Paris Fashion Week: Ultimate Guide for SS/18

Who’d have thought 10 years ago that you’d be queuing up to get into a hotel? Btu the Hoxton marks so much more than a hotel. You can drink, eat and play there - well before your head hits the pillow. Have a cocktail from the guys behind Candelaria, Glass and Hero (you're in safe hands) in Jacques Bar or eat at the new Rivié restauarant. If you're a deco afficianado you'll be more than happy here. A vegetal wall, original period staircases, velvet bar stools in Jacques Bar, velvet notes, mohair accents, wooden toppings... every inch has been thought out. It's just opened so get here early to grab a spot. 

For a night at the top – both literally and figuratively – the bar of Montmartre’s Terrass hotel is exceptional even by Paris’s standards. Yes, it’s had a swanky, contemporary new makeover, mixes expensive cocktails, and serves an above-average menu to its extremely well-heeled clientele in an atmosphere of velvet-lined chic. That’s all very nice, but can be found in endless permutations across the city. But nowhere else has this view. From the outdoor terrace to the window tables, the bar takes in the ranks of distinguished gravestones of the Cimetière de Montmartre below...

After the Experimental Cocktail Club’s mixes, you’ll never go back to the boring drinks that are to cocktail bars what McDonald’s is to Michelin stars. Paris has been slow to host the type of venues that are so fashionable in New York – ‘mixology’ bars that re-invent cocktails with strange spirits, fresh fruit juices and subtle spices. Quite simply, the first and the best.

The Left Bank isn’t known for its buzzing bar culture and nightlife, but perhaps that’s because some of its best haunts are hidden away down back alleys or concealed behind featureless façades. This is the case with retro cocktail bar the ‘Castor Club’, whose discreet frontage, elegant old lampshades and wealth of log-cabin wooden panelling create an aesthetic reminiscent of the speakeasy bars of Prohibition-era America...

A welcome compromise between Saint-Germain’s pullulating cocktail bars and the ultra-cool hipster hangouts of Bastille. Behind a discreet façade on a little Marais side street, Sherry Butt (whose young owners Amaury and Cathleen previously worked at Prescription Cocktails Club and Curio Parlour) hides two spacious long rooms filled with studded leather couches, huge mirrors and dim lighting...

Opened in August 2015 on the buzzing Rue des Vinaigriers, this hip cocktail bar has fast become one of the hottest hangouts in Paris. This is thanks in part to its self-consciously stylish interior – the ceiling is covered with vertical wave-shaped slats that seem to crash down dramatically behind the massive steel counter. Less overtly ambitious but equally striking is the charming little terrace outside with its sleek, Scandinavian-style furnishings.You can choose from among a wide selection of inventive cocktails...

Slap bang in the middle of the left bank, a few steps from Jardin de Luxembourg, Gaglione is a man with a mission: to become the go-to mixologist in an area that has long suffered from a haut-gamme cocktail drought. The décor flirts with the chic and the classic, with exotic touches on the walls. And he’s pairing his cocktails with food, a concept that has rocketed since Dersou started doing it. To quench your thirst, there are several signature cocktails (€11), full of vim like the Prince de la Ville...

The renowned and much-imitated one-stop concept and lifestyle store features a highly eclectic selection of must-have accessories, fashion, sneakers, books, media, shiny new gadgets, and hair and beauty brands själ, Kiehl's and uslu airlines, all in a swanky new space. In July 2017, Colette announced that it would be closing their very famous doors in December. This might be your last chance to step foot inside...

A big light filled space accented by fresh green plants, entering A La Droguerie is a treasure trove of stainless steel, pale wood and multicoloured equipment. It’s a round-the-world trip in terms of brands, from Italy’s finest pans and coffee makers, colourful and practical kitchen equipment from the UK, handmade German horse and goat hair brushes cleaning everything from your suede shoes to mushrooms, Danish bathroom accessories. This is a rotating collection of brands, products and colours. It pays to go in regularly, and evidently lots of people do...

After an impressive debut in Seoul, the company Handsome exported its fashion concept store Tom Greyhound to Paris in 2014. For its first international address, the multi-brand boutique is found in the Marais, on rue Saintonge.  Installed in a former art gallery of 300m2, the space has an artistic vibe in its DNA, with "a way of upgrading clothes, to show them via art", they explain to us. There's both a chilled and intimate setting to complement the luxury of the creations. Pretty armchairs and sofas are there to offer a pause whilst you browse...

The idea of a commerical centre might not appeal to fans of concept boutiques, but don’t speak too soon – Centre Commerical in the Rue de Marseille (alongside APC, Maje and Claudie Pierlot) will thrill fans of quality fashion. The shop's founders also created Veja, the famous brand of hip, affordable trainers. Sébastien Kopp, one of the co-founders, has embraced a socially and ecologically conscious type of fashion for trendy youngsters; however annoying young hipsters might be, at least they don’t buy ‘made in China’...

A quirky and poetic universe awaits inside this boutique-gallery on Rue Deguerry. Sisters Emilie and Virginie Capman present a perfectly curated collection, including pieces from chic jewellery brand ‘C’est Bizarre Comme Toi’, pretty brushstroke illustrations by Léa Maupetit, and purses by Tapam Tapam, as well as décor pieces, accessories and stationery. The light-filled space is divided into two, one side dedicated to the boutique and the other to the gallery that displays the work of young artists...

