Postcard

Private pictures of Vita Andersen at home in the apartment shared with us by her daughter Tatiana Andersen Camre.

VITA FAVOURITES:
The first edition of Vita Andersen’s debut collection of poems “Tryghedsnarkomaner” from 1977 sold out in 10 minutes and ended up selling more than 100.000 copies which is a lot for a small country like Denmark. It depicted the life and mind of a woman in a way that had never been seen before. And as with all great litterature it is still relevant reading today. She was a productive writer but here are some of the favourites:

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

Winter calls for a grown up sophistication. As much as I love bare, tanned feet and flip flops in the Summer, this time of year tailored pieces look wonderful, sharp and right for now. So I am adding a few new favourites to the La Bagatelle wardrobe. Items that go with existing pieces and some that will add a touch of, for lack of a better word, a sassy sexiness. Here is everything I need to get me through the fun of Winter. 

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Sysser Vest, silver fox Italian wool
Jean Shirt, Cotton Pique Poplin
Betty Skirt, silver fox Italian wool

READ:
I loved “The Parisienne” by Isabella Hammad and am taken with my first reading of “Enter Ghostwriter,” her latest book. Isabella Hammad is aBristish Palestinian and the story is set in Haifa so it is a strangely relevant read.

BEAUTY:
Honey is fast becoming one of my absolute favourite skincare brands. One of the women behind the brand Liv Winther, was the most wonderful Beauty Editor when I did Cover magazine, so I know that there is heart and brains behind the brand.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I’ve often said that if I hadn’t ended up doing what I do today, I would have become a ceramicist or a glassblower. For half a year I have had the great pleasure of pretending, I had actually become one, because I got to play with my friend Annika Agerled and her partner Josefine Arthur of Akua Objects. They specialize in glass of the highest quality and it has been such a joy to create a glass in collaboration with them. 

It goes without saying that I wanted to do something special and beautiful, but it has been equally important to me to do a glass you would choose to use every day as a treat. So it has become my little La Bagatelle glass meant for water, but wine and champagne look great in it too. It’s a set of six ribbed glasses with a pink tone as a rim on each. Not the same pink tone, but variations of the colour. I didn’t invent this glass, I grew up with a glass like it. However, I’ve neither seen these proportions on it, nor the play on tones of one colour before. And I have tested all pink tones possible, so I truly hope you will like the ones I picked out. In my mind they are perfect together. 

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I don’t do Collections. I do pieces I love and need in my life. Actually, I find the whole idea of designers doing entirely new collections many times a year totally out of date. The items I have introduced this week are no exception. There might be new jackets, shirts and blouses but they are to be added to the existing La Bagatelle wardrobe. They speak the same language and I am forever inspired by a feeling of effortless elegance, of portraying an emotion that is strong and yet allows for fragility. And always with a touch of the Philosophy Professor look. A very well dressed Professor that is. I so hope you will like it.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Benedikte Jacket, thick weave wool
Laura Skirt, handprinted hand loomed cotton

Vivianna Blouse, black wavy pearl satin

Lee Shirt, white wavy pearl satin
La Colombe d’Or Jacket, ashes black wool and linen

Bendix Shirt, double creme cotton muslin
Sysser Vest, Vintage Uzbek silk
Rampling Pants, olive green silk velvet

Marseille Shirt, striped Indian cotton
La Colombe d’Or Jacket, mustard wool and linen
Annie Pants, needlecord in tangerine

Didion Jacket, chocolate cotton corduroy
Rampling Pants, emerald silk velvet

Lee Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Blixen Jacket, kodo corduroy in chestnut

La Colombe d’Or Jacket, dark brown wool and linen
Laura Skirt, handprinted hand loomed cotton

Thank you to photographer Frederikke Agnete, stylist Caroline Harbro and talent Amanda.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I have created a little Autumn collection that is dropping today. Pieces that feel feminine and with an intentional warmth and comfort. I hope they feel poetic even. The soft touch is so needed right now, and I for one am greatful for kindness when I meet it. I need days of solitude, and days with my nearest. Just like everyone around me, I am deeply  concerned about current world news. I find myself listening to podcasts when driving, walking Eddie and whenever else I get the chance. I am trying to educate myself because it is easy to be swayed by emotions, but a historical background of events is necessary. I go to the park and for walks in the forest, I jump in the sea for a daily shock and I try to enjoy this beautiful season despite everything.

Take care and lots of love,

Malene.

Blixen Jacket, kodo corduroy in chestnut
Laura Skirt, Indian cotton block print

Amanda Jacket, wool khadi
Rampling Pants, claret silk velvet

Blixen Jacket, kodo corduroy in chestnut
Lee Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Laura Skirt, Indian cotton block print

Benedicte Jacket, thick weave wool
Laura Skirt, handprinted hand loomed cotton

Thank you to photographer Frederikke Agnete, stylist Caroline Harbro and talent Amanda.

TREAT:
French Nougat: the sophisticated treat for the festive season ahead.

