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Thursday, October 14, 2004

Belle de Jour book gets an official cover

mercredi 17 mars - The people who have been 'outed' as me are not me, and to those for whom it attracted unwanted attention, I apologise. And to those for whom the attention is wanted, are you mad? Still, if you think the mantle of BdJ such an appealing guise, do let us know and I'll have a pair of powder-blue Ginas spirited over to you forthwith. Shoe fanatics in Paris are hotfooting it to the sugar-pink and white Roger Vivier boutique on rue Faubourg St Honoré for replicas of the famous silver-buckled flat that Catherine Deneuve wore in Belle de Jour. This season's offering comes in lime, plum, scarlet, beige, patent or crocodile, along with the classic black Deneuve wore in the 1967 movie. Famous fans who have thus far slipped into the Séverine Serizy is a young, beautiful Paris housewife who has masochistic daydream fantasies about elaborate floggings and bondage. She is married to a doctor and loves him, but cannot share physical intimacy with him. A male friend mentions a high-class brothel to Séverine, and soon she secretly tries to work there during the afternoon (using the pseudonym Belle de jour). The brothel is run by Madame Anais, played by Geneviève Page. Séverine will only work up until five o'clock each day, returning to her blissfully unaware husband in the evening. Gina. Exquisite, beautifully crafted footwear and handbags for those who enjoy the very finest things in life.From the Hollywood Oscars to the catwalks of couture designers, Gina footwear has become the most sought-after fashion accessory of its time, gaining worldwide acclaim for the inspirational, sculpted designs. It is the only British designer label creating luxury footwear in London today and enjoys a star-studded client list that remains a testament to such creative excellence. No other designer has recreated the sheer perfection in the elegance, craftsmanship and poise of a shoe with a delightful choice of dazzling, exquisite designs. Now you can enjoy this stunning portfolio of Gina shoes and bags online with the opportunity to acquire any of your favourite designs and have them delivered to your door.

Belle de Jour's publisher Weidenfeld & Nicolson, part of The Orion Publishing Group, has come up with a cover for their forthcoming publication of Belle's blog as "The Intimate Adventures Of A London Call Girl."

Orion describes the book as follows:

"THE SEXUAL LIFE OF CATHERING M meets THINGS MY GIRLFRIEND AND I HAVE ARGUED ABOUT. The frank, funny, affecting diaries of a London call girl.

Belle de Jour is the nom de plume of a high-class call girl working in London. This is her story.
From debating the literary merits of the works of Martin Amis with naked clients, entering a hotel with two whips strapped to the lining of her coat, and juggling her love-life with her professional one, Belle's no-holds-barred account of her experiences as a prostitute is frank, funny and completely compelling.
Since the summer of 2003, Belle's award-winning website has charted her day-to-day adventures on and off the field. In it, she has confessed her triumphs and disasters in the world of dating, introduced readers to her friends N and 'the four As' and chronicled the ins and outs of her working life. Now she elaborates on those diary entries, revealing how she became a working girl, what it feels like to do it for money - and why she can recommend it - and where to buy the best knickers for the job.
Sometimes shocking, often hilarious, always thought-provoking, the 'Intimate Adventures' is the story of a 21st-century Moll Flanders, giving us an illuminating glimpse behind the scenes of the high-class sex-trade, and an insight into the secret life of an extraordinary, ordinary woman."

I don't know what you think, but I prefer my cover and the original title.

I suppose the shoe motif may be an attempt to tie the book in with the return to fashion of the shoe worn by Catherine Deneuve in Luis Bunuel's "Belle de Jour," as reported in The Telegraph last week.

Posted by Nick @ 08:00 GMT
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