The sun is a warm, insistent pressure on the back of my neck as I shelter beneath a gargantuan shrub bursting with fuchsia camellias. The slightest movement brings a spray of blooms closer to my face, leaving behind a trail of condensation. A bee meanders past, landing on the waxy surface of a leaf overhead. It is possible to imagine that spring has arrived in
Gaujacq, a commune located in the southwest of France. And yet. there are signs that today is an anomalous occasion. A wooden bench feels swollen and damp under my touch, while every step I take is accompanied by a distinctive squelch-signs that heavy rain has just swept through.
"We're having a spot of good weather today," remarks Jean Thoby, international camellia expert and owner of the botanical conservatory garden I am standing in. Indeed, the land in La Chalosse is associated with frequent rainfall and non-existent winds. The fact that the sun has chosen to emerge today feels fortuitous; a blessing befalling us as we traverse the sprawling grounds of Thoby's Plantarium: the home to 2,000 varieties of camellia, including two seedlings from the mother plants that were purportedly ordered by Gabrielle Chanel more than a century ago.
Denne historien er fra May, 2024-utgaven av Vogue Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra May, 2024-utgaven av Vogue Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Mythic ROMANCE
Dior's Cruise 2025 collection transports us to the enchanting landscapes of Scotland, blending romantic narratives with modern allure.
AN ASYLUM
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Metropolis of IMAGINATION
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STANDING Tall
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WATERWORKS
In an era of power showers, cold plunges and #Shower Tok, there's still merit to be found in slowing down for the age-old ritual of bathing.
Genetic MAKE-UP
Digital filters, but with real-life consequences. Vogue Singapore considers the implications behind a new generation of parents choosing to edit pictures of their children.
First CLASS
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A New FRONTIER
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House PROUD
Two symbolic homes come together in Louis Vuitton's latest haute horlogerie creation: a pocket watch that honours its historic trunk manufacture in Asnières and its cutting-edge watchmaking facility in Geneva.
Kindred SPIRITS
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