Last time I was in Mexico, I found a great old vintage swimsuit in a trunk at my Aunt’s house; she didn’t know who it belonged to (it could have been any one of a huge number of uncles, cousins, and other varied relatives), but I asked for it and they let me take it home with me. I went through some of my mother's old photos later, and found one of my great grandfather in a similar swimsuit. I thought I would post it and share it with you. On the back it was marked with his full name (which I think is hilarious - Amélien-Adhémar-Jourdain-Othon-Felix-Auguste Nébouzan de Trémoille d’Eon, Compte d’Olonne) and Rudolph Valentino! It had no date. I have no idea when or where this was taken, but obviously sometime in the 1920’s and somewhere in L.A, I would imagine. My great grandfather was something of a libertine and adventurer – he spent a couple of years in Hollywood during the heyday of silent films. My mom said she was told that he dated Mary Pickford! I gather he put his wealth and title to good use. I had no idea that he had spent time in L.A, my hometown, or that his time there was so glamorous. It rather inspires my imagination.

Anyway, I finally started some drawings of models in the swimsuit. A description follows below. Oh, and I am no Count, in case you were wondering. Although it would be hilarious. My Grandfather, the Compte d’Olonne's son, was an illegitimate child, and all those glamorous possibilities passed him, and me, by.