Shopping-wise, you’ll find a selection of handmade pieces, featuring a small selection of designers all handpicked by owner Claire Chicoine herself.  Some pieces – from jewellery and accessories to knitwear and leather goods – have been designed exclusively for Seize and while the atmosphere is rather ‘chic’, there are quite a few affordable finds, with leather handbags at €35 and floral, vegan candles starting from €25. Plus, Chicoine shakes up the selection every season, making this a surprise-filled shopping address to remember...

It’s difficult not to be charmed by this place. A gallery, café, and shop in one space: Paula wanted to create a place to share, a shop which allowed for a different kind of space to consume, and to discover artistic talent. Vegan and recycled products are on the shopping menu; including bags made from Piñatex™ (a leather type substance made from the residue of pineapple leaves) from €49, lamps made with old tripods, hand-bound notebooks… 

To keep their maximum freshness, perfumes are bottled in front of customers – an expert process that's also fun to watch. A novel experience for any perfume wearer, the purity and strength of the scents quashes any preconceived notions about patchouli, bergamot or vetiver. After choosing your fragrance of choice from the fifteen offered (from the lightest Ambrette 9 to the most powerful Patchouli 24), the technician mixes alcohol, water and oils in the lab area...

This high-end rentalable wardrobe, offers clients fashion in an immediate, unlimited and ephemeral way. Filled with the latest trends, the boutique only stocks pieces from the most recent collections. Carven, Manoush, Vanessa Bruno, Alexander Wang and more can be yours.  For a monthly subscription of €149 you can borrow one, two or three pieces – all of which you can change for new ones –, for up to 6 months...

Beauty lovers will be ecstatic at the news that Birchbox is launching an offline store in the heart of Sentier on rue Montmartre. The shop itself is beautiful, with light wood and pastel colours. Inside you'll find exactly what has made the brand such a success (200,000 subscribers in France alone): Birchbox's brilliant brands, all in full size. Face masks from Leaders, Manna Kadar Cosmetics bronzer, Marcelle BB cream, salt spray from Parlor... the list goes on...

The Ritz. Chanel. Are there two more mythic names? Pair them together and you can imagine the result. The supremely beautiful Chanel spa lives in the Ritz Paris ready to pamper and preen women (hotel residents or not) with a range of seriously haute couture treatments.  Of course, the spa's exclusive products are used with the most knowledgable Eastern and Western techniques and equipment. The menu ranges from tailormade facial treatments for women including toning, rejuvenating and glow-giving...

While the trend for va-va-voom blowdrys and chemical hair straightening has given way to a more natural approach to hair care, we can’t deny the power of a bit of professional gloss. This is where Jenny & Paola come in. A Columbian family business, they decided to open a hair salon which offered what Paris was lacking. With nearly 30 years of experience, Jenny is a woman who knows hair. Her emphasis on longterm hair care and south american treatments became the foundation from where the salon’s treatments sprung. Hair Botox (botox capillaire) is their signature...

The Plaza Athénée is one of Paris' oldest and chicest hotels - beloved by the rich, famous and elegant - so it makes sense that Dior decided to install its spa in the hotel's lower floors. But the French fashion house and the hotel go further back than that. Mr. Dior chose the Athénée to showcase his first collection -"New Look"- in 1947, his first workshop was a walk away, and several of his early designs were inspired by the women who frequented the hotel. So the pairing is more than just a chic coincidence...

Anne knows where the A-listers get there glow. In between shows, there's enough time for the Haute Couture treatment to revive your skin after too much champagne at afterparties. Made-to-measure face and neck treatment is personalised according to your skin's needs. A long steam to ride the skin of any deep dirt, a hydrating mask to fill in any fine lines and concentrated attention around the eyes and décolleté. You're awakened from your slumber with Anne's signature Express Radiance Ice Cubes - frozen for optimal refreshment...

The East meets West theme is illustrated in the spa's use of traditional Asian and European spa methods and cosmetics. Treatment cabins are decorated with red and white flowers which give off natural smells to further relax you during your anti-stress massage. The natural detoxifying sea salt which is used for face massages is priced at €180 for a full hour. On leaving your massage why not dive into the hammam to get the full experience...

A colossal space, both eclectic and raffined, filled with numerous works of art, and foreign design pieces. Designed by Isabelle d’Ornano, you can't miss the spectacular wallpaper that features little silver ‘cells’ and an irredescent moon from Dimore Studio floating above your head. The mesmerising déco alone merits a trip. But we're not just here for the furnishings... Hydration, relaxation, nutrition, anti-age, vitality...the menu for both face and body go above and beyond your everyday beauty salon...

Cryotherapy. A treatment used since the 17th century, this is far from a new-age, quick fix. Simply, the concept is to blast the body with cold dry air (around −100 °C) for between 2 and 4 minutes. The effects?  Well, several things. It's mainly atheletes that use cryotherapy to heal after injury due to the inflammatory properties of cold air. But it also helps the body eliminate toxins, eases skin problems like eczema, as well as asthma and migraines. Not to mention it eases nervous conditions like stress, depression and insomnia due to the calming and somnorific effects...