SCENT:
Love the universe of scent called Régime des Fleurs created by Alia Raza who work with some of the world’s most impressive noses. There isn’t a single one I don’t like.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I’m off on an Autumn break with my daughters. I’m looking forward to the ritual of a small morning coffee in the nearby square, hours spent in the kitchen cooking with my best friend, little trips to local shops, reading the newspaper thoroughly, and especially to hours and hours spent with my daughters – such a treat. I don’t love packing though, as I’m always worried I’ll forget something. However, in this Postcard I’m sharing, what I really want to bring.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

READ:
I’m bringing Edmund De Waal’s Letters to Comodo. I loved his The hare with amber eyes and I think that we all have an obligation to educate ourselves. Especially at a time when understanding current affairs takes knowing our past. So I am reading yet another book on the systematic anti-semitism that has saturated European society for centuries.

WATCH: 
I read in The Financial Times that Ralph Lauren loves the TV series 1883, so I’m giving it a go this coming holiday. The costume and set design is wonderful, and it is refreshing to watch a story where men take honour in defending their women – and where women are strong and stunning.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

La Bagatelle has been nominated by Elle Magazine in the category “New Name of the Year” for the Elle Awards that takes place next week. We are both grateful, honoured and quite surprised by the nomination. I am in particular. Both because La Bagatelle is a very “new name,” but also because I don’t really see La Bagatelle as a fashion brand. La Bagatelle is a universe, a world, a way of life and in particualar a conscious choice of how to lead life. In my view the Award should go to Nicklas Skovgaard who is indeed a “new, young and might I say refreshing name”. He is talented and he does fashion. What I do is something else. If I were to be lofty, I would be tempted to say that La Bagatelle becomes a part of who you are. It is other and a part from fashion. 

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

READ:
Still have Stockholm on my mind so Doctor Glas set in the Swedish capital is the perfect autumn read. It was first published in 1905 but is surprisingly modern. Interesting how we often think of ourselves as “modern” yet it often turns out the the people of our past were much more radical.

WATCH: 
This time of year I always miss New York. After decades of going for the shows in September I miss the vibe, the inspiration, the quirky shopping and the light. So this weekend I am watching Love Story with Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal from 1970 as it is probably is the closets I will get to New York this Autumn.

EAT:
I am in the mood for cooking this weekend and I will be getting my inspiration from the new cook book by the women behind Easy Peacy.

TREAT:
Unlike most, I’m not a big fan of chocolate, however, Friis Holm chocolate is the exception. We always have it at the La Bagatelle Studio.

COCO is wearing Marseille Shirt, Stockholm grey cotton Khadi, Ida Jacket, vintage striped Chinese cotton, Small, Lilli Pants, Paloma red French linen

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

Sometimes dressing in black and white gives you the courage you need to proceed in life. Sometimes it’s a relief that the monocrome look directs the attention away from one’s self. But then again ofter days call for a celebration of life, and to me that is done with colour. I have personally become much more courageous while doing La Bagatelle, largely because the fabrics we work with are so very special. I combine colours I never used to put together, and mix and match prints as well, when I am in the mood for it. So my best advice it to go out of your comfort zone and dare a little. I believe it is good for the soul.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Gudrun Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Sysser Vest, vintage Japanese silk
Annie Pants, needlecord in coral rose

Creamy, yellow tones with a touch of camel seems so right for now. The Sysser Vest is the final touch.

Marseille Shirt, Nepal yellow silky cotton
Sysser Vest, vintage Japanese silk
Annie Pants, Hari needlecord in dust

Andrea Top, petroleum wavy pearl satin
Elise Skirt, Indian cotton block print

The Bendix shirt is usually worn tucked in. However, you can create a very elegant look with the layering of colours in different tones one fabric on the other.

Bendix Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Lilli Pants, heavy Champagne rosé satin

Bendix Shirt, handwoven Indian Ikat 
Didion Jacket, vintage Japanese silk
Rampling Pants, lavender silk velvet

Roll up the sleeves. Wrists are such an elegant part of the female body.

Jaipur Jacket, vintage striped Chinese cotton
Andrea Top, black wavy pearl satin
Jane Skirt, Japanese black striped denim

Bendix Shirt, cotton lawn white
Beate Jacket, vintage striped Chinese cotton, Medium
Rampling Pants, Devon rose silk velvet

Block print and silk velvet is an unusual, and unusually elegant combination.

Virginia Shirt, Indian cotton block print
Rampling Pants, Tuscany yellow silk velvet

Bendix Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Bisset Vest, lavender silk velvet and vintage fabrics
Lilli Pants, turquoise French linen

Unbutton you shirt and use it as a casual jacket.

Virginia Shirt, Indian cotton
Andrea Top, white wavy pearl satin
 Jane Skirt, Japanese white Denim

Didion Jacket, kodo corduroy pale pink
Lilli Pants, heavy Champagne rosé satin

Thank you to photographer Frederikke Agnete, stylist Caroline Harbro and talent Coco Lucia Kongstad

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

As we in the Northern part of Europe return to everyday life I find myself wishing to be Southern European where holidays with lazy days and late lunches are still on the agenda. Mostly because I really enjoy writing and creating from home with my daughters around me. I come from a talkative family, and I have always preferred to do my own thing with life around me. Luckily I have been working so long with my colleagues that they are almost family too. We are a small team handling everything out of our studio on Værnedamsvej with a close knit group of tailors all working out of Copenhagen, so everything is personal and handled with care. Just how I like it.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

A special friend of mine Thorvald Stigsen, who owns my favourite seaside restaurant Tisvilde Kro, has compiled a list of music for me and La Bagatelle. It makes me dream of far away places, snake charmers and Tales from the Thousand and one Nights.
Link to playlist.

