antik batik designs shoes for andre

also following the trend of hiring big name designers to sell to the masses, French shoe retailer andre has a new line of shoes, boots, and ballerina flats by bourgeois-bohemian creators antik batik. so if you want the look without the pricetag, check out andre...

mark your calenders: viktor & rolf do h&m

following the trend of inviting top designers to stock the shelves of their chic & cheap chain stores, swedish retailers H & M have invited designers Viktor & Rolf to design a line for them, starting november 9th. mark your calenders and set your alarms, as these limited edition designer pieces tend to go quickly, and then you'll be forced to get your goods from those earlybirds selling leftovers on ebay!

semaine de la gout

for all of you foodie fans out there, this week is for you! special "sales" on fixed priced menus are on tap this week as france celebrates food during the semaine de la gout. until oct 22.

sales at the bon marche

called the TBM sales for "tres bon marche", from october 11th to the 21st. this is a great time to stock up on fall favorites. special sunday hours on october 15th from 10am to 7pm, and open late [until 8pm] on wednesday the 11th and friday the 13th. happy shopping! more details on www.lebonmarche.fr

the material girl does paris

ahhh, you have got to love the french press. while the american rags only got pics of madonna coming out of her hotel [the crillon], the french press knows where she ate and shopped-- the most important things to do in paris by far! for those madge fans out there: breakfast at hotel costes, dinner at le petrelle in the 9th, and shopping at jp gaultier and chopard, bien sur.

design/furniture sale at Via

if modern furnishings are your thing, be sure not to miss the sale tomorrow at Via. over 70 famous interior designers have created objects especially for this sale, with proceeds going to a charity for women with cancer.

33 avenue Daumesnil, 12th
thursday, sept 12th, 1pm-8pm
tel: 01 45 86 54 50

chic must: louis vuitton city guides

we've already started gathering ideas for a chic christmas list -- and one of our fave gift ideas for the jetsetter on your list is the Louis Vuitton City Guide 2007 set. this year's set is in bright sunny yellow, and features the new additions of cities such as Bologne, Bratislava, Kiev, and Monoco, in addition to the 30 cities already featured. the slim, elegant volumes are easy to pack and give the lowdown on the fashionable spots in the featured cities.

chic must: sonia rykiel's new magazine

for the second year in a row, the Sonia Rykiel team is putting out a new magazine entitled quoi de neuf ["what's new"], to outline their favorites in cinema, theater, music, moveis, and the like. get your copy at one of the rykiel boutiques along rue de grenelle, rue des saints-peres, or blvd st. germain in the 6th. but hurry! they are only available until october 1th.

special clothing sale-- today!

If you are in Paris at the moment and want to pick up some bargains, check this out. «Vintage Fashion Week-ends» --01 & 02 september, bargains on Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Vivianne Westwood etc., as well as some vintage stuff and young designer creations. Happy hunting!

Espace Kodjo
54 rue Letort 75018 Paris
M° Porte de Clignancourt (ligne 4) / M° Jules Joffrin (ligne 12)
Tél. / Fax : +33(0)1 42 55 81 86
web: kodjo.fr

csp in the news

today we are featured on delight.com-- check out this fun blog, dedicated to the 'cult of shopping'. and tuesday we film a segment for the travel channel-- oh la la! we'll keep you posted on when chic shopping goes primetime.

other than that, we are slowly perusing the soldes [sales], where the bargains are getting better already and the lines getting shorter. happy shopping!

black is the new black

well, at least this time we are talking about black in regards to housewares and home decor, which makes it seem a bit more original....

the bon marche is currently having an expo in its store windows along with a sale of black objects for the home, in conjuction with the auction house artcuriel, who will auction off some of the luxe objects on june 28th. stop by and check out the new black and what designers are doing with it.

summer sales!!

this just in--- our ever-faithful checking of the french govt DGCCRF website has paid off-- the sale dates for paris have just been announced-- and they are june 28 to august 5. so set your alarms and mark your calendars for this twice yearly sale event, called the soldes in french. read on for more....

The scoop:

When I meet visitors to Paris, they are often searching the city looking for a bargain, disappointed to not see any sale signs in their favorite boutiques. Let me tell you why--in France, by law, sales (“soldes”) are held only twice a year, with one sale period starting in January and the other in July. The government decides when the sales will be held and announces the official dates just days before the sales start. The stores then flutter around getting ready and shopaholics (myself included!) wait with bated breath for the opening day of the sales. Sale prices start at about 25-30% off for the first few days, and grow bigger as the sales go on. By the end of the sales [6 weeks maximum], the reductions can be up to 75% off.

The strategy:

Strategy for the soldes depends on what you are looking for. My advice is that if it is a one of a kind item and you know it is going on sale, snatch it up on the first day, even if it is only 20% off. However, if there are millions of the cashmere sweater you’ve been dreaming of, wait a week and go back to purchase it at a more reduced rate. Essentially, it’s all about the gamble-- and what you are willing to risk.

As for returns, I encourage you to ask before you buy. Although by law shops are supposed to allow you to make an exchange, this policy is not always in practice. If you are not sure about an item, see if the shop will hold it for you for a short period of time while you make your decision.

