vintage auctions for luxury goods

i just came across some fab sites listing upcoming auctions in paris--
check out gros-delettrez for listings on upcoming louis vuitton [monday, april 7th] and hermes [may 26-27] vintage auctions, and romain rea for info. about auctions on vintage watches and others taht are sold directly through the site. a vintage birkin or used tank watch, anyone?

classical music for the kiddos

the cite de la musique now has a saturday a.m. concert series to introduce les enfants to the finer things in life, i.e., classical concerts. tickets are only 8 euros, and the mini-concerts [1 hour long] are timed just right for the short attention span of the littlest music aficandos. a nice way to sneak in a little culture, rather than saturday a.m. cartoons. tickets and more info. available here.

givenchy's new flagship

givenchy's new paris flagship opens this friday, seated in a prime location between hermes & boucheron on faubourg st. honore. the roll out of the new shop is meant to reinvigorate the brand, which has fallen behind some of paris' others more famous labels. the shop will carry women's and men's lines, along with shoes, bags, and small leather goods in a space designed by the brand's designer Riccardo Tisci and architect Jamie Fobert.

salon d'agriculture

paris is all about contrasts-- you can't get in to the fashion shows, for example, so you go to the cow show instead. pourquoi pas? the salon d'agriculture is on right now, until march 2nd, at the porte de versailles. check out all the raw materials that become our favorite french foods--over 600 cows and bulls are on display, along with wine makers, foie gras specialists, and beaucoup plus! [by the way, don't go saying "moo" to a french cow- they say "meuh" here!]

gaspard yurkievich

today at high noon was the gaspard yurkievich show in the carrousel du louvre. the show's theme, the beautiful fall, was taken from a book by the same name by alicia drake, about the fame and fashion in 1970s paris. the look? flowy dresses, printed tights, big exposed zippers, ladylike blouses, and short skirts with big pockets, all in tones of royal purple, black, and gold. the setting? a glittery gold runway, with sam sparro belting out his new single, "black and gold"

doggie couture

yes, the french are obsessed with their pampered pups-- i just saw a woman on the metro pull down a seat for her pooch when other people were standing due to lack of seats! want to spoil your canine a la francaise? check out the precious-stone encrusted collars by les parichiennes. made with pearls, amethysts, etc., and fine leather, you can have a bracelet made to match your chien's collar- oh la la!

af vandevorst show

my first show of the season was that of af vandevorst, which took place at the maison des metallos in the 11th. the champagne flute invite said 8pm, we were seated by 8.30, and by 8.50 the photographers [pictured above] were hooting and hollering 'let's go'-- i was in total agreement, as it was tres chaud in there!
here are a few shots from the show, which featured lots of men's wear inspired layered suits, quilted jackets and skirts, and some cozy wrapped knits, paired with silver platform heels and studded platform boots.

at 9.15pm, the show ended with waiters bringing champagne around
[normale, as the event was undersigned by piper heidsieck]-- enfin!

a short video of the show in action


and our take home treat-- a 'delicious' box of chocolates with af's logo on them. if the duo doesn't woo the fashion scene with its fall-winter collection, maybe the champagne and chocolates will do the trick?

Paris fashion week

Paris fashion week starts today, and my mail box is busy receiving all sorts of interesting invites-- each trying to out-chic the other houses. the most interesting so far was the champagne glass in a tube from af vandevorst, whose show is tonight. stay tuned for photos and updates from the shows....and to check out the full schedule of fashion week in paris, check out the wwd site or the federation francaise de la couture.

new hair from nouvelle athenes

la nouvelle athenes is one of those place i kept hearing about-- i had articles about this hot salon in my files, then a french friend told me she went and loved it, and to top it off, my hairdresser of five years retired, so it was time for a change.

the salon is set in a large, light-filled apartment behind the gare st lazare, and decorated with chic flea market furniture. no chop shop here, you really feel as if you are in someone's home. the owner, sylvie coudray, believes in looking at your face shape, hair texture, complexion, etc, before determining the best cut for you. i went in with a short cut that had gotten way overgrown, and was told that i needed a bit of hair on my forehead, less on the sides, that my color was wrong, etc. this, of course, was said in that oh-so french frank but convincing style, peppered with her saying ma belle and cherie repeatedly. who could resist? i was out of there two hours later with a new chic 'do, scared to death at first that i had bangs [but she was right, they do make my eyes pop!], and a shiny new vegetable-based color. the hair cuts [note that hair is cut dry to better see how it moves] run 65 euros and color is from 50 euros and up.

the petit plus? sylvie speaks english, having spent a year in florida. she also has great tips on products for the hair-- she recommended a great hand cream (yes, hand cream!) as a styling tool for my hair. trop genial!

