Place Vendome
Day one in Paris – and it was freezing – colder than Helsinki. The skies were blue and clear when we went for breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien in the Marais. When we came out it was snowing lightly. How lovely, we thought, but it just kept getting heavier and wetter, so we searched for a shop where we could buy an umbrella and headed for our destination – Collette.
In the window was a beautiful floral collection from Erdem, worn with black patent shoes decorated with bones (plastic I hope). All around the feet of the manequins were little dashounds made from the same floral fabric as the dresses.
Anyone who has been to Collette will know there is little in the way of clothes racks. The garments and accessories are displayed on manequins – a little forest of them. It is a great way to give the viewer an idea of how to put a complete outfit together. I imagine it would not be unusual for a customer to buy everything on the model.
On one of the manequins there was a granny square crochet top in bright colours. For one horrible moment I thought Romance was Born – a ridiculous collection from Sydney Fashion Week – had made it to Collette, but no, it was Comme des Garcons.
My favourite pieces were from Lanvin. There was a black skirt with appliqued flowers which had been embroidered and beaded. We later went to the Lanvin store further along Rue St Honore to look at the entire exquisite collection. The huge statement neckpieces are what everyone is going to want.
We spent the rest of the day just wandering around this beautiful city. You just can’t get too much Paris. We had dinner at a tiny restaurant on Ille St Louis and made our way back to our hotel on a very cold night. We stayed at Hotel 7th Art in Rue St Paul in the Marais. Our room was tiny but the location is excellent and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
ceiling in Galleries La Fayette
a snowy park in Paris
Paris
My faithful camera died in Paris, so there are very few photos of this beautiful place.
Now I see how you got to my Website:) you also mentioned the Le Pain Quotidien in your post:)
I looooooove your post!!!
I worked two years on Faubourg Saint Honore, and Lanvin was also one of my favorite store after Hermes of course:)
Do they still have the weirdest manequins in the windows? LOL.
Your post made me very nostalgic to Paris:)
Thank you Debra!
By: mirellamccracken on March 10, 2010
at 1:23 pm
Hi Mirella,
It is a Kenzo scarf – my favourite. I loved your photos of the food at Le Pain Quotidien. There was a link at the bottom of my post that took me to your blog.
By: bagnidilucca on March 10, 2010
at 5:41 pm
[…] been full of wonderful travel. I started the year with a trip to Italy via Hong Kong, Helsinki, Paris and London. Hong Kong from my friends' […]
By: My favourite places in 2010 « Debra & Liz's Bagni di Lucca Blog on December 30, 2010
at 10:27 am