BREAKFAST:
I have a number of male friends who love eating dinner out on their own. I wouldn’t dream of it. The interesting thing is though, that I love having breakfast at a café by myself. Besides eating, I read and I write, get ideas and think new thoughts. My go to places are Atelier September in the centre of Copenhagen and Italo Caffé on Værnedamsvej where my Studio is.

IN SEASON:
One of the best things this time of year is going chanterelles hunting. I fry mine in butter and add cream, a touch of soya sauce, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and pepper, always pepper. It’s perfection on toasted bread.

I love books I can sink my teeth into so Fatma Aydemir’s Ånder or “Djinns” in German seems perfect for now. When you want to remember what slow days feel like, but the pace is picking up, this is what you want to go to.

JEWELLERY DU JOURS:
Besides making beautiful glasswear for the table, the girls behind Akua have also managed to create the jewellery of the hour in Copenhagen: a heart made out of mouth blown and handmade Murano glass. Mine is blue but I also love the red and the subtle pink one.

I have started reading Goliarda Sapienza’s “The art of Joy”, and my plan is to read it in the shade of a blooming tree in the garden.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

As busy and festive days are coming to an end with the month of June, I am looking forward to a different pace in July. At La Bagatelle we’re always open online and the Studio is open every Wednesday and some Saturdays throughout July. So I will still be on, however, I can’t wait for alarm clocks no longer to be relevant. I am heading to my new country home in the North of Zealand, and I am very excited about our first summer there. I will decorate the house and make it a home. Other than that, I will be swimming, cooking, reading, seeing friends and family, having naps, reading books and drinking just a little (a lot) wine. Enjoy your summer, whereever you are. And if you come to Copenhagen, pop by the Studio. 

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

For years I have used my online calendar only. However, it never really worked for me, so I have bought a Smythson calender and I absolutely love it. If it’s not in my red book, it’s not happening. Bonus info: it starts the week you buy it, so it doesn’t run from January but in my case from May to August next year.
Smythson.com

Mrs Dalloway is perhaps Virginia Woolf’s most important book showing the inner world of the female mind. This version by Vintage Classics is coming with me to my country home this summer.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I believe Værnedamsvej is one of the most special streets in Copenhagen, and I couldn’t believe our luck when we moved into one of its famous little houses in December last year. It is filled with picturesque shops and eateries of a very high standard that makes popping in and out of them a pure pleasure. Here are a few of my current favourites where I get my sandwich, coffee and books. If you are in Copenhagen for 3 days of design be sure to visit our exhibition. We are open from 11am to 6pm Wednesday the 7th through to Friday the 9th of June.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Bendix Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Sysser Vest, vintage Japanese silk
Rampling Pants, Tuscany yellow silk velvet

Favourite place to pick up books and hang for a coffee:
Thiemers Magasin, Tullinsgade 24

Bendix Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Rampling Pants, Devon rose silk velvet

Bendix Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Annie Pants, needlecord in coral rose

When we need something special we treat ourselves to the best sandwich and juice in town:
Italo Café, Værnedamsvej 10

Marseille Shirt, Stockholm grey cotton Khadi
Andrea Top, white wavy pearl satin
Elise Skirt, striped Indian cotton

Best place to pick up soap and lotion. Our choice is the Reverence Aromatique Hand Wash:
Aēsop, Værnedamsvej 7

Marseille Shirt, striped Indian cotton
La Colombe d’Or Jacket, vanilla white wool and linen
Hepburn Pants, toffee corduroy

Where we buy fresh flowers every week:
Blomster Hjørnet, Værnedamsvej 8

Didion Jacket, vintage Japanese silk
Rampling Pants, lavender silk velvet

Ida Jacket, vintage striped Chinese cotton
Bendix Shirt, cotton lawn white
Lilli Pants, Chinese blue French linen

The grilled gourmet toast is our comfort food of choice:
Le Gourmand, Værnedamsvej 3A

Andrea Top, ice blue wavy pearl satin
Bendix Shirt, blue striped Indian cotton
Rampling Pants, August blue silk velvet

Thank you to photographer Frederikke Agnete, stylist Caroline Harbro and talent and art student Divijah Rajendra

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

The late author Joan Didion is not only one of the best writers ever to have lived, she was also terribly chic, fiercely intelligent and had a very interesting life. I have recently rediscovered her writing and where I read everything she had written a decade ago, I have now listened to it via audio books, it makes it really easy to get through a lot of text at some speed. She mastered the art of making great thinking on complex issues accessible and highly relevant. I am immensely inspired by her at the moment, so we decided to do a small Postcard in her honour. 

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Joan Didion is perhaps best known for her masterpiece A year of magical thinking which is one of the very best things I have ever read. Blue Night is also breathtakingly brilliant. I also really like Telling stories from Let me tell you what I mean about her method of writing. I love her language and how she makes me think.

