get off the plane with a bad 'do? stop by the marianne gray salon in st. germain to take advantage of her bar a chignons ["bun bar"]. on thursdays and fridays, you can stop in for a super quick up-do-- the price of which depends on how long it takes to do up your hair! (10 euros for 10 minutes, 20 euros for 20 min, etc.)
famed made-in-france glove house causse has just opened its first boutique in paris at 12 rue de castiglione, 1st arr. fans of the french gantier (which dates back to 1892) include madonna and karl lagerfeld, the latter of whom orders 250 pairs of his famed fingerless gloves at a time. the chic 07/08 winter collection includes lovely specimens in golden lambskin and panther pony.
scarves are making a big comeback around paris this season. check out the hermes carre 70, a 70cm square scarf made for the 70th anniversary of the infamous hermes scarf., available in several styles, including a redition of their first scarf. so chic!
another great accessory to add to your makeup case--chanel's latest fall lipcolors, with the glosses in the shape of their signature camelia flowers. made to wear layered together or alone, these lipglosses are almost too preety to use! all this in the shiny, black chanel compact that oozes paris chic.
the ritz is famous for its bar, its stars, and now, its limited editions. from october 4th to 7th, the ritz will host the vendome luxury trade show, which will offer a boutique filled with limited edition pieces [such as the patent leather repettos, pictured], a luxury bar to relax in between two fashion shows, as well as a beauty center tucked away in the ritz gardens. so if you aren't invited to the fashion shows in paris, you can at least pretend you are part of the It crowd by stopping by the ritz...
famous for her white blouses, designer anne fontaine has opened up a new concept store that combines shopping and spa treatments. the gorgeous white boutique proposes spa treatments with her fontaine's line of organic cosmetics-- and if they promise to make you feel as crisp and clean as a new white shirt, why not?
Catherine Malandrino, the French designer who started her line in New York, just created an exlusive dress, to be sold only at Galeries Lafayette. The dress, made entirely of sequins, is done in a brightly colored patchwork style and spells out "I love Paris"....and for only 3000 euros, you can proclaim your love for the city of light as well.
fancy some classical music in a idyllic garden setting? check out this years "classique au vert" festival in the parc floral. all the concerts are outdoors and free (after paying the park's 2.50 entry fee)-- take a little wine & frommage and make an evening of it. every saturday and sunday at 4pm, until september 23rd.
i've seen this chair around for years, and still can't get enough of it. i recently found out that the original version comes from the brand tolix, and it has been around for nearly a century. still chic today, the chair is made from galvanized zinc, and its clean lines are a bit retro, a bit industrial. oh-so-chic to mix a set of them with a big country table at your maison de campagne, non?
A former jewelry designer for Dior and Galliano, talented young designer Alexis Mabille is one to watch. His amazing line Treizor focuses on the updated bow tie-- in a jillion permuations. With beads, in denim, to wear in your hair or as a belt, the unisex creations are a truly unique accessory. He does not yet have his own shop, but check out his goods at Colette and Le Bon Marche
chic and not cher chain zara has (finally!) brought their home store-- zara home-- to paris. focussing on accessories for every room of the home, the look ranges from white-on-white to spanish hacienda to shabby chic and tradtional french. the kid's line is especially adorable. check it out at 2, boulevard de la madeleine, right next to french homeware shop habitat.
famed fashion house chanel met up with Pritzker prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, and the result is this amazing, futuristc mobile art space. the moveable capsule will hold an art expo featuring artistic interpretations of chanel's famous quilted bag. the mobile art space will travel to 7 cities worldwide, it's final destination being paris in 2010.
famed shoe creator michel vivien is putting out a line for chain store andre this fall. vivien, who is most famous for the square-buckled shoes that catherine deneuve wore in belle du jour, has made a big comback in the past few years. now those with more modest budgets can have some of his original creations as well. ballerinas, above, for 125 euros, along with other gorgeous styles, inspired by some of his best sellers.
prestigious leather goods brand lancel has just announced a new line by cecile togni, a famed nightlife presence and dj. the young and funky line is available at colette starting september 3rd (and later in lancel stores). check out the bags, adorned with drawings of lipstick, stilettos, and records, bien sur.
Inspired by a text about gardens under Louix XIV, the Reunion des Musees Nationaux has partnered up with Gien to create this lovely edition of contempory porcelain adorned with 17th century floral patterns (called l'Herbier du Roy). It can be ordered online or found at some of the boutique musuems around Paris. A good gift option for those who are inspired by France's lovely gardens, and long to take a piece of them home.
i'm starting a new category here-- in an aim to let you paris fans know about all the cute chain stores that are out there. princesse tam tam is one of those great little frenchy shops-- they are sprouting up all over the city, but the lingerie is not as expensive like the big french lines [chantal thomas, huit, etc.], and it is oh-so-cute! great little bra and panty sets, adorable nighties, cute swimsuits-- often with a vintagey theme, with just the right amount of lace and embellishment.
you'll have to admit-- having a scent that is very rare is a very chic thing! serge lutens, who creates exclusive scents for the gorgeous perfumerie salons du palais royale sheisdo, has just come out with his new scent, Sarrasins, his 24th exclusive creation for the boutique. be sure to check out the nearby palais royale gardens nearby.
while doing some shopping 'research' last week, i accidentally-on-purpose stumbled into this colorful jewelry boudoir boutique. geraldine valluet does all sorts of creative things with silver, pearls, etc-- jewels for mom, jewels for bebe, and for yourself too. this all takes place in her colorful boutique-slash-atelier. the best part is the prices, which are completely reasonable for bijoux that are practically made right before your eyes in her workshop. styles run from a simple little pendant to a long ornate pair of earrings. let yourself stumble across this shop next time you are in the montmartre/piagalle neighborhood, and i bet you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Photographer Willy Maywald moved to Paris in the 1930s and became the photographer of la vie boheme -- photographing artists like Leger and Clader and models sporting the latest duds in the streets of Paris, alongside scenes of everyday Parisian life. Over 200 photos from the years 1931 to 1955 are on display in the charming Musee Carnavalet, until Sept. 30th.
the new chic place to have a drink this summer-- the mini palais under the columns in the grand palais, a new uber-chic summer terrace, complete with baccarat light fixtures and faux croco walls [in the interior.] the menu is by gilles choukroun [of the angl'opera restaurant], and serves up salads, sandwiches, and little plates - plan on spending 25 euros. open from 10am to 1am, 7 days of the week.
if you have always wanted your own French fragrance-- here is your chance. the guerlain boutique on the champs elysees now offers an upclose look at guerlain perfumes. the so called 'atelier de parfumerie' takes place one friday a month. a 'nose' from the venerable perfume house will talk about the house's perfumes, how perfume is made, etc. you get to leave witha mini bottle of perfume. 180 euros for the day, including lunch. call 01.45.62.52.57 for more info.
famed french publishing house assouline has just published a gorgeous 3-volume book set on legendary fashion house chanel. the leather bound set is made to look like chanel's famous quilted 2 55 bag... and it is the chic-est coffee table book that i've seen in a while. [although at 495 euros, you might pay more for it than you do for your coffee table!] another good excuse to visit the assouline boutique, just to take a peek if nothing else....