mix and match fragrance

It seems that the French are always on the lookout for ways to be more and more creative, n'est-ce pas? And what could be better than an uber-unique perfume? Parfums 137 is the brainchild of nez (perfumer) Isabelle Maillebiau, inspired by French writer Marivaux's character's gift to a geisha. Three small vials of perfume are concealed in a lovely little box, to be worn together or separately: 1 story, 3 essences, 7 perfumes. the coffret nara 1869 [pictured above] is available for 60 euros through the website and at le bon marche.

the paint-by-numbers fendi baguette

to fete its 10 year anniversary, the newest fendi baguette bag comes in its birthday suit-- "nude" with 10 bright pantone markers, so that you can customize it all on your own. retailing for 850 euros, its a pretty penny to pay for a paint-by-numbers doodlefest, but sure to be a collector's item. on sale at the new fendi store at 22, avenue montaigne, 8th arr.

put a little spring in your step

repetto has just put out it's famous BB [for brigitte bardot] ballerina flat, with new neon edging for spring-- so fun and springy, non? available exclusively at colette until the end of march, 140 euros.

antiques diva divulges hermes secrets

thought you hermes fans out there might read this-- a friend's blog post about hermes tips and more., including some of my own advice. check out the antiques diva's hermes primer!

ps- i was just at the le monde du voyage shop at the puces de st. ouen on sunday, feb. 17th-- they have several models of birkins and kellys in stock starting at about 4500 euros and going up. [some are in pristine condition-- meaning that you get a birkin without the year plus wait that you would have at the shop!] plus, the shop will accept payment by wire transfer and will fedex the merch....

pps--another top tip? it is easy to get confused by the two most popular styles, the kelly and the birkin. the kelly has one handle and is usually smaller, and the birkin has two handles plus a 'guide' for the belt/strap that goes around it [pictured above.]

new tea palace in paris

damman freres started their tea business way back in 1692 under the reign of Louis XIV, becoming the exclusive distributors of tea in france at the time. their firstboutique for us mere mortals [before, the products were only sold in gourmet epiceries] has just opened at the lovely place des vosges , selling classic and flavored teas in gorgeous tins. [side note: the boutique is open right now, but will close at the end of march for an expansion...so go now!] 15, place des vosges, 4th arr.

more treats for your sweet

it seems like valentine's day is in full force this year-- every brand is sprouting up ideas for gifts for your amour. see below for some un-traditional cadeaux....kumsi sweet love tea, a black china tea with ginsing and pink pepper, sure to spice up your morning cuppa. 12 euros, from kusmitea.com or from their boutique in st. germain.
ysl's "biarrtiz" thongs, from the yves saint laurent cruise line. 150 euros, also available in pink.

and for the littlest valentine? how about this chic coloring book, playtime: cahier de coloriage. some of paris' biggest kids designers [antik batik, wowo, balouga] drew a page for this special coloring book, whose sales benefits an association to make sure all children receive an eduction. 5 euros, available at habitat.

poiret's glam gowns on auction

a collection of over 30 pieces owned by denise poiret, wife of designer paul poiret, will be up for auction at hotel drouot on february 14th. the collection includes dresses, coats, scarves, and necklaces are museum worthy pieces, and are estimated to sell from between 200 and 2500 euros a piece. on your marks, get set, bid!

valentine's day hints

oh, wouldn't it be nice if all men just spontaneously got great gift ideas for valentine's day? well, in case you aren't living that dream either, why not forward this blog post to the homme in your life? and monsieurs, here are a few hints....petals of love ring in white and yellow gold, with petals that turn. 1900 euros from tess v.
cartier's love bracelet (3200 e), which was made famous in the 1970s. you have to screw it on, with a mini screwdriver, so your love reminder never leaves your wrist. also available as a ring, a pendant, a huge cuff, etc.


this last little number is a mother of pearl charm on a bracelet, from petits tresors, starting 39 euros. sweet and dainty, and the price is so reasonably, you wouldn't feel guilty going to that three star michelin resto...

colette dance class

colette, the chic boutique that defines "cool" in paris, offers dance classes to help you move as hip as you look. offered the first monday of every month at le paris paris club, the free classes start at 10pm, last an hour, then the dj takes over and the fete continues. a guest choreographer shows the moves to a different dance style each week-- allez, dansez!

sonia rykiel reopens in the 6th

after a long closing for renovations, the sonia rykiel boutique on blvd st. germain in the 6th reopened on february 1st. for the occasion, sonia re-launched old faves such as her "poor boy sweater" (175 euros) and a special bird broach set with 175 jewels. what's with the 175? that's the address of the now mythic flagship shop, 175 blvd. st. germain.

