Previously a decrepit stockroom for a material wholesaler, the magnificent, moulded interior and parquet flooring of the Atelier Couronnes concept store is the fruit of months of planning and renovation. Specialising in jewellery, leatherwear and other accessories, the Atelier was founded by Louise Damas (of the accessories brand of the same name) and trained optician Claire Rischette (who set up elegant bag-makers Fauvette Paris back in 2013), and sells not only the owners’ hand-made wares but also pieces from other cool emerging designers.
While Damas’ creations ooze comfort and chic, incorporating neoclassical, Victorian and oriental touches in gold items like the ‘Elisabeth’ earrings and the ‘Phèdre’ bracelet (€30-€200), the designs of Rischette’s Fauvette Paris bags are angular, lightly art deco and not unlike Chanel in their striking simplicity. Other attractive ranges include Papier Tigre’s stylish stationery, Kenza’s scented handbags, offbeat cosmetics from Saisons d’Eden, artisanal soap from Le Baigneur, which is made in Montreuil, the Murmur de Bagnolet’s fancy porcelain decorations or pricy watches from southern brand La Trotteuse. Everything is clearly aimed at a very particular type of Parisienne, but it’s all beautifully made and worth checking out for the love of window-shopping alone.
TRANSLATION: HUW OLIVER