10 glasses of tea a day 7 face massages a week 6 pieces of chocolate
SONIA 7AM As soon as I am up, I will brush my hair. I eat breakfast first: tea and brown bread, and sometimes a fresh fruit juice such as orange or grapefruit. I write notes on the previous day in my notebook, and then I shower. I use only very high-quality products custom-made for me in Évian-les-Bains. There is no brand; they are all by a specialist who has stopped making them but makes an exception for me. I receive them every month in my mailbox. After my shower I drink a big glass of tea while inspecting the flowers in the flat and changing their water. My first conversation of the day is with my daughter, Nathalie. I call her every morning; it is a ritual. I love the telephone – my iPhone 5S is my only gadget. I don’t read e-mails because I hate them. I try to stay away from all that technology, which I find amazing, but it’s not for me. I protect myself from all that. Getting dressed takes me about 20 minutes. Every day I wear the same suit, a long jersey or a crepe coat with wide short pants. The colour goes from black to dark brown. Only the jewels change. My accessories are all in a big basket, and I make up my mind according to the mood of the day. In general, a classic strand of pearls and les faux diamants [rhinestones] have a nice effect. Currently on my fingers I am wearing rubies from Marie-Hélène de Taillac over my rubies from Tiffany’s – très chic! 10.30AM I give the drawings I’ve done in the morning to my assistant. I don’t have meetings. People call me and ask if they can come and visit me in my apartment. I say yes, and sometimes I say no. It depends on the day. I talk face-to-face about the world, the fashion, the kids, the news, the future. 12.30PM I eat lunch rather early. I love Japanese. On Sundays I usually have lunch with my granddaughters and sisters. I drink thé de Chine from Mariage Frères all day long, 10 glasses at least. I work out every day with my personal trainer, who used to be a soloist at the Opéra de Paris. But the best thing is to walk, which I do every day at the Jardin du Luxembourg right after lunch for an hour. 2.30PM My daughter knows what I like and does most of the shopping for me. I love bags, shoes, accessories, books. My favourite bookstores are L’Écume des Pages on St.-Germain-des-Prés and Rizzoli in New York. I am currently rereading Madame Bovary. 6PM I read the press and relax. I look at Women’s Wear Daily and all the fashion magazines, all the political newspapers, The New York Times, Le Monde, Libération, Le Figaro, and a lot of magazines about art auctions and galleries. I also listen to music. I love opera! And I love antique silver objects; I own quite a lot of them. My biggest indulgences are dark chocolate from Pierre Hermé, les soufflés au fromage from Cigale Récamier, le gâteau au fromage from Jean-Paul Hévin (sublime), and going to le salon de thé Angelina. I just can’t live without chocolate – I have between two and six pieces every day. 8PM I usually have a light dinner that always ends with dark chocolate. My favourite cocktail is a Bellini from Harry’s Bar in Venice. My son, Jean-Philippe, comes to have dinner with me twice a week. I see my daughter, my assistant, and the news on TV every day! I love to stay home watching a good TV programme, or if I go out, a quick dinner tête-à-tête. 10PM My facialist comes to visit every night to do a long cleaning and face massage. 12AM My bedroom is dark-lacquered navy blue from top to bottom. There are books everywhere and a big-screen TV and pictures of my family. Normally, I will go to sleep sometime around midnight.