The documentary The center will not hold that is on Netflix about her life is a “must watch” for the weekend. An extraordinarily admirable life.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

One of the many reasons why La Bagatelle came about, was that I stumbled across a few tiny rolls of Japanese and Chinese vintage cotton, made in private homes on small weaves close to a hundred years ago. They were so charming I couldn’t resist buying them not knowing what to use them for, but fully aware that they had to come home with me. For a long time they were lying the daybed in my office, till it became apparent that they had to be turned into little precious jackets. And thus the first Ida Jackets came about. Later I have introduced the Beate Jacket that is slightly slimmer in the fit. However, both are made from rolls of vintage Chinese cotton like the first rolls that I initially discovered. No two rolls are alike. They all have different patterns and colours so each jacket is a “one of a kind” – there is just enough fabric for one jacket. And that makes each and every one of them ever so special. I get equally excited every time I find a roll, hoping it won’t be the last but never knowing for certain. I don’t buy all the rolls I find – only the very best ones. Just as it should be for La Bagatelle.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I love it when people excell at what they do. Recently I met a man who is a master at toning linseed oil to any colour you might desire. Rarely have I met anyone who understands colours like he does. He told me how warm tones in a room with warm light feels harmonious to the soul. He also spoke of the vibrations of colour, and how he had experienced that people who had lost their eyesight could still “feel” colour and sense its vibrations. He told me, that he wasn’t certain whether it was scientifically proven, but that he had experienced it himself with clients. I would love it to be true. And I am certain that my life has had more meaning since I started wearing clothes hand died in natural colour such as is the case with the La Bagatelle shirts, skirts and dresses in handwoven Indian cotton. Colours matter, the wrong ones can ruin an experience. But the right colours can add a spiritual touch to the every day.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Recently I reread Joan Didion’s A year of magical thinking. Last time I read it was over a decade ago, and I urge everyone to read it. Her honest voice touched me more that I can say.

The documentary “A Storm Foretold” by Christoffer Guldbrandsen that came out a month ago, is what I will be watching this coming weekend. It is the story of American politics, of how an established political party is turned into an antidemocratic movement during Dunald Trump’s reign.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I love working with those near and dear to me. I like the community feel, but I also know how excellent my friends are at what they do, and that they will give it their all when working with me. Emmanuel Martini is the perfect example. He is married to one of my closest friends and I am very lucky to now call him my friend too. Emmanuel is a parfumer with great taste, and thus it was both natural and fun to develop on the world of La Bagatelle in scents with him. Our latest scented candle is inspired by his childhood years growing up in the Caribbean. Something I felt was perfect for setting the mood for my summer nights. I dream of open fireplaces and open windows at night and the scent of La Bagatelle dancing through the air. There is more about Emmanuel in this Postcard and please meet our new scented candle called “The library” launching today.

This Postcard is also dedicated to something else that I love which is stripes. By chance I stumbled across a few rolls of striped Indian handwoven cotton early last summer in London. The feel of the fabric and the colours in particular were so very appealing. What is special about Indian fabric in general is the charm of irregularities, the hand feel and the wonderful and quite sophisticated sense of colour. When the colours are combined in stribes it is as if magic happens. Colour combinations that let you dream of warmer and easier days come woven into the fabric. There is usually very little of each fabric, so everything we do with them be it shirts or skirts is very limited indeed. 

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

A friend of the house and the nose behind La Bagatelle’s scents is Emmanuel Martini. He is a French independent parfumer who trained in French perfume composition houses in the South of France, more specifically in Grasse and in Manosque. Mr Martini became a parfumer because of the beauty of the craft:
“It is a very uncommon language that provides beauty, emotions and feelings about aesthetics. It is not material but very abstract and it requires true sensibility.”

When doing the scents for La Bagatelle his thoughts behind them were to do “something that like everything else at La Bagatelle is about a lot of beauty and creativity”.

The Library, a scent in the shape of a candle

The latest scented candle by Emmanuel Martini is called “The library”. It is inspired by the memories of a journey to the Caribbean with cigar smoke, drinks of rum and citrus fruits being mixed. It takes your mind on a journey far away with the strike of a match.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

For me New Year’s Eve never felt like the beginning of something new, something fresh. The 1st of January has always left me with a feeling of Winter gone old. However, Easter and the holiday that comes with it is an entirely different story. It is a new chapter, a new beginning. A time of year when I am very inspired, and I get so grateful for and excited about the return of the light and all the opportunities that it holds.

As usual I will be going to France. For as much as I am constantly seeing out new talents, adventures, crafts, books – anything really, I also have a profound need for and love of traditions. I often joke that Easter in France with the whole family is my absolute favourite week of the year. Jokes aside, there is a lot of truth to it. This year I have done a sting of new pieces all with the Easter Holidays in mind. All items I can’t wait to wear in beautiful colours that suit the flowers I can’t help but fill my home and the La Bagatelle Studio with. Pieces that are great if the sun shines, but equally perfect with a jacket for a grey day – and with a shawl and a book in my bag.

I hope you have a wonderful time, wherever you are.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

I was given this beautiful book by a wonderful and tres chic lady in Stockholm who subscribes to my Postcard and shares my love of books. She thought I would like Small Things Like These, and I will be reading it during the Easter Holidays.

I have always loved the Nordic sophistication of Stockholm. Copenhagen is cute and cool, but Stockholm is grand. 

Fabrique Stenugnsbageri are all over Stockholm and their bread and cinnamon buns where so good, I had to bring some with me home.

