Shop like a savvy Parisian
Paris is famous for its luxury shopping – but the city isn’t all about glitzy Avenue Montaigne. When it comes to wallet-friendly fashion, cliché-free gifts and offbeat homewares, there are rich pickings to be had – starting at these five insider addresses.
Cool souvenirs: La Super Marquette
65, rue Rambuteau, 75004Launched in the summer of 2017, this small, colourful shop has a great line in classic but non-cheesy gifts 100% made in France – think bonbons, berets and Breton-striped tops, but also Marseille soap, postcards and vintage Deyrolle prints.
Bring it back: A traditional breakfast bowl from Brittany, hand-painted with a cute name – such as La Princesse, Trésor or La Merveille (€21).
Vintage treasures: Thanx God I’m A V.I.P.
12, rue de Lancry, 75010This stylist-beloved haunt offers endless colour-coded racks of prime second-hand designer threads – there’s a lot of Yves Saint-Laurent, but also Céline, Lanvin, Chanel and co. OK, so prices aren’t dirt cheap, but it’s still a massive bargain for the quality.
Bring it back: The basement (open weekends only) houses retro sweaters, skirts and accessories from just €5.
Indie label heaven: Merci
111, boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003This game-changing Haut Marais bazaar is as buzzy as ever. The accent is mostly on home décor, but you’ll also find cool accessories and men’s and women’s fashion, as well as stationery – all with a timeless feel that belies the prices.
Bring it back: Be Poles’ recyclable paper bags (€4.50-€8.90) are more than brilliant storage solutions – they look great, too.
Paper perfection: Papier Tigre
5, rue des Filles du Calvaire, 75003For diaries, wrapping paper and wallpaper in super-bold, fashion-forward motifs, this wonderful Paris- and Tokyo-based stationery brand is hard to beat. Look out for its hook-ups with fellow French brands such as Diptyque.
Bring it back: It’s a toss-up between super-cute Japan-inspired greeting card The Big Kawaii (€9) and colourful abstract notebooks such as The Mezcal (€12).
Grooming essentials: L’Officine Universelle Buly
45, rue de Saintonge, 75003The new French outpost of this Paris-born label is like nowhere else in town: a magnificent 18th-century-style apothecary stocking pomades, potions and perfumes with a grand café, pop-up store, Japanese bakery and dried flower shop.
Bring it back: You won’t be able to stop sniffing its gorgeous scented matches, complete with charming historical illustrations (€15).