PARIS SHOPPING 2017/18 THE GUIDE


This page, clockwise from top left: Chic, minimalist designs at A.P.C.; ready-to-wear fashion at & Other Stories; kitchenware at La Trésorerie; Verbreuil on rue Saint-Roch


designs with a touch of avant- guard geek; Gabrielle Geppert’s vintage (’60s-’80s) and vintage-inspired designs; and Didier Ludot’s museum- quality designer vintage.


THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE


Named for the perfect triangle formed by the Champs-Élysées, avenue George V and avenue Montaigne, and bisected by the opulent rue François 1er, this is where Paris’s goliath couture and designer houses congregate in all their haughty splendour. This is not a place for the faint of heart – or wallet. From the unsmiling, liveried doormen to the glamorous salespeople infinitely thinner and better dressed than you, this can be a daunting experience. But the courageous will find an excellent


opportunity to take the pulse of Paris high fashion, and, if you dress the part, be treated like royalty. A few of the names you’ll find: Dior, Marni, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Valentino, Nina Ricci, Ungaro, Pucci, Hermès, Chanel (three boutiques, including accessories, eyewear and couture), Chloé, Saint Laurent Paris, Jimmy Choo, Lanvin, Alaïa... Those in a hurry can pop into Montaigne Market, a concept store for platinum-card holders where they’ve kindly assembled a curated selection of top designer fashions, accessories and shoes, plus a fabulous collection of glam jewellery. Recommended, if only to see what’s hot before running to Zara Champs-Élysées. All the boutiques are ravishing, but standouts include: Chanel, complete with a giant set of


Coco’s cascading pearls; Louis Vuitton, at the intersection of the Champs-Élysées and avenue Georges V, and Hermès’s grand boutique and café. Don’t miss Guerlain’s historic Champs- Élysées flagship, complete with a spa and café, perfect for lunch.


CANAL SAINT-MARTIN What was a sleepy artsy enclave a mere half-dozen years ago has morphed into Paris’s latest hipster destination, with boutiques, concept stores, trendy coffee bars and


restaurants. This fun selection of eclectic boutiques is perfectly doable in a single afternoon. Though you will find some Paris chains, they’re mostly the ones you want to check out anyway. The main streets to hit are: rues de Marseille, Beaurepaire, de Lancry and quai de Valmy.


La Trésorerie 11 rue du Château d’Eau All those fabulous French and European kitchen and housewares you simply can’t resist in an open loft space, plus a Swedish-style café.


Babel


55 quai de Valmy The hipster’s equivalent of a department store, with clothes, furnishings, vintage, hardware, cosmetics – you name it.


Centre Commercial 2 rue de Marseille Young designers, sustainable handmade leather goods and other accessories crafted in France. Plus candles, vintage, and a lovely shoe shop. Around the corner (22 rue Yves Toudic), Centre Commercial Kids is tops for toys, clothes, jewellery,


❯❯ Oct/Nov 2017 FRANCE TODAY ❘ 151


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