Shopping

Department stores | The classics | Contemporary chic | Boutique & concept Used & vintage | Shoes & bags | Oddities & eccentricities | Antiques & flea markets

Department stores
Le Bon Marché
The city’s oldest department store, opened in 1848, is also its most swish and user-friendly. Luxury boutiques, Dior and Chanel among them, take pride of place on the ground floor; escalators designed by Andrée Putman take you up to the fashion floor, which has an excellent selection of global designer labels, while VIP services include personal shopping stylists for men and women. The adjoining Grande Epicerie food hall (00 33 1 44 39 81 00/www.lagrandeepicerie.fr) has a café and restaurant open Mon-Sat 8.30am-9pm.
Le Bon Marché, 24 rue de Sèvres, 7th (00 33 1 44 39 80 00/www.bonmarche.fr). Métro Sèvres Babylone. Open Mon-Wed, Fri 9.30am-7pm, Thur 10am-9pm, Sat 9.30am-8pm.

BEST DEPARTMENT STORE
Printemps
Printemps is the home of superlatives: its shoe department (the entire fifth floor of Printemps de la Mode) and beauty department are the largest in Europe, the latter now boasts an impressive Chanel concesssion and a replica of Kiehl’s New York flagship. With another facelift this year, Printemps is more luxury-focused than ever, and the level of customer service astounding. In all, there are six floors of fashion over four stores (all next to each other) where French designers APC and Zadig et Voltaire sit side by side with Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana. There’s also a new street, boardwear and vintage concept store, the Citadium, with more than 250 brands to satisfy stylish Parisian youth. For the fashion-weary the tea salon is a slightly more intimate choice than ‘Taste For Luxury’, Printemps’ huge glittering gastronomic experience underneath a breathtaking atrium. All department stores should be like this.
Printemps, 64 bd Haussmann, 9th (00 33 1 42 82 57 87/www.printemps.com). Métro Havre Caumartin/RER A Auber/RER E Haussmann-Saint Lazare. Open Mon-Wed, Fri, Sat 9.35am-7pm, Thur 9.35am-10pm.
Feature continues

Department stores | The classics | Contemporary chic | Boutique & concept Used & vintage | Shoes & bags | Oddities & eccentricities | Antiques & flea markets

The classics
Azzedine Alaïa
Ringing the doorbell gains you entry to the factory-style showroom in the same building as Alaïa’s headquarters and apartment, where the 67-year-old Tunisian creator continues to astound with his originality. Stunning haute couture creations are in the back room, and sexy shoes bordering on fetish are scattered among the mannequins and rails.
Azzedine Alaïa,7 rue de Moussy, 4th (00 33 1 42 72 19 19). Métro Hôtel de Ville. Open Mon-Sat 10am-7pm.

Balenciaga
With Nicolas Ghesquière at the helm, the Spanish fashion house is ahead of Japanese and Belgian designers in the hip stakes. Floating fabrics contrast with dramatic cuts, producing a sophisticated urban style that the fashion haut monde can’t wait to slip into. Bags and shoes are also available.
Balenciaga, 10 av George V, 8th (00 33 1 47 20 21 11/www.balenciaga.com). Métro Alma Marceau or George V. Open Mon-Sat 10am-7pm.

BEST FOR CLASSIC FRENCH STYLE
Chanel
One of the world’s most well-known and loved fashion brands, Chanel has managed to stay relevant thanks to Karl Lagerfeld. Coco opened her first boutique in this street, at number 21, in 1910, and the tradition continues in this supremely elegant space. Lagerfeld has been designing for Chanel since 1983 and keeps on cleverly celebrating and subverting the classics, like the little black dress and the Chanel suit, with great success.
Chanel, 31 rue Cambon, 1st (00 33 1 42 86 28 00/www.chanel.com). Métro Concorde or Madeleine. Open Mon-Sat 10am-7pm. Other locations: 42 av Montaigne, 8th (00 33 1 47 23 74 12).

Lanvin

Lanvin
One of the oldest French couture houses, founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin and designed today by Alber Elbaz, who adds his own unique approach to classic couture design. With a respectful nod to Jeanne Lanvin’s archive, the house has become a cult favourite with fashion’s elite. Revamped very recently, this is the flagship women’s store; the men’s store can be found at number 15 (00 33 1 44 71 31 25).
Lanvin, 22 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 8th (00 33 1 44 71 31 73/www.lanvin.com). Open Mon-Sat 10.30am-7pm.

