.Trigère’s fall collections over sixty years ago. This timeless garment still looks fabulous in 2024, in addition to being comfortable and easy to pack for traveling. It has accompanied me to London, Paris and many travels in between.  I've accessorized it with a pearl necklace, a diamond floral brooch, and, of course, a signature Trigère turtle pin.  

I always pack light when traveling and prefer garments that can be worn in multiple settings.  From visiting museums during the day, taking an afternoon stroll and then on to dinner in the evenings.

During our visit to France to celebrate a dear friend's 70th birthday, we stayed at a boutique hotel near Jarden du Luxembourg. Located in the Montparnasse district, this area was once frequented by renowned writers and artists such as Earnest Hemingway, Jean Cocteau, Max Jacob, Edith Piaf, Jane Birkin, Amedeo Modigliani, and of course, Pablo Picasso.   We had dinners at two restaurants with interesting historical backdrop: La Rotonde and La Coupole, which I will elaborate below.

Established in 1911, La Rotonde is located close to Picasso’s studio at 242 Boulevard Raspail, where it became a favorite spot for the artist. The owner, Liven, welcomed young and struggling artists to linger in his cafe for extended periods, occasionally accepting drawings as payment for meals.  Seated in the beautiful dining area, featuring mostly replicas of Modigliani’s works on its deep red walls, we enjoyed a typical (or should I say cliché?) French meal with foie gras, escargot, coeur de filet de boeuf, and finished with a delicious creme brûlée. The menu selection would surely have met with Ms.Trigere’s approval!  

A funny moment occurred at the start of the meal when my husband accidentally reenacted the flying escargot scene from the film Pretty Woman. Needless to say, his suit jacket was promptly sent for dry-cleaning immediately after dinner. 

Two days later, our friend made dinner reservation for ten people at La Coupole. This was another popular meeting spot for artists such as Alberto Giacometti, Man Ray, Josephine Baker, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, Marc Chagall, Henry Miller, Marlene Dietrich and Ava Gardner.  As my friend’s 70th birthday celebration approached, the dinner at La Coupole turned into another gathering where new friendships were forged with engaging conversations.  I couldn’t help but wonder where Giacometti and Chagall used to sit while discussing their latest creations, or where Jean-Paul Sartre conversed with Simone de Beauvoir about his decision to decline the Noble Prize for Literature.

In addition to dine at these historical restaurants and the customary visit of the Picasso Museum at le Marais, I have come to appreciate the simplicity of this Trigère dress.  Red was never a color I wore in the past.  In New York City, where I lived for over twenty five years, black was the predominant color choice navigating the city.  Since I had the opportunity to live in other parts of the United States, I have become more open to wearing brighter colors.  Trigère famously said, “When you are feeling blue, wear red! ” 

Can you name many pieces of clothings that have remained wearable and fashionable sixty years after their original creation?  Of all of the photos from this post, which one of them is your favorite?

During our travel to London, I collaborated with local photographer Rachel Vogeleisen for a fun photo sessions near British Natural History Museum, featuring four vintage Pauline Trigère outfit changes along the way! Visit full photo shoot from London here!