You Too Can Live in the World of Ludwig Bemelmans

30 items inspired by the artist behind Madeline

You definitely know Austrian-born illustrator and writer Ludwig Bemelmans for creating Madeline, the little French girl in the yellow hat who lived “in an old house in Paris that was covered with vines.” Or maybe you know him as the muralist (and namesake) of Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel in New York. (I still haven’t been—last time I tried, I was held at the door for wearing a baseball hat, and I couldn’t bear to reveal my sweaty bangs to the doorman. Next time.)

For Madeline, 1939

Bemelmans emigrated to the United States as a teenager in 1914 and spent his early years working as a busboy in New York hotels and restaurants, including the Ritz-Carlton. He published Madeline in 1939 to huge success—five Madeline books followed, not including the spin-offs published by Bemelmans’ grandson after his death. Beyond children’s books, Bemelmans wrote travel essays, novels for adults (not adult novels—just books for grown-ups), and pieces for The New Yorker and Town & Country, among many other things. But Madeline remained his biggest and most lasting accomplishment.

For Madeline, 1939

And that’s certainly true for how I knew Bemelmans, because Madeline had a pretty significant impact on child Ali early on. I loved everything about those books: the rows of tiny girls in matching outfits, the willowy nun that led them through the streets of Paris, and Genevieve the dog—who, if I’m remembering correctly, wore a red scarf. It wasn’t until much later that I became familiar with other parts of Bemelmans’ portfolio, like his bustling restaurant scenes, moody landscape paintings, and elaborate travel journals. His work always had a mix of playful chaos and irreverent glamour that remains very much up my alley.

The Favorite Wine of the Marechal de Richelieu, 1936

I don’t think there was a person on this planet more excited than I was when Marc Jacobs showed his fall 2020 ready-to-wear collection, which featured A-line car coats, knee-high socks, and hats nearly identical to Madeline’s. It kicked up something in me that’s been there all along—a love of silhouettes from the ‘50s and ‘60s, uniform-inspired details, and layers upon layers of navy blue. I’ve embraced it ever since, filling my closet with single-breasted outerwear and shoes that were probably originally designed for children.

So this Side Order is an ode to Bemelmans and the world he created. As a bonus, I pulled together six vintage Bemelmans books for sale on Etsy under $50. Some are first editions!

• Sailor Cardigan, The Tiny Big Sister, $229 — The sailor collar trend is at an all-time high right now, but this navy iteration is a classic.

• Classica Italiana Red Stripe Stationery Set, Rossi, $30 for 25 sets — Rossi is a Florentine stationery brand that’s been around for almost 100 years. Chic!

• Chocolate Éclair Bag, Verafied New York, $368 — I picked this bag out before I even knew it was called the Chocolate Éclair bag, so it was meant to be. I love the ladylike top handle—it feels very 2025-does-1955.

• Jorge Jug, Porta, $168 — The gestural lines on this vase remind me of Bemelmans a bit. And that scallop around the spout, too!

• ½’’ Ultracomfort Headband, France Luxe, $32 — I picked up a couple of these when I was in New York—they’re the ones that Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy supposedly wore. They actually are quite good—there are a few little teeth on the inside near the temples, so it sort of replicates that thing your hair does when you wear sunglasses on top of your head.

• Round Placemat with Ruffle, Zara Home, $30 — The little box pleat! So charming.

• Pénélope Pouch, Cecilia, $280 — Last week, Cecilia launched their bag category, including this cute leather pouch.

• Bow Slip-On Mules, J.Crew Factory, $60 — Honestly, you really can’t sleep on J.Crew Factory. These mules remind me a bit of these Hermès slingbacks, which are, in my opinion, a perfect shoe.

• Pajama Hand-Painted Salad Plate Set, Ali LaBelle x Valsa Home, $175 for a set of 4 — Surprise! It’s me, talking about my collab with Valsa again. These plates really are so cute and I will continue to shove them in your face from now through the end of the year. :)

• Bleu Marine Et Rouge Crewneck, Une Heures, $305 — Just a touch of French-ness (unless you have Françoise Hardy bangs, in which case, you’ve gone full Parisian.)

• Liu Raincoat, Damson Madder, $240 — I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better raincoat?! I’m seriously considering this one.

• Totie Task Lamp, Rejuvenation, $529 — In case you’re after a Bemelmans Bar vibe at home, this little lamp does the trick. It would be cute on a kitchen counter or bar cart.

• Diana Vest, La Veste, $385 — It was tough to choose which La Veste item to include here because the brand has gone deep in their exploration of stripes lately. (I also really love this dress!!!)

• Vesuvius Tablecloth, Studio Ford, $300 — Studio Ford’s Vesuvius pattern reminds me of the facades in Bemelmans illustrations, like this one.

• Face, Lips, & Hand Balm, Féret Parfumeur, $17 — I have it on good authority that this rose-scented balm rules. (I can only vouch for the packaging, which obviously has my stamp of approval.)

• Puro Tortoiseshell Martini Glass, Juliska, $48 — I feel like the ladies in Bemelmans’ restaurant scenes would feel fantastic with one of these in hand.

• Eliza Faux Fur Collar, Apparis, $125 — I’ve been kind of disinterested in faux fur (and real fur, obviously) for a while now, but I like the idea of adding a little collar to something like an oversized denim jacket (or one of the 125 chore coats currently hanging in my closet).

• Brass Twisted Candle Snuffer, Cherche, $52 — I mean, it’s Madeline’s hat. I don’t know if it’s meant to be a hat, but it absolutely is one.

• London Pillbox Hat, Born To Roam, $179 — Speaking of hats, this little structured one could be, I think, very cool. I bought a plain black pillbox hat years ago and I still have yet to wear it—I don’t know that Los Angeles is ready for it. Maybe you’re braver than I.

• Collared Double-Faced Wool Jacket, COS, $399 — This is simply a great coat.

• Pages a Perfumer, Astier de Villatte, $48 — These little gold-edged cards are meant to be spritzed with your favorite perfume and slipped into envelopes, suitcases, or drawers. Each is illustrated by Andrea Ferolla of Chez Dede in Rome.

• Almond Soap, Santa Maria Novella, $18 — This is the best soap, both as a handwashing aide and as a packaging display piece on your bathroom counter.

• Blue Lacquered Ice Bucket, Matilda Goad, $425 — Back to the bar we go, this time with this fabulous ice bucket in tow. (A very Madeline-coded accidental rhyme.)

• Faux Pearl-Trimmed Crocheted Gloves, Gohar World, $200 — I really think vanity gloves might be back, or almost back, at least. Remember I said this when it hits the mainstream.

It’d only be right to include some of Bemelmans’ books, of which there are many vintage copies for sale on sites like Chairish, Ebay, and Etsy. This selection is from Etsy, and it originally included one called Bemelmans’ Italian Holiday, too, but… I bought it.

• The Blue Danube by Ludwig Bemelmans (1945), Etsy, $25

• Are You Hungry Are You Cold by Ludwig Bemelmans (1960), Etsy, $30

• Sunshine: A Story About the City of New York by Ludwig Bemelmans (1950), Etsy, $33

• Lüchow’s German Cookbook by Jan Mitchell with illustrations by Ludwig Bemelmans (1965), Etsy, $19

• My War with the United States by Ludwig Bemelmans (1937), Etsy, $50

• On Board Noah’s Ark by Ludwig Bemelmans (1962), Etsy, $14

I’ll leave you with this:

x

Ali

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