Louis Vuitton
Marc Jacobs revamped Vuitton at the same time as revamping himself – his recent change of image from plump, bespectacled designer to pumped-up style icon is reflected in Vuitton’s confidently brash notion of luxury. The ‘Promenade’ flagship sets the tone for Vuitton’s global image, from the ‘bag bar’ and jewellery department to the women’s and men’s ready-to-wear. Contemporary art, videos by Tim White Sobieski and a pitch-black elevator by Olafur Eliasson complete the picture.
Louis Vuitton, 101 av des Champs-Elysées, 8th (00 33 810 810 010/www.vuitton.com). Métro George V. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm. Other locations: 6 pl St-Germain-des-Prés, 6th; 22 av Montaigne, 8th.

Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent retired in 2002 after a 40-year career that began at Dior and continued with the androgynous revolution he fomented in the 1960s under his own name, getting women into dinner and jump suits. This is the women’s store; you’ll find menswear at number 12 (00 33 1 43 26 84 40).
Yves Saint Laurent, 6 pl St-Sulpice, 6th (00 33 1 43 29 43 00/www.ysl.com). Métro St-Sulpice. Open Mon 11am-7pm; Tue-Sat 10.30am-7pm.

Department stores | The classics | Contemporary chic | Boutique & concept Used & vintage | Shoes & bags | Oddities & eccentricities | Antiques & flea markets

Contemporary chic
Comme des Garçons
Rei Kawakubo’s design ideas and revolutionary mix of materials have influenced fashions of the past two decades, and are showcased in this fire-engine red, fibreglass store. Exclusive perfume lines get a futuristic setting at Comme des Garçons Parfums (23 pl du Marché-
St-Honoré, 1st, 00 33 1 47 03 15 03).
Comme des Garçons, 54 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 8th (00 33 1 53 30 27 27). Métro Concorde or Madeleine. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm.

John Galliano
It’s hard to imagine how he manages it, but Dior chief Galliano still has his own range and a reputation as one of the UK’s most original designers. You can view the small but diverse collection of flamboyant and feminine delights through the showcase window, or from the Louis XVI-style leather chairs inside.
John Galliano, 384-386 rue Saint-Honoré, 1st (00 33 1 55 35 40 40/www.johngalliano.com). Métro Concorde or Madeleine. Open Mon-Sat
11am-7pm.

BEST FOR DESIGNER DENIM
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Having celebrated his thirtieth year in the fashion business, Gaultier is still going strong. His boudoir boutique with its peach taffeta walls stocks men’s and women’s ready-to-wear and the reasonably priced JPG Jeans lines, with the haute couture department upstairs (00 33 1 42 97 48 12, by appointment only).
Jean-Paul Gaultier, 6 rue Vivienne, 2nd (00 33 1 42 86 05 05/www.jeanpaulgaultier.com). Métro Bourse. Open Mon-Fri 10.30am-7pm, Sat 11am-7pm.

Isabel Marant
Marant’s style is easily recognisable in her ethno-babe brocades, blanket-like coats and decorated sweaters. It’s a favourite among young trendies and artsy Parisiennes.
Isabel Marant, 16 rue de Charonne, 11th (00 33 1 49 29 71 55/www.isabelmarant.tm.fr). Métro Ledru-Rollin. Open Mon-Sat 10.30am-7.30pm.

Martin Margiela
Margiela’s first Paris outlet is a pristine, white, unlabelled space. His collection for women (Line 1) has a blank label but is recognisable by external white stitching. You’ll also find Line 6 (women’s basics) and Line 10 (menswear), plus accessories for men and women and shoes.
Martin Margiela, 23 & 25bis rue de Montpensier, 1st (00 33 1 40 15 07 55/www.maisonmartinmargiela.com). Métro Palais Royal Musée du Louvre. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm.

Sonia Rykiel
The queen of stripes produces skinny rib knitwear evoking the Left Bank babes of yore. Menswear is across the street, while two newer boutiques stock the younger, more affordable Sonia by Sonia Rykiel range (59 rue des Sts-Pères, 6th, 00 33 1 49 54 61 00) and kids’ togs (4 rue de Grenelle, 6th, 00 33 1 49 54 61 10). Also on rue de Grenelle, on the site of Sonia’s original 1966 shop, the Rykiel Woman store at number 6 (00 33 1 49 54 66 21) stocks a range of designer sex toys.
Sonia Rykiel, 194 bd St-Germain, 6th (00 33 1 49 54 60 60/www.soniarykiel.com). Métro St-Germain-des-Prés or Sèvres Babylone. Open Mon-Sat 10.30am-7pm.

