With its wealth of Haute Couture shops, intimate boutiques and shopping malls lining the Parisian boulevards, no trip to Paris would be complete without browsing the bounty of shopping havens the City of Light has to offer. Where window shopping is called lèche-vitrine (licking the windows), shopping in Paris is part of its very persona and any slow browse through one of the city’s shopping streets will tell more about true Parisian life than any guidebook. Shopping in Paris has been an integral part of its community for hundreds of years, from the galleries surrounding the Louvre 200 years ago, the arcades of the 19th Century, the innovation of 20th Century department stores, to the chic boutiques and designer shops of the 21st Century.
Best For: Couture
Chanel
31 Rue Cambon, 75001 Paris
Coco Chanel is perhaps the most iconic female French designer in the world, who changed fashion history when she opened her first hat shop at 21 Rue Cambon in 1910, before choosing number 31 to be the location of her first boutique. These stores laid the foundations of Chanel’s designs, with bags named after the address, and the Chanel No. 5 bottle modelled after the local Place Vendôme. Famously stating that “simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance”, Chanel revolutionised women’s fashion by exchanging the corsets and excessively florid garments with simplistic elegance, such as her innovative ‘little black dress’ creation. The classic bags, clothes and accessories on sale today still preserve the eternal elegance of Coco Chanel’s innovative vision of women’s fashion.
Best For: Perfume
Annick Goutal
15 Rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris
To Annick Goutal, fragrance is a song which tells a personal story, echoing a memory and inviting us to dream. Annick’s love for raw materials helped revolutionise perfume since 1981, as she created some of her most famous scents from Sicilian lemon, Damascus roses, Italian Irises and tuberose from Grasse. Annick Goutal welcomes people to create their own distinctive scent from her perfumes, achieved through layering the fragrances to help the user create their own aromatic story. Dedicated staff is on hand in store to help create an individual fragrance to suit any occasion and personality, with personal olfactory consultations available with scent experts.
Best For: Men’s Suits
Boggi Milano
112 Boulevard des Italiens, 75009 Paris
Boggi Milano’s mission since 1939 has been to provide timeless yet characteristic suits for any occasion and image, working with clients to provide the perfect outfit to fit their style. Boggi’s balance of classic and contemporary design highlights the quiet strength of normality, which is to express without over-stepping into gaucheness. This recently-opened shop in the Opéra district is Boggi Milano’s largest store in France, boasting three floors filled with ready-to-wear suits from the Italian brand. Boggi Milano is the place to buy quality Italian suits in Paris, with dedicated stylists available to help design a look to fit any occasion, from business meetings to weddings.
Best Place For: Luxury Souvenirs
Hermes
24 Rue Du Faubourg Saint Honoré, 75008 Paris
Erected by Charles-Émile Hermès in 1880, this Hermes shop is the company’s longest-standing boutique, and anything purchased from any Hermes store will doubtless be placed into a shopping bag bearing the address of this store. With two floors of luxurious products including world-famous Birkin bags, silk scarves, equestrian chic and men and women’s clothing, Hermes will have a gift to suit any person with an eye for opulence. Daily deliveries at Hermes tend to arrive at around 11am, and are placed on the shelves by roughly 1pm, so be sure to visit the store for that time to guarantee the latest designs and products.
Best For: Jewellery & Watches
Boucheron
26 Place Vendôme, Paris 75001
Frédéric Boucheronwas Place Vendôme’s first jeweller and, when he opened his boutique there in 1893, allegedly chose the sunniest corner of the square to make his diamonds sparkle brightly throughout the day. Frédéric Boucheron was an intrepid adventurer who sourced the most perfect jewels directly from the foot of the mines, and this determination for flawlessness extends to the jewellery available in store today. The atmosphere at 26 Place Vendôme gives the impression of entering a private home and being warmly welcomed into a family; the staff at Boucheron are dedicated to upholding Frédéric’s genuine passion for selling bespoke yet classic jewellery for both men and women.
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