Curiosities in your Travels

Closet Content Analysis: Note-Worthy but Not in My Closet 

In my last post I suggested analyzing what people are wearing on the street of any particular city to determine what would be accessible and representative of the clothing style of the place. So that in Spain, you will be sure to find fabulous shoes, classic gold jewellery and status-seeking watches. However, there are also the products made by artisans that are curious and note-worthy - we wonder about the creativity behind the piece and we wonder if we should buy it!

Last summer I was in St. Émilion, France with my friend ShirleyB and found the most curious piece at an exhibition. For the most part the reason one visits St. Émilion is for the wine but in fact, because of the number of tourists "pouring" through, there are great exhibitions of local artists, artisans and craftspeople happening alongside the wine trade.

The most curious items I found at a St. Émilion exhibition were purses made of inner tire tubes marked "Made in Canada" and created by Céline Tonnelier of Friandise Créations of France. At 164 Euros I was not that smitten but it certainly was a curiosity and I had to take a photograph.

Purse made from re-purposed rubber inner tubes by Céline Tonnelier of Friandise Créations, France. Photo by JoyD.