Tsumori Chisato
Known for her inventive use of colour and wispy fabrics, this designer has a cult following thanks to her poetic, romantic designs, art direction by Surface To Air, and cute textile prints big on ingenious detail.
Tsumori Chisato, 20 rue Barbette, 3rd (00 33 1 42 78 18 88). Métro Hôtel de Ville or St-Paul. Open Mon-Sat11am-7pm.

Department stores | The classics | Contemporary chic | Boutique & concept Used & vintage | Shoes & bags | Oddities & eccentricities | Antiques & flea markets

Boutique & concept
Base One
Dynamic clubland duo Princesse Léa and Jean-Louis Faverole squeeze items from little-known local and international designers (Shai Wear, Li-Lei, Drolaic, OK47), plus small, established brands (Fenchurch, Motel, Consortium) into a sitting-room style boutique. Calling it an underground Colette would be somewhere near the mark.
Base One, 47bis rue d’Orsel, 18th (00 33 1 53 28 04 52/www.baseoneshop.com). Métro Anvers. Open Tue-Sat 12.30-8pm, Sun 3.30-8pm.

Colette
Renowned and much imitated one-stop concept and lifestyle store Colette is still influential. This shrine to limited-edition must-haves, displayed inside clinical glass cases, is dotted with vinyl stickers of artist Genevieve Gauckler’s odd creatures. Books, media, shiny new gadgets, a mini Le Labo perfume counter and the hair and beauty brands Själ, Kiehl’s and Uslu airlines are scattered amid the magazines and photo albums on the ground floor and mezzanine. Upstairs has a selection of ‘in’ clothes and accessories including sport-inspired knitwear from Brit designer Lou Dalton.
Colette, 213 rue St-Honoré, 1st (00 33 1 55 35 33 90/www.colette.fr). Métro Pyramides or Tuileries. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm.

L'Eclaireur

L’Eclaireur
Housed in a dandified warehouse, L’Eclaireur stocks uncompromising designs by Comme des Garçons, Martin Margiela, Dries van Noten, Carpe Diem and Junya Watanabe. Among its exclusive finds, check out ethereal smocks by Finnish designer Jasmin Santanen. At the secretive rue Hérold branch you have to ring the doorbell to enter. A new space in rue Boissy d’Anglas, near Concorde, sells chic fashions for men and women, and has its own café-restaurant with an accent on Fornasetti. The menswear store can be found in rue Malher.
L’Eclaireur, 3ter rue des Rosiers, 4th (00 33 1 48 87 10 22/www.leclaireur.com). Métro St-Paul. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm. L’Eclaireur Homme, 12 rue Malher, 4th (00 33 1 44 54 22 11).

Espace Créateurs Forum des Halles
Situated on level-1 of Forum des Halles, this space dedicated to young designers is worth visiting despite the location. Isabel Marant and Erotokritos both started out here. Among the eight boutiques’ multi-label selections, check out trendy Senegalese designer Xuly Bët, theatrical flair from TT WIP and Zike’s bags made from recycled car interiors.
Espace Créateurs, Level -1, Porte Berger & Grand Balcon, Forum des Halles, 1st (www.forumdeshalles.com). Métro Les Halles. Open Mon-Sat 10am-7.30pm.

LE 66
This new behemoth of a concept store offers just about every hip brand going. Prime location is given to the 66 products of the moment, with a personality choosing their favourites each month. On the ground floor are books and magazines, plus a space devoted to Potemkin, the DVD specialist found on Canal St-Martin, before you encounter the 100 men’s and women’s designers and 400 models of shoes on the lower ground floor.
Le 66, 66 av des Champs-Elysées, 8th (00 33 1 53 53 33 80/www.le66.fr). Métro George V. Open daily 11am-8pm.

Spree
Artistic director Bruno Hadjadj and fashion designer Roberta Oprandi offer fashion, design and art with a Montmartre vibe – 1960s chairs draped in the latest fashions by Preen and Isabel Marant.
Spree, 16 rue de La Vieuville, 18th (00 33 1 42 23 41 40/www.spree.fr). Métro Abbesses. Open Mon 2-7pm, Tue-Sat 11am-7.30pm. Other locations: 1 rue St-Simon, 7th (00 33 1 42 22 05 04).