Petit Marche, Karlavägen 30A is really a cute flower shop but the owner also sells excellent coffee. It is up the road from Cathy Nordström, so that is where we got ours.

Naturally Cathy Nordström’s charming place on Karlavägen 24 is a must. Her prints, pillows and tea cozies are wonderful.

I wish I’d seen the Carl Larsson paintings at Theilska Galleriet, but I was closed when I could go. Just another reason to come back. I did get to see the obligatory Svensk Tenn. I like many of their textiles, but I particularly appreciate the furniture Josef Frank has done for Svensk Tenn. It would fit in really nicely at my new country home.

Have Ramen at Tengu, Rådmansgatan 12 and any kind of food your heart desires at the indoor market by the hotel Villa Dagmar. It is also an excellent place to stay and enjoy your breakfast. Next time I will have to check in at Ett hem - it is nothing short of the dream!

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

One of the lovely things about doing La Bagatelle is meeting our brilliant clients. One of them is Cathy Nordström. A stunning Swede with impeccable taste who has a beautiful space in Stockholm where she shows her own line of textiles and wallpaper all of which is produced by skilled artisans in Sweden. We share a love of fabrics, colours, craftsmanship and both, it seems, try to perfect the art of having a good life. When she visited La Bagatelle last autumn we got the idea of doing a Pop Up together. And now it is happening. 

I will be flying to Stockholm next week and we will host the Pop Up on Thursday the 23rd of March. If you are in or around Stockholm please pop by, and you’re very welcome to bring a friend.
When I worked at Elle Magazine I spent quite a lot of time in Stockholm and doing Cover also brought me back time and again. But I haven’t been for a while, so I can’t wait for it all. I will be collecting all the insiders' tips I can get hold on and do my own guide to Stockholm in a later postcard.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

As a preparation for my trip, I asked Cathy a few Questions. Here are her answers of what to do, where to eat and what to see when in Stockholm.

What are you doing for the Easter Break?
As always for Easter I am driving down to our country house in Skåne with my family and I can’t wait! It’s my favorite time of year to be there. Spring is just around the corner and the days are getting longer. Torekov is my favourite place on earth and we all unwind the second we get there. 

What are your favourite things to do in Stockholm for Spring?
Go for long wine lunches with friends and visit Vårsalongen at Liljevalchs on the weekend with the kids. Walk along the water and just enjoy our beautiful city. 

Name two great places where you love to go for dinner in Stockholm?
Schmaltz and Röda Huset, two very different restaurants but I love them both. 

Your favourite museum or gallery in Stockholm?
Moderna Museet, Nationalmuseum and Hallwylska Museet in the city, Outside the city I love Millesgården with its stunning sculpture garden and the artist home of Carl and Olga Milles. And Artipelag which is 30 minutes outside of Stockholm, just where archipelago starts to spread out. You can go by car, bus and boat. It’s magnificent! 

What are you excited about right now?
Our pop up! Some really exciting projects and collaborations that are in the works. Also super excited that winter will soon be over. Bare pavements and sneakers. 

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

They are one of my favourite couples because they have shown that it is possible to meet profound and life changing love later in life. I knew both Camilla Larsson and Henrik Bülow years before they knew each other. Today it is inspiring to be around them, because they manage to make the other one lighter and deeper at the same time. Henrik is a renouned fashion photographer and Camilla is a stunning stylist, so when they offered to shoot a few of Camilla’s favourite La Bagatelle pieces on their holiday I leaped at the chance. The destination was the epic and historic hotel The Oriental in Bangkok where the stylish Danish author Suzanne Brøgger hung out when she was young, and where my oldest daughter learnt how to swim many years ago. In other words it is a wonderful old world kind of place full of stories that make it hard to leave. I hope you enjoy the little string of images they sent home.

For more than half a year I have collected just enough vintage rolls of striped cotton as well as a few checkered ones with just enough fabric for one jacket. All become super soft with wear. I have collected them in other to do a small edit of them for Ida and Beate Jackets and they are all online as of now. It is such a thrill for me to discover just the right roll of fabric and seeing it turn into a very special jacket.  

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Camilla Larsson’s La Bagatelle edit photographed at The Oriental in Bangkok by Henrik Bülow. A very special hotel that the couple have returned to on numerous occasions. This year they brought their one year old son for the first time.

Emma Dress, petroleum wavy pearls satin

Lilli Pants, heavy black crepe satin

Bendix Shirt, cotton lawn white

Caroline Dress, petroleum wavy pearls satin

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I’ve changed my mind. I have to admit it. Late Autumn last year I wrote a La Bagatelle Postcard and a column in the newspaper Børsen Pleasure about how I had pretty much stopped wearing black. How it no longer interested me. However, the moment it was published, the only thing I felt like wearing was black. I laughed at how childish I was being, that I always want to break the rules, even the ones I make myself. But none the less, that was how I felt. 
Through the past few years it isn’t as if I haven’t worn black at all, but I have found myself drawn more to all the colours that I adore and that are a big part of La Bagatelle. But during the winter months I have had lots of days in all black or at least with black in the mix. 
        So on the occasion of Copenhagen Fashion Week we are introducing “The Gray Collection” inspired by Eileen Gray, the Irish architect and furniture designer, who was a pioneer in the world of modern furniture and aesthetics. It will be a constant part of the world of La Bagatelle from now, on so it will be possible to find pieces for the dark days as well.