brocantes in paris

a brocante is basically an outdoor flea market, sort of a cross between a yard sale and a true antique fair. some brocantes are run by associations and only have professional exhibitors, others are just neighborhood sales. in either case, a brocante can be a fun way to get some cool french items. i've picked up old prints, steel silverware molds, vases, pottery, and the like over the years, so it is a fun way to spend a morning. [i find it interesting to see just how different french 'junk' is than american junk!] i'm listing a few upcoming sales below, and you can check this site for more listings. happy hunting!

feb 2-3, brocante on rue gros, paris 13th [metro eglise d'auteuil]
feb 9-10, brocante on rue saint charles, paris 15th [metro charles michel]
feb 16-17, brocanted on boulevard de reuilly, paris 12th [metro daumesnil]
feb 24-25, brocante at place jean lorrain, paris 16th [metro michel ange]

COS arrives in Paris

while zara goes downscale with its new stradavarious line, arch rival h&m tries to move up the ladder with its new shop, COS. the COS line, already available in london, will install itself in paris on rue de rosiers in april. does paris need more chic & cheap stops? you'll be the judge....

minnie gets a makeover

mademoiselle minnie gets a makeover to fete her 80th birthday [she looks amazing for her age, non?] to celebrate, 80 designers gave her a new look-- the glam garments will be on display at galeries lafayette from april 16 to may 17, then sold to benefit charity. for more info. check out the pretparis.com site.

CSP in the news

happy friday to me! today i am in not one, but 2 of the uk's hottest top media outlets. the first one is a mini interview of me on Sky Travel, part of the sky tv network, called "Paris with a Personal Shopper"-- check out the article below, as i did that as well.

after that, check out the article in the The Guardian, "Meet the bloggers....in Paris"-- a fun piece on my blog and other bloggers who write about paris. there are some great tips on off-the-beaten path things to do in paris, so save it for your next trip.

zara goes cheap

spanish chain zara again expands its offerings in paris with a cheaper line, aimed at competing with h&m. the new shop, stradivarius, is chic & cheap, with jeans starting at 25 euros. right near the big department stores, this place is sure to be a hit. 58bis rue de la chaussee d'antin, 9th.

salon city

this weekend, paris is home to a host of whole bunch of trade shows-- maison et objet (friday-tuesday), one of the best design/home decor shows in the world will attract all sorts of designers and the magazines that write about them. the international lingerie show (thursday- sunday) is also in town, showing off the newest in chichi undergarments, and playtime (saturday- monday), a small-scale salon, showcases all things kid-related. if you are in town for any of these shows and need extra assistance shopping in paris, contact us! and if you are in town to do your own thing, consider booking your favorite restaurants quickly!

paris tv chez vous

i just stumbled upon this when looking at something on the city of Paris website-- paris tv! the site, an initiative of the city of Paris, provides many little videos in different categoires [chaine actualities, which a news channel, deplacements, which is transportation, etc.], but my fave is the chaine culture, which has mini movies on a bunch of great expos going on around town at the moment. so if you can't make it in time to catch the exhibit on the 20s at the musee galleria, check out the video to see a bit about the exhibit-- almost like you were there, from the comfort of your own maison.

organic bebes

victoria christmas is a new line focusing on organic ["bio" in french] clothing for the 0-2 age range. the line is made up of soothing colors [mainly neutrals] and ultra-soft materials, with sweet bloomers for girls and tunisian-style chemises for boys. also be sure to check out the shops signature scent, specifically designed for delicate baby skin, and made to smell like madeleines. the shop is located in the elegant galerie vivienne covered passageway, and named after designer victoria magniant's ancestor, who was named christmas. with all the items like little gifts, the name seems quite suited to the boutique.

hotel in the heart of paris

i've often walked by this sleek little hotel on a tiny street in st. germain and though that it looked classy-- and now my suspicions have been confirmed. the 27 room hotel odeon st. germain has been redecorated by design dieu jacques garcia, leaving the hotel chic & cozy. [in fact, garcia's aim was to make it an ideal place for making babies!] i always suggest that clients stay in st. germain [very central, very parisian, & great for shopping], so this will be another to add to the list. rooms start at 195 euros.

lovely new lanvin

often when bags and garments sport hand-drawn figures or images, they can annoyingly coy or just too girly. this new sac papillote by lanvin sports the sketches of designer alber elbaz and is just the right mix of fashion and artsy coolness. the new line [22 faubourg] also contains t-shirts with similar images-- way chic-er than an eiffel tower tee, non?

