Stephanie LaCava: Memoirs of an Outsider in Paris - Vogue Paris in English

As I'm currently reading and loving journalist Stephanie LaCava's recently released book, An Extraordinary Theory of Objects: A Memoir of an Outsider in Paris, you could understand my delight when at work this morning, I was assigned to translate and adapt the Vogue Paris write-up on the author and her adolescent memoirs.

Her story is beautifully written and inserts you to the time of her struggles. For the free spirits and deep feelers, you really connect with Stephie and how the whimsically different thirteen year old didn't quite fit in. Raw and wistful, LaCava's writing style captures the emotions perfectly and gives you a feeling of understanding.

She narrates in objects, opening up her cabinet of curiosities, removing each precious item one by one as they appear and tie into her story. Each object is poetically illustrated by Matthew Nelson and has a footnote in which she gives a small anecdote of its history or importance. These stories and her memoirs combine "to make sense of the nonsensical."

I've posted excerpts from my Vogue Paris translation below along with a few images from the article. For those who prefer to read in French, see the piece on Vogue.fr. And for those in Paris, Stephanie LaCava will actually be holding a few book signings in the coming weeks at Bookmarc and Shakespeare & Co. Dates and times are posted at the bottom along with a link to buy the book.

I am very excited. "Consider the source."

Stephanie LaCava: Memoirs of an Outsider in Paris

In December, New York's fashion and literary scene applauded fashion journalist, blogger and contemporary art activist, Stephanie LaCava and her adolescent memoirs, "An Extraordinary Theory of Objects - A Memoir of an Outsider in Paris". The recount of her years spent with her family just outside of Paris in Le Vésinet, France, as a teenager has steadily gathered a stylish fan club which has followed the author to her book signings from Miami to New York. Coping with her family's expatriation to Paris in the 1990s, the young American cultivated a veritable cabinet of curiosities with intimate, spellbinding objects including a carved scrimshaw whale's tooth, iridescent beetle shells, an old skeleton key and a spotted, red-capped mushroom. The book studies her semi-baroque, semi-grunge reliquary through descriptive passages and a clandestine collection of illustrations.

.......... 

"As humans, we crave beauty and we attempt to hold onto this experience through physical evidence," she muses. 

Promoting the release of her memoir, Stephanie LaCava directed two trailers which were revealed on YouTube. The first, Realism Deficieny, was filmed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman of Catfish, Paranormal Activity 3 and 4, and featured a snake in homage to the eccentric Marchesa Casati who refused to leave the house without her living snakes wrapped around her as jewelry. The second is a lyrical amble through scenes and images created by the independent filmmaker and Sundance Film Festival favorite, Ry Russo-Young.

www.youtube.com/user/stephanielacavavideo

The next signings by Stephanie LaCava in Paris: 

January 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM - Bookmarc, 17 Place du Marché St-Honoré, 75001

February 1 at 7:00 PM - Shakespeare & Co bookshop, 37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005

By Carole Sabas, Translated by Quinn Connors

Read the full piece on Vogue Paris in English. Check out Stephanie LaCava's website to find out more on the author, read her blog, see her videos and more.

Buy her book on Amazon. A must read.

xx, Q.

[image: Vogue Paris]