The snag:

French sales are not limited to just a few items or a few brands; instead the entire outgoing collection is usually on sale. This means that this season’s hottest blouse, pant, shoe, and bag will probably all be on sale, if you still want them at the end of the season. Everything from electronics to shoes to linens and more goes on sale at the same time, so it is easy to get overwhelmed! I try to make a list before hitting the shops to keep from getting sidetracked by flashing signs beckoning me over to a bargain that I don’t need.

The soldes are a great time to pick up classic Parisian pieces that never go out of style, like Longchamp “Le Pliage” bags, a great fitting trench coat, or some Repetto ballerina flats. Longing for a Hermes scarf? Keep your eye out for their sale announcement in Le Figaro or call the store to ask—the sale lasts only a few days and takes place at a special location.

The summary:

The frenzy of French soldes can have you running around town and your credit card might never cool down, but it is a memorable experience. If you happen to miss the sales, don’t worry. Most shops have in-store promotions year round that are almost sales, but not quite. As they cannot technically be called soldes outside of the official periods, these mini sales are often called “promotions” or “fin de series” (“end of series”). Just keep your eye open for bargains, and I know you’ll find plenty of things to make you smile.

6 Tips for Doing the Sales from a Chic Shopper:

1. Hold a stake out: Visit the store before the sale starts, see how many of your beloved item is still in stock, and try to get some information from the vendeuse about its sale price.

2. Avoid the first day: The stores are packed with people and while marathon shopping can be a great sport, shopping the sales on the first day is bound to leave you frustrated.

3. Shop with a friend: She’ll talk you out of that pair of neon green cowboy boots, even if they are 75% off.

4. Get out of bed: Go first thing in the morning to avoid lines or look for special opening hours during the evenings or on weekends.

5. Dress for success: If shopping for clothing, wear layers and clothing that is simple to remove to facilitate trying on.

6. Shop well-armed: Bring multiple forms of payment—credit cards and cash—just in case.

camping chic at printemps

You have to love the marketing efforts by the grands magasins here in Paris-- they will do anything to come up with a new theme to tempt you back into the store. The latest is "CampinGlamour" (until June 17) at Printemps -- who knew camping could be so chic? Check out campy faves a la francaise such as petanque demonstrations, pastis aperatifs, nail art, and, our fave, tupperware parties (!). There is even a special place to take a refreshing nap, just like when you are camping, or rather, to get your shopping mojo well rested!

makeup misconceptions

After living here for four years, I feel like I've become a keen observer of my native people-- not the French, but the Parisian (or Parisienne, as they call themselves). And more often than not, the Parisian woman shows off her natural elegance, style, that je ne sais quoi, without a proper coiffe nor makeup.

My clients often ask what types of beauty products the French love, what chic secrets they might take back stateside with them, and I'm always reluctant to answer-- because the answer is less is more. The recent NY Times article explains this phenomenon beautifully-- Sans Makeup, S'il Vous Plait. And I noted the same thing last night watching the Festival de Cannes on tv-- it's amazing how much less made-up the French are, compared to the Hollywood starlets. (The exceptions being those actresses who have 'crossed over' into American culture, such as Monica Belluci, etc.)

It seems a bit ironic that the country resposable for giving us Chanel, Guerlain, by Terry, etc. wears less of it than other cultures,but maybe this is how French women keep their mystique....they somehow manage to look sexy without looking perfect....

the may chic beat is here!

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www.chicshoppingparis.com

plastic, it's fantasic

The ordinary plastic grocery bag was the inspiration behind contemporary artist Mai Ueda's lastest bag for Celine . Baptized the "Mai Bag for Celine", the bag resembles a plastic bag in shape and weight, but it is made out of an extraordinary material-- laminated kangaroo, in gold, silver, and chocolate leather. The concept was to find the extraordinary in the banal, taking an ordinary sac and making it luxe-- and, I might add, definitely not recycleable. Available for a limited time at Celine shops.

Bastille Antique Fair

This twice yearly Antiquite Brocante (antiques fair) straddles both sides of the river at the Place de la Bastille. Not the biggest bargains, but some goodies are sure to be had. And the plus side is that you don't have to trek all the way up to Clingancourt Puces if you are in the mood for treasure hunting.
May 5-14, 11am to 7pm, Place de la Bastille

bespangled thongs

with monogramming and personalization still the rage, galeries lafayette joins the club by offering Havaianas thongs that you can slip your pretty little feet into and have an 'original' pair of shoes. pick the color of the sole and straps and add on some sparkle with Swarovski crystals or your initials. et voila, c'est chic! starting may 15th; prices start at 27 euros.

chic bookmark

In a never-ending quest to find the best souvenirs with that certain 'je ne sais quoi,' we've uncovered the latest from chic silver brand Christofle. A silver-plated 'marque page' [bookmark], engraved with a portion of the Eiffel Tower. At first glance, it looks like a random, graphic pattern, but on closer inspection, it is indeed your favorite monument, complete with an oh-so-french tassle on the top to make the perfect bookmark. All that for only 35euros; available in Sacre-Coeur and Arc d'Triomphe models as well at their boutique at 9 rue Royale, 8th.

"design" flea market sale coming in may

If you haven't checked out the Quartier Montorgeuil, centered around rue Montorgueil in the 2nd, this is a great chance to do so. A funky sale with 20th century modern furniture and accessories will take place May 19-21. Check out the link for more details.