Photos by Vicky Tiel
Boutiques and stores are closing in Paris every day. But some boutiques are THRIVING. HOW IS THIS HAPPENING? They are called the NEW CONCEPT STORES. It’s simple. Fashionistas, do something different, do something new.
Pas de problem for Nico Thibault Franconi, who left Tuscany and was hired by Vuitton where he worked as press attaché and became their Fashion Eye…After Louis Vuitton he studied haute couture at Esmod and learned the necessary to open his own concept store with his partner François Mahé. It’s called LA MÂLE D’EFEENNE at 22 Rue de St Paul Paris 4.
The two friends combined male and female fashion in such a way that it looks like a one stop shopping paradise. You just want to shop and shop as every piece is something you have to have.
They also have the newest trend, fine artists inside the store painting your ball gowns so they are une PIECE UNIQUE, ONE OF A KIND. You can’t get that online, you have an EXPERIENCE when you shop and that is new. Bravo à Nico et François. Let’s create an experience in our boutiques.
Caps, fantastic shaped hats, wide belts, cropped sweaters in fall’s pop art colors, long odd shaped skirts and the best handbags ( the VERY IN oversized fanny pack in the city that you just hang on your body) .
Nico and Francois have it all to make you look like you just stepped out of French Vogue. Fashion today is mixing and not matching and it must be mixed by the pros. They will teach you how to look Moderne.
You have to have a lot of confidence to open a dress shop across the street from the Cafe Flore, the favorite hangout cafe of the French fashion industry. Dice Kayak is the exception. Two Turkish sisters Ayse and Eve Ege have been in fashion design for over 20 years and now when fashion shops are closing all over Paris they are opening their first store in a great location. If you have a brand new product and they certainly do, a great new dress shape, you can survive.
Dice Kayak are carried in Saks in the US but in Paris you can see the concept in their store . They are all about a new shape in clothing. It’s new and modern, tucks and darts and they have created my favorite new dress, a black and white short dream.
They also have my favorite new shoe in Paris , the black velvet platform heel with an ankle strap. I still have my platforms that we made in the Sixties. It’s a Forever shoe, especially if you are short.
The New World Fashion is all about Streetwear; stretch pants, sneakers, hoodie zippered jackets and very long scarves, but men and women will still need a suit and dress to wear to a Wedding or a Bar Mitzvah.
Bon Marche is the oldest department store in the world opening in Paris in 1852. It was built by the firm of Gustav Eiffel when it moved to Rue de Sèvres, Paris 6. It has long been the greatest clothing department store in Paris.
When I arrived in Paris in the 60’s it was the cheapest store in the city, ( bon marché means cheap) and it was for 100 years but today it’s the most expensive and the most luxurious store in the fashion world and more so in the fabulous decor since it was bought by LVMH and designed by the great French female décoratrice, Andrée Putman.
Her moderne staircase in Bon Marche is worth a trip to Paris, especially at Christmas ( my favorite city on the Planet for this holiday as the French Epicerie Holiday Food alone is worth the trip.)
Today the new idea of painting your clothing in the stores has taken hold and two artists are installed in the center of Le Bon Marche, painting your white sneakers , your hats, your tote bags and if you wish even your long evening gowns. Just show them the long gown photo at LA MALE D’EFEENNE!
I’m sad that Barney’s has closed. I hope that the Authentic Group take a trip to Paris and consider copying Bon Marche and even hiring painters to paint the gowns and the handbags and hire some talented portrait artists to do your portrait and that of your dog.
Create experiences in the new store and carry consignment pieces of the best work of the young fashion students. And hang on the walls the best new art from the students of the city’s finest art schools and have a creative writers weekend where your writers get to meet agents to get them to publishers.
Help others. Help artists should be the new theme of Barneys. When you help others somehow the world gives back.
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