In December I spent quite a few hours putting together the massive bookself in my new office space. During that process I glanced in the many magazines I have done over the years. One of them featured the home of Eileen Gray E-1027 (the second last issue of Cover). Another one was of a shoot for my magazine The Horse Rider’s Journal at The Royal Cast Collection, and then there were numerous images of my dear friend the filmmager and write Emma Rosenzweig from when she was a cool kid who modelled. As those images were stirring in my mind, my mother gave me her old and very beautiful hexagon shaped Baume & Mercier watch. Naturally it was black. Combined all these factors made me dream of showing a more reflected version of Emma – the intellectual, strong and poetic side of her (and La Bagatelle) in the largely monocrome palette of Eileen Gray. Another dear friend, the photographer Philip Messmann, wasn’t hard to persuade and The Royal Cast Collection were kind enough to open their doors. I so hope you will like The Gray Collection – this permanent new addition to La Bagatelle.  

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Emma is wearing Bendix Shirt, cotton lawn white and Lilli Pants, Ashes black French linen.

Andrea Top, white wavy pearl satin
Beate Jacket, vintage striped Chinese cotton
Loulou Pencil Skirt, black grossrain silk

Bendix Shirt, striped Indian cotton
Sysser Vest, black fur with Japanese trim
Lilli Pants, heavy black crepe satin

Barbara Dress, black wavy pearls satin

Andrea Top, white wavy pearl satin
Ali Jacket, black cotton corduroy
Rampling Pants, black silk velvet

I have followed them for a while and will get one of their lampshades for the Studio. I like everything they do. Check out @ateliervime for more inspiration.

Super grid: I managed to get my hands on one roll of this rare and very high quality cotton grid from India. It is stiffer than the more normal cotton but it gets soft in the wash. The Marseille Shirt looks so beautiful in this fabric – a forever classic.

Anne Berest’s The Postcard is a gruesome and important read about life in the 20th and 21st Century as a European Jew. So well written it opens minds and becomes part of the reader.

She probably knows more about films than anyone I know, yet it is impossibel for Emma Rosenzweig to select her favourites. Nevertheless, when pushed here are five films that she loves. I will be watching them in the coming weeks:

The Piano teacher – Michael Haneke
India Song – Marguerite Duras
Faces – John Cassavetes
The Night Porter – Liliana Cavani
The Mirror – Andrej Tarkovski

Sysser Vest, American cotton velvet in black
Bendix Shirt, heavy handloomed Indian cotton khadi
Kate Skirt, black heavy crepe satin

Andrea Top, black wavy pearl satin
Sophia Jacket, black silk velvet
Lilli Pants, heavy black crepe satin

Rosa Dress, black wavy pearls satin



Bendix Shirt, red striped Indian cotton
Bisset Vest, vintage fabrics
Rampling Pants, amethyst silk velvet

Marseille Shirt, handwoven grid
Lo Coat, herringbone wool
Annie Pants, Hari needlecord in chestnut

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I know people who are totally unaffected by the weather. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. This year has been particularly tough as Copenhagen has been grey and wet for more than a month. The picture above is from March last year, and I put it there as a reminder to us all of what is ahead. And to be honest, I need that reminder. I have been turning down invitations and have divided my time between the Studio and my home. I have lit candles at work and the fireplace at home and have stayed in my own world and worked through my mood. I have thought a lot about what I need and desire and the result is a string of new pieces coming in the next month. I am particularly proud of the Sysser Vest and the fact that with it La Bagatelle is slowly positioning itself truly as a rare thing such as a petite high end fashion brand coming out of Scandinavia.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

Late last year something very exciting happened. We moved our showroom into a new space on Værnedamsvej 3B where we plan to stay for many years to come. It will not be a regular shop, but we will open up the space to clients on chosen dates every month and we will look forward to your visits. It is a special place with a wonderful atmosphere and I can honestly say that there is nowhere quite like it in Copenhagen. A hundred years ago it was a cheese shop, it has also been a tobacco store and now it holds our offices and showroom. Maybe it is because of this magical place that I can stand the weather in Copenhagen where Januar seems to be even more grey and wet than usually. Værnedamsvej is a very international street,  yet it feels local at the same time. Men hang outside the cafés in the morning for a coffee, there are three wonderful flowershops in the street and pretty much all the little shops there are precious. And then, of course, we are here now. Other than Værnedamsvej I have compiled a list of things that are getting me through January.

I hope you will feel inspired.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

The sound to my month is a gift from Rasmus Skousen. He has made a playlist of the softest music to get us through January and it seems soothing and just perfect for now. It lets me wander in my mind while listening to a mix of music ranging from Hamid al Shaeri from Egypt to American Country Music from Glen Campbell. Download La Bagatelle Vol. 02 on Spotify.

I really enjoy most of what singer Patti Smith has written, and not surprisingly “Just Kids” most of all, which is about her friendship to artist Robert Mapplethorpe. However, her latest “A book of days”is gorgeous and just about the perfect book to buy in January as it is a collection of pictures, mostly shot by herself, one for each day in the year with a small explanation to go with it.

