How to shop smartly for fashion in Paris
Going to Paris for shopping doesn’t have to reduce your household finances for the next two years. It just takes a little planning and getting admitted to little-known stores that offer basement deals.
Paris is a mosaic of shopping
Those of you who have visited Paris already know that, from a shopper’s perspective, the city is divided into broad sections where shops of the same trade tend to congregate. A mosaic of many colors, tastes and price ranges.
Take Saint-Germain-des-Prés, for example. The highest part of the famous area, located closer to Boulevard St Germain, is home to designer clothing stores, cafes and restaurants. Immerse yourself and your footsteps will take you to Rue de Seine, where art galleries have come together.
From Saint-Germain, go up Rue de Rennes, towards the Montparnasse area. You’ll cross Rue Du Four, where even more expensive drapers line the facades. But continue to the Saint Sulpice metro station, around which many clothing stores offer cheaper clothing and accessories.
Sales season in Paris
In another area of the city, not far from the old Opera, Boulevard Haussmann became the home of department stores more than a century ago. The Printemps store was built there in 1865, closely followed by the Galeries Lafayette in 1893. The department stores are no different from Ali Baba’s treasure cave: clothes, shoes, jewelry, watches, accessories, perfumes scattered in a gigantic five-story flat. space.
Their selection is excellent, but you have to visit Paris during the official sale seasons to find some real bargains there. And there are only two sales seasons in France: winter and summer. Their respective start dates in a given year are established by administrative decree and each has a duration of 6 weeks. In Paris, the winter sales season usually begins in the second week of January. The summer sale season begins at the end of June.
Designer Warehouse Offers
For off-season deals, look elsewhere. Gems are often found in small shops on God-forsaken streets or in hard-to-find first-floor apartments. This is especially the case for designer tanks.
Although it has become a brand in North America, a design repository is in fact a form of commerce. People like you and I bring clothes that we don’t want to wear anymore and they get a little money from the store owner, who will resell our clothes for a little more money to other people.
I can hear your jaded comments: “Tcha! Consignment shops! Thrift shops! …” Well, in Paris, designer warehouses aren’t exactly your usual Salvation Army type shops. No way.
Although not all are equal before God, Parisian designer warehouses are often owned and managed by women with experience in the fashion industry. Stylish women with a keen eye for what to wear and how. Women who can easily tell you why you would look better in this dress than in that one.
In “designer warehouse”, there is the magic word “designer”. Parisian designer warehouses offer designer and haute couture clothing at deep, deep discounts. And yes, clothes in almost perfect condition. Clothing that is worn only once. Well, maybe two.
If you come to them in your usual hoodies, or your tennis shoes from last season, or your polo shirt bought from a mall, don’t expect to be welcomed. Instead, await rejection with a disapproving look.
So where are they hiding?
On the other hand, not all designer warehouses were created equal, and where you go to shop for practically perfect designer clothes in every way is the true measure of your insider knowledge of the city.
I would like to recommend three ‘small addresses’ [the French for ‘best-kept-secret places’] I selected from many others.
For those of you ladies who like the classic look, ‘Priscilla’ is the store for you. Priscilla is the owner of the place. Reverence names from firms like Yves Saint Laurent, Max Mara, Kenzo, Christian Dior, and Sonya Rykiel. Their prices range from 60 euros for a skirt, 75 euros for a jacket and 130 euros for a lady’s suit. Priscilla advises you to poke around and come to her house with an open mind. The store is located at 4 rue Mouton-Duvernet, in the 14th arrondissement. The closest metro station is Mouton-Duvernet. Their opening hours are from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Mondays, and from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday with a one-hour break at 1:30 p.m.
My next address, ‘Le Jupon Rouge’, is at 9 rue de Rochechouart in the 9th arrondissement. The owner, Tania, here describes the design depot as “colorful, ethnic but not hippie, and certainly not classical in style.” Tania offers a selection of emerging French designers such as Bali Barret (a fencing vest for € 45, cashmere blend cardigans for € 45 to € 100) and Vanessa Bruno (wool jackets, € 90). She also wears more established firms such as Agnès B (her signature black jacket is offered at EUR50) and vintage Ungaro blouses for EUR45. Women looking for shoes may fall in love with a pair of Stephane Kelian Low Cut Cuban Boots (€ 100), Repetto Ballerina Shoes (€ 40), or Vintage Low Heel Riding Boots (€ 40-70). Tania is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm with a one-hour lunch break at 1:30 pm.
With a totally different style, Griff-Troc is the designer repository where you should get lost when you want to go chic-chic-chic. The owner, Beatrice, chose to specialize in classic perennial basics in perfect condition. Chic is priced higher, of course, but on the plus side, Griff-Troc offers brands for 15-30% of boutique prices. On the shelves at the time I wrote this article, Beatrice had a Chanel suit for EUR 1000 (vs EUR 5000 at Chanel’s), a brand new Chloe bag for EUR 800 (instead of EUR 1200), several amazing evening dresses. priced between EUR 1200 and EUR 1500 (Chloe, Dior, D&G, Valentino) and Hermès silk scarves on sale for only 150 euros. Maintains a full selection of handbags, jewelry, and fragrances. Classic chic never dies, who cares if your Chanel suit is this season’s or not? The busy boutique is located in the posh section of the 17th arrondissement, at 119 Boulevard Malesherbes. The closest metro stations are Villiers and Monceau. Their opening hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday.
More shopping tips to come
These are just three of my selection of designer warehouses and small boutiques. In the meantime, I hope you had a chance to meet Tania, Beatrice, and Priscilla in person and find a couple of cool items for you. Ta-ta!