"the french are like coconuts"

before christmas, i had the pleasure of having a wonderful intern, an inspired and inspiring british woman named catharine hewitson. she has just published her first article on her experience living in paris for two months in the uk's the northern echo. check it out for some myth-busting tales of her life in the city of lights, and especially the quote from above. on charming blog, l'embrouillamini, you'll find more about her adventures in paris. bravo, cat!

royal gateau

just the thing to cheer you up a cold winter day-- a royal-worthy cake! these cool molds by lekue are made from platinum silicone and are reproductions of cakes served in royal households across Europe. [even betty crocker would would look glam, if made in one of these!]

smell like zadig

many a chic parisian boutique has its own 'scent', so that you can instantly take in the ambiance of the shop with all of your senses. rock glam brand zadig & voltaire has recently put out its own candle, so that you can have the essence of zadig chez vous. for 32 euros, the scent of wood, leather and cashmere can make your humble abode smell like a parisian boutique.

tourism at your own pace

i just came across this site and think it's a great idea-- instead of being herded around on a bus or in a large tour group, check out the downloadable walks and tours available on cityzeum. there are over 2000 points of interested listed in paris, and the commentary is available to download on your ipod or GPS, for free! the shopping listings are a bit average, but chic shopping paris is always available to help you out in that department...

chic shirts

after years of being well known for its fun women and children's lines infused with liberty prints, cacharel is breathing new life into its men's line with a new shop solely for men, the chemiserie cacharel. ths shop carries suits, shirts, knitwear, etc., and offers a sur mesure service. the best part? the prix factory (factory prices)-- shirts are a reasonable 45- 75 euros, suits are 295 euros.

la villa de mademoiselle b

gotta love barbie-- her feet fit perfectly in the highest stilettos, and now she has some of the most interesting architects designing homes just for her. until january 27th, stop by the cite de l'architecture et du patrimoine to see what nine women architects designed for "mademoiselle b"--from an urban cottage to a make-up palace, the blond bombshell has it all!

gourmet goodies

a great new gourmet website out there to help you throw your next french fete-- goumeticone serves up some of the best french products [alain miliat juices, pictured above, foie gras, caviar, champagne], right to your door in 48 hours. of course, they only deliver in france, so if you are renting an apartment in paris or a chateau in provence, check out this site for the best of the best.

hermes secret sale

twice a year, famed french label hermes does a big sale in a secret, off-site location. those in the know find out way in advance and book their plane tickets to get bargains on silk scarves, belts, ties, and more. this years sale is at the palais des congres , from january 9th to 12th, so hurry and get there before its over!

spread the word....

with the new no-smoking laws in effect on january 1, smoking has become very un-chic....to the point that fashionistas are now wearing the no-smoking emblem around their necks. the necklace above [295 euros] is available from adamance.com

Paris shopping tips

Paris is busy promoting itself during the sale period, in hopes to attract visitors with less-than-ideal exchange rates. One of the new initiatives is the Soldes by Paris event, which aims to help visitors shop in different parts of the city. Below I have translated some of the special shopping events that they are offering. But of course, if you would like a more personal option, check out my site, Chic Shopping Paris, for a wide range of shopping tours.

happy bargain hunting!

From Soldes by Paris:

Chic Sales in the 2nd: January 18th and 19th, in the historic passage Vivienne, superbly lit for the holidays, shop owners propose a high quality tag sale (along with mulled wine and special presents)

Gastronomy in the 5th (rue Mouffetard): From January 9-13th, a special gourmet market will offer visitors a chance to find foie gras, wine, and regional products. Neighborhood restaurants and brasseries will serve typical French regional dishes.

Unusual finds in the 10th [Canal Saint Martin]: Ethnic goods, ethical goods, and organic....shop owners will be ambassadors of their products.

back to the city of light

after a few weeks vacation in the US, i am happy to be back to a smoke-free and on-sale paris, filled with thin and fashionable types. [i'm from the midwest, so i've seen my fair share of sweat pants and fast food restos to last me the rest of the year, merci!] but seriously, i feel fortunate to live between two cultures, and enjoy both!

happy new year to all my readers and thanks for being patient while i was away......stay tuned for a year of shopping tips and other random notes on paris in my blog.

on your marks, get set, SOLDES!

the soldes, Paris' official sales, start tomorrow. so if you are out and about today, start cruising the shops and check out what bargains will be had starting tomorrow a.m. and be sure to check out my previous posts on the sales for more info.

many shops will be opening early [department stores printemps and galeries layfette at 9am, bon marche at 8.30am] and/or staying up late, so take advantage of the extended hours!

bonne annee!

happy new year to all! i am back in paris and getting ready for a new year full of blogging and shopping. stay tuned....