Surface To Air

Surface To Air
This non-concept concept store also acts as a gallery and graphic design agency. The cult clothing selection takes in Alice McCall’s sassy frocks, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair jeans and printed dresses by Wood Wood and the store’s own label designed by Aldric Speer. For men, labels include Marios, Wendy & Jim and F-Troupe.
Surface To Air, 68 rue Charlot, 3rd (00 33 1 44 61 76 27/www.surface2air.com). Métro St-Sébastien Froissart. Open Mon-Sat 12 noon-7.30pm.

Christophe Lemaire
Creative director for Lacoste for seven years, Lemaire has now opened his own boutique in an old pharmacy. It’s decorated like a fantasy apartment: the salon, in ’70s gold and glitz, stocks his own-label menswear and womenswear in high-tech Japanese textiles and leads into a soundproofed music room with a wall of old speakers where you can buy collectable Lacoste and Lemaire’s own fave CDs. Next door the seductive ‘Japanese salon’ holds the jeans range. You can also buy the vintage lighting on display here.
Christophe Lemaire, 28 rue de Poitou, 3rd (00 33 1 44 78 00 09/www.lemairestyle.com). Métro St-Sébastien Froissart. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7.30pm.

Department stores | The classics | Contemporary chic | Boutique & concept Used & vintage | Shoes & bags | Oddities & eccentricities | Antiques & flea markets

Used & vintage
Adrenaline
This dépot-vente specialises in vintage luggage and handbags. Iconic Vuitton suitcases and Kelly and Birkin bags command enormous prices, but there are slightly more affordable pieces and a small collection of ’60s couture.
Adrenaline, 30 rue Racine, 6th (00 33 1 44 27 09 05). Métro Odéon. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm.

La Belle Epoque
Ex-model and theatrical costumier Philippe will happily spend many hours rhapsodising about the joys of vintage. In the shop you’ll find everything from the blue velour Grace Jones ensemble by Yves Saint Laurent to a selection of inexpensive ’70s shirts and fake
fur coats.
La Belle Epoque, 10 rue de Poitou, 3rd (00 33 6 80 77 71 32). Métro St Sébastien Froissart. Open Tue-Sat 1.30-6.30pm.

BEST FOR VINTAGE COUTURE
Didier Ludot
Didier Ludot’s temples to vintage haute couture today appear in Printemps, London’s Harrods and New York’s Barneys, stocking his own line of little black dresses – also available at the aptly named La Petite Robe Noire (125 galerie de Valois, 1st, 00 33 1 40 15 01 04). The prices are steep, but the pieces are stunning: Dior, Molyneux, Balenciaga, Pucci, Féraud and, of course, Chanel, from the 1920s onwards. Ludot also curates exhibits, using the exclusive shop windows around the Palais-Royal as a gallery.
Didier Ludot, 20-24 galerie de Montpensier, 1st (00 33 1 42 96 06 56/www.didierludot.com). Métro Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre. Open Mon-Sat 10.30am-7pm.

Free ‘P’ Star
Late-night shopping is fun at this Aladdin’s cave of retro glitz, ex-army wear and glad rags that provides many a cross-dresser with party wear.
Free ‘P’ Star, 8 rue Ste-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie, 4th (00 33 1 42 76 03 72). Métro St-Paul. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 2-10pm.

Rag
One half of Rag focuses on pilots’ navy jumpers and 1970s shirts at €15, colourful puffer jackets and ’70s heels; the other may yield a vintage Hermès scarf, 1960s Paco Rabanne dress or Gucci accessory.
Rag, 83-85 rue St-Martin, 4th (00 33 1 48 87 34 64). Métro Rambuteau. Open Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12noon-8pm.

Studio W
Aesthete William Moricet’s tiny shop is simply exquisite, from the vintage Courrèges and Yves Saint Laurent couture on mannequins to the glossy golden retriever that lounges among crocodile and patent leather shoes and bags. There’s some fabulous jewellery for sale, too.
Studio W, 6 rue du Pont-aux-Choux, 3rd (00 33 1 44 78 05 02). Métro St-Sébastien Froissart. Open Tue-Sat 2-7.30pm.

Department stores | The classics | Contemporary chic | Boutique & concept Used & vintage | Shoes & bags | Oddities & eccentricities | Antiques & flea markets

Shoes & bags
Bruno Frisoni
Innovative Frisoni’s shoes have a cinematic, pop edge: modern theatrics for the unconventional.
Bruno Frison, 34 rue de Grenelle, 6th (00 33 1 42 84 12 30/www.brunofrisoni.com). Métro Rue du Bac. Open Tue-Sat 10.30am-7pm.

Pierre Hardy