“Our missing hearts” by Celeste Ng was an unusual read for me as it is set in the future in a parallel world. Normally I don’t like futuristic novels but this one has a captivating and relevant storyline that got to me. It made my first week of January better.

When I don’t read, I cook. And one thing I will prepare more than once in January is this slow cooked shoulder of lamb. It’s everything I need right now. Follow @juliusroberts enthusiastic recipe and it will turn out great. I add more vegetables than he does 5 to 7 in total, but it really is up to you. All you need is time and a glas of redwine while chopping is optional.
Link to recipe here.

It is my favourite time of year to buy flowers. Mimosa flowers are filing Værnedamsvej and the showroom, but snowdrops, daffodils and all the other flowers that go with this time of year seem to come with a promise of better things to come. 

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

This week our three months stint at Valkendorfsgade 13 will come to an end. So pop by on Thursday the 24th of November we’re here till 6pm. It will be your last change to see our current location and check our our latest beauties from the tailors and enjoy a glass of bubbles and little cakes. We will be moving to Værnedamsvej which we are very excited about. Much more information will follow about our new lovely place in future Postcards. 

For now we are slowly getting into the festive spirit of late November. On Sunday I will begin the Christmas decorating of my home “Bagatel” which La Bagatelle is named after. I enjoy it quite a bit – especially when it’s done! I have collected vintage Christmas decorations for decades. It will come as no surprise to anyone that I love the soft pink and pale blue tones that are often found in vintage Christmas decorations. A huge mistletoe is also a must, and I have already ordered the one that will hang at Værnedamsvej to ensure a whole lot of love.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

I have been getting a lot of credit lately for my book recommendations, which I am actually really proud of. However, I just started Tolstoy´s “War and peace” which is a good 2000 pages, so it will be a while, before I will be on to the next book. Wish me luck. 

He is my favourite DJ. Whether it would be at some fashion party in Copenhagen, an art do or a summer party in Tisvilde where I have a house, he would be playing. I am of course talking about Christian d’Or who also happens to be a nice guy. So when I called him up a couple of months ago asking if he would do the perfect party playlist for La Bagatelle, he agreed. And here it is an eclectic mix of music from all over the world that is sure to get you in the festive spirit. We have it on repeat. Download it for free with Spotify.

Emmanuel Martini is something as exotic as a “Nose” – a parfumeur. He is also my good friend and we have a very special project under way. In the meantime, before I can reveal what we are up to. I can highly recommend his room perfume called Aestas Liguria by En Doft @endoftav

I love mistletoes – the bigger the better. The picture is from the livingroom of my old home. It is from 1916 and it shows because Inès is a lot smaller than she is today.

Watch out for the new brand of poetic tableware Akua by Annika Agerled and Josefine Arthur. Their glasses remind me of a mix of travels to far away places as well as tables set by my mother and grandmothers all through my childhood. Annika Agerled is wearing an Ali Jacket as well as a pair of Lilli Pants in the launch image of Akua.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

Can you go between being an introvert and an extrovert? I don’t know that you can, but it certainly feesl like it at the moment. Whereas Summers go by with lots of sociable activities, and the month of December seems like one long, cosy month of parties and gettogethers, November feels decidedly different. It is now that I collect myself. I work, I read, I cook and I spend time in the garden and in the forest walking Eddie. The new styles that are dropping today reflect this spirit. They are feelgood pieces that can all be dressed up for the upcoming festivities, but as for now they are for you to wear and enjoy. Like the month of November, they seem personal.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Annie Ernaux’s “Simple Passion” is small in size but raw in its impact. Easily read in a day or two, however, I have never had a book in my hands that explained what passion is and what passion does in such an unsentimental way. This one I love.

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I’m not a New Yorker, I’ve never lived in New York, and many people know it way better than I do. However, it is one of my favourite cities, and I have been coming regularly for over 25 years. For a decade when I had no children to take care of I went to New York for Fashion Week twice a year, I have been coming for work with campaign shoots and I have been coming for holidays. I have been there on a very sparse budget as well as a more comfortable one. So what I am sharing now is not the best guide you’ll ever find to New York, but it is my list of go-to-places when I am there. Places I would be sorry to miss. And remember that the best thing about guides is not neccessarily following them, it is that they inspirere you to dream.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

I am tempted to say that Café Gitane on 242 Mott St. has been my favourite always. I first came more than twenty years ago and daydreamed that I was a regular, a part of the cool crowd hanging out. I would go there and write up my articles and people watch. The food is still good and it was the first place I ever tasted mint tea made on fresh mint. I couldn’t resist that it was served in tiny Japanese iron teapots. I felt ever so chic. 

Desert Vintage on 34 Orchard St. on Lower East is one of the very best vintage stores with a very sophisticated selection. I find it odd to buy Eupean brands in the States, but they really pick out nice styles. And whatever they have from American designers is excellent. The store itself is also worth a visit, the vintage furniture is to die for. Once you leave you should pop round to The Corner Bar at the hotel Nine Orchard to either celebrate your purchase or possibly your restraint from buying anything. Either way, it’s a good place for at drink. Ignacio Mattos has the place and he is New York’s hippest chef right now and also runs the Lodi in Midtown that feels like a busy café in Paris, Altro Paradiso that serves excellent easy food, and Estela that is more cosy and special. Dream place for a date.

