After a fashion
One city, four very different fashion streets. Your guide: Meg Zimbeck
THE OLD CHIC
The most à la mode street in Paris, lined with showrooms for virtually every major fashion house, is also home to the country’s primary decision makers – President Sarkozy at No 55 and French Vogue at No 56. On either side of the Elysées Palace, this rue reads like the runway resume of first lady (and former model) Carla Bruni. Take a tour of her former employers by visiting Prada (No 6), Chanel (No 21), Valentino (No 27), Chloé (No 54) and Christian Lacroix (No 73). Another landmark is Lanvin at No 22, which, back in the 1930s, drew the most famous stars of Europe. Today, the label is worn by icons like Michelle Obama. Pick up a pair of her famous silver sneakers, or come to admire designer Alber Elbaz’s fantastical window displays. Next door at No 24 is leading French luxury brand Hermès. What began in 1837 as a saddle shop today sells a full line of leather, jewellery, perfume, ready-to-wear and of course the famous scarves. Stroll a bit further to No 38 and pay credit card homage to the late designer Yves Saint Laurent. Past the rue Royal, Colette, at No 213 rue Saint-Honoré, is the original concept store, selling high-end fashion, gadgets and design magazines.
THE NEW CHIC
Built almost 400 years ago to house the powerful Cardinal Richelieu, the Palais Royal has for centuries been home to the nobles of French society. Its interior courtyard has long provided a tranquil place to sit, stroll or steal a kiss. Shopping has more recently been added to that list, with the introduction in 2008 of a small number of very select stores. First stop on any royal tour should be Didier Ludot, a playground for lovers of vintage haute couture. The shop at No 20 Galerie Montpensier houses Ludot’s collection of red-carpet-ready gowns, including vintage masterpieces from Dior, Balenciaga and Schiaparelli; nearby, No 24 is Ludot’s trove of ready-to-wear treasures from the 1920s to 1980s, including Chanel tweeds, designer dresses and plenty of accessories. A few doors down at No 32-33 is haute glove purveyor Mary Beyer, favoured supplier to luxury houses like Dior and Louis Vuitton. Beyer’s elegant shop offers precise fittings for custom gloves made from mink, kid and crocodile. No 34 is the new Marc Jacobs store that inspired this season’s hit handbag, the “Palais Royal”.
Across the gardens, past the plane trees and tinkling fountain, is a parallel row of shops in the Galerie de Valois. No 114 is home to Stella McCartney, who exhibits her line of ready-to-wear, lingerie, perfume and accessories in a serene, sculptural space. Designer jeans are the main draw at Acne (No 124), but beyond the denim the selection at this Swedish shop – short for Ambition to Create Novel Expressions – ranges from simple tees to dramatic dresses. You can also pick up a copy of Acne Paper, the collective’s glossy coffee-table magazine. Don’t leave the Palais Royal without checking out the “pop-lux chic” designs at Corto Moltedo (No 146).
SERIOUSLY COOL
Until 1860, Charonne was a farming village outside the walls of Paris. Today, it’s the beating heart of Parisian “bobo” (bourgeois bohemian) culture. Just east of Bastille, the neighborhood is a concentration of good things to eat and – most importantly – select shopping. Begin at Isabel Marant (No 61), a designer whose name is on the pouty lips of every young Parisienne. Inspired by the textiles and textures of Asia and the Maghreb, Marant creates loosely fitting dresses and other pieces that are easy to wear and furiously trendy. Further along the street, Oxyde (No 28) is stocked with roomy and slightly rumpled creations that somehow, when pulled together with the label’s shoes and accessories, manage to appear elegant. At No 33, Carole and Clarent are the French Trotters, photographers who travel the world each year bringing back their discoveries to the rue de Charonne. They focus every season on a new destination – Sao Paulo is the current rage – and showcase the designers and artists from that city at their Paris shop. Final stop is Almost Famous, which presents the fashion finds of David Hermelin, as well as a few of the stylist’s own creations. The store that Hermelin runs with his sister has become a favourite among traveling trend-spotters. After emptying your wallet, join the local bobos at their favourite haunt, the Pause Café at No 41.
COOL AND QUIRKY
This narrow street in the upper Marais is all about risk-taking design. Taking inspiration for its name from the Cirque d’Hiver at its northern end (charlot means “clown”), the street is a tightrope supporting the balancing acts of a dozen independent creators. The performance takes flight at Surface to Air, which is known informally as S2A and is a collective that produces music videos and a line of contemporary fashion for men and women. You’ll find well-paid DJs perusing the graphic tees and fitted jackets in its polished shop at No 68. Corinne Cobson, next door (No 66), dresses the city’s rockers in a space that’s decorated with her favourite records. A few doors down again is the first Paris store of emerging designer Valentine Gauthier. Her slightly androgynous collection for women is less outlandish than that of her neighbour, but Gauthier has recently garnered a lot of praise from the local fashion press. Across the way, La Boutique Farida (No 61) offers what may be your only opportunity to try on Vivienne Westwood inside a birdcage-shaped fitting room. Gaspard Yurkievich has a similar sense of the absurd – you’ll find mannequins arranged like tigers in the window at No 43. At No 41, the newly arrived Plagg pairs a small garden with a big selection of Nordic designers. Final stop before a well-deserved break at the Café Charlot (38 rue Bretagne, corner of Charlot) is the white-hot shoe shop Pring, where the candy-coloured creations are très risqué and guaranteed to turn heads.
|
 |
