*The city of Paris is ready to kick off the 2024 Paris Olympics in the best way the city of lights knows – Party, party, party. However, French President Emmanuel Macron‘s meetings and party at Louve in downtown Paris had tourists frustrated trying to figure out what streets had closures.
Many had come in days early to shop and do some local sightseeing. But the security was tight and well-armed. Although most of the French security staff didn’t speak English they tried to use a pleasant tone in telling people, “Stop the street is closed until the President leaves.”
On the opposite side of town a woman who knows how to throw a party does what she does best – pull together interesting people, good food, and drink for a Prelude to the Olympics
Anna Wintour hosted the event with LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, Comcast NBCUniversal chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, and Grammy-winner and Louis Vuitton men’s creative director Pharrell Williams, The event A Prelude to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was held on the eve of Friday’s opening ceremony.
The event was also co-hosted by Charlize Theron, Serena Williams, (love the long Blonde curls), Rosalía, and Omar Sy – He from Netflix’s “Lupin” series was held at the Frank Gehry-designed Foundation Louis Vuitton – Vogue magazine reports that this was a fun-filled evening of table tennis, football, archery alongside interactive installations curated by Pharrell.
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In any other orbit, Ms Wintour of Met Ball fame some of the guests would not have made the cut. LA Mayor Karen Bass, NBC sports queen Maria Taylor (sporting boots), and The Today Show morning co-host Hoda Kotb. All of these ladies brought a sleek a-list elegance to the party. Time to put them on the list. Zendaya another woman who knows how to dress wore a Louie Vuitton Black sheath that elevated her monogram Louie Vuitton bag.
Queen Latifah, Tyla, Lebron James, and Angel Reese all wearing LV sported a more casual look. Nod to Angel Reese who wore a classic but elegant white dress, LV scarf, and simple white shoes You go girl keep ’em in suspense. Spike Lee color-coded his glasses with his shirt.
Mayor Bass was a part of the official USA delegation to the games with First Ladycut Dr. Jill Biden, along with Dawn Staley and a host of others. She was also taking notes because her town (Los Angeles) is hosting the Olympics.
Another person doing a little shopping in Paris was Sha’Carri Richardson. She stopped in the mega Nike store on the Champs-Elysees and according to the sales associates spent about 2 hours shopping and taking pictures with fans. Interestingly the bold Nike campaign display and I bold – nails getting full coverage – weren’t used as a backdrop for that picture. The sales associate summed up her visit: “She was very nice.”
Snoop Dogg, another guest, seems to be everywhere and took the idea of going for the gold in his special way by wearing a tailored suit that appears to be made of gold leather He will be one of the celebrity torchbearers carrying the flame that will light the cauldron to officially open the Olympics on Friday. The final leg will take off in the city of Saint-Denis on Friday.
Speaking of Lebron, one of the hottest tickets is the men’s Basketball Sunday game in Lille France. All the folks I ran into seemed to be making that trek to Lille which is about an hour half from Paris. Especially folks from Atlanta.
And it seems that every other Black person I ran into while shopping in Hermes was from Atlanta.
There was a lot of frustration from these shoppers because you can’t walk into the store and purchase a Kelly or Birkin bag. Many had a perplexed look on their face when told there was a waiting list to get an appointment to discuss the possibility of purchasing a handbag that starts at around $15,000. Nope, that is not a printing error.
Vanesse J. LLoyd-Sgambati is the CEO and founder of The Literary Media And Publishing Consultants, The Literary Cafe, and the host of VLS Journeys which broadcast on Philadelphia’s WDAS-FM in Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. You can contact her at [email protected].
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