Not far from Desert Vintage you’ll find Bode on 58 Hester Street with a cute mending store next to it. Close by on 123 Norfolk St. is Maryam Nassir Zadeh’s store. It is a bit run down, but her mix of classic as well as sporty cool stuff really is the epitomy of the well travelled, easy going New York look that will take you where ever you want to go.

In order to enter Ted Muehling`s totally wonderful store on 104 Franklin Street, you have to book a time slot in advance. But it really is worth it. His space is like nowhere else. He is a master of jewellery that is totally timeless yet seems forever relevant and his candlesticks are sublime. The smart “master of anything to do with food” Laila Cooks wears his rings on her pretty fingers.

Balthazar opened up in the Spring of 1997 but immediately looked like it had been there always. Keith McNally was the mastermind behind it and it became an instant favourite. The designer Jane Mayle introduced me to it when I interviewed her for Vogue in the late nineties. Her epic shop was just around the corner. I still love Balthazar. We have celebrate my daughter Barbara’s birthday there a number of times and you just can’t beat breakfast at Balthazar (Unless of course you have a bagel to go wrapped in tin foil from a corner joint. They are pretty good too). Prior to Balthazar Keith McNally ran the legendary place Odeon in Tribeca with his then wife Lynn Wagenknect. Go for lunch, have the omelet and thank me later. She also runs the Café Luxembourg on the Upper West. Brilliant and local atmosphere. Book a table well in advance if you want to be sure to sit inside.

Roman and Williams Guild NY on 53 Howard Street houses an amazing interior store. I particular like their small celection of books and the pancakes they serve in the restaurant.

The farmer’s marker Union Square Greenmarket is well worth a visit. It makes you dream of living in New York and going grocery shopping for the entertaining of friends in the weekend.

I know that there are many fun and interesting galleries popping up all the time. But if you don’t have a lot of time nothing beats Moma on 11 West 53 St. and I love the Guggenheim on 1071 5th Ave and the Met close by on 1000 5th Ave. Don’t even try to see the whole thing. Cellect an area such as the Eqyptians and be blown away by the splendor. 

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I used to wear black all the time. Everyone in the fashion Industry did, and it seemed the only relevant option for me. It was sophisticated and it signaled competence. However, something has changed, and the days where I feel like wearing black only are far fewer. Don´t get me wrong, I still think it looks trés chic, however, I no longer feel the monotone colour palette fully reflects who I am. I have changed. Recently I found myself on a plane to London where I was heading over for meetings. I was wearing a lot of black, perhaps because black is trustworthy. However, I felt all wrong and longed for my Rampling Pants in Claret, my mustard coloured La Colombe d’Or jacket and my grey Bendix Shirt. 

With La Bagatelle the beautiful colours and structures of the fabrics are so wonderful and somehow reflect the world that I love of litterature, gardening, cooking and quite frankly working, writing, picking fabrics and making new beautiful pieces for La Bagatelle. I am still the same girl that once wore all shades of black, and yet I have evolved and so has my taste. La Bagatelle is the summary of my journey.

Lots of love,
Malene Malling

Tarragon vinegar: It is so easy to make your own, and it adds sophistication to any kind of dressing or sauce all through autumn. I grow my own tarragon in the garden, but if you don’t, just buy some fresh and add it to a nice bottle of white wine vinegar. Voilà. 

I must be the only Scandinavian who hasn’t read Karl Ove Knausgård. I didn’t think he was for me, but I was wrong. “Ulvene fra Evighedens Skov” is such a beautiful story that I will highly recommend it although I haven’t quite finished it yet. If you need a good read for your Autumn break, bring it along. 

If Knausgård is too massive a book, I would opt for Yoko Tawada who writes slender accounts of alienation. It fits into your Anemone Bag, and she had me at “hello.” The first line goes like this: “According to my grandmother travelling meant drinking unknown water. Different places, different water.” Love it. 

In Spring I will be going back to the garden of Sissinghurst, one of the most famous gardens in England - and the world. I want to see Vita Sackville-West’s garden when all the bulbs are in full bloom. In the meantime I am digging small holes in my lawn laying as many bulbs as I can. When Spring comes it will hopefully look devine, and maybe just at little bit like Sissinghurst.

Bendix Shirt, cotton lawn grey
La Colombe d’Or Jacket, mustard wool and linen
Rampling Pants, claret silk velvet

Dear friend of La Bagatelle,

I read Deborah Levy’s trilogy this summer like so many others. If you haven’t read it already, give yourself a treat and do so. Levy writes about the phenomena “main characters” as she is writing about pitching a film script in one of the books. It leads her to think of who the main character is in her own life.

Outfits are a little like films in that respect – for them to work, there needs to be one main character only. Often the main character is a little tiresome and creates drama to get all the attention. More often than not it is the supporting roles that are the most interesting. Perhaps it is true to say that La Bagatelle is the supporting actress helping everyone else with their shine. It is the discreet luxury. It is about style and not neccessarily about fashion. That said, this “Postcard” is about a string of “main characters,” items with so much charm that they just can’t help but shine. They quite simply make an outfit, and we love them for it. 

Lots of love,
Malene Malling