You can also sometimes find pashminas--real ones--at the novica.com site and the animal rescue site.

Shannonmarie, why buy a Pashmina, fake or otherwise. Buy a really beautiful scarf that is a one off or limited edition but still under 40 Euros. There are a lot of places in the Marais that sell such scarves. I have found a number of beautiful scarves over the last few years at Sic Amor http://www.mi-amor.com/

Faux - Perhaps I will look into buying a nice Parisian scarf instead a pashmina. Thanks for the idea!

This will be my first time to Paris this summer and like you, I'm interested in buying a pashmina too.

Faux, thanks for the reminder of Mi Amor et Sic Amor. A good friend of mine told me to check it out on my next visit which I hope to do soon. An original scarf sounds like a more unique idea than a pashmina. I'm sure there are beautiful, original pieces of jewelry too.

and if you are in that neighborhood checkout
http://www.aspicbasilic.com/
Aspicbasilic 1 rue tiron
it's where I bought my one of a kind snail pin that is also a small work of art and shrimp 56 and starspinner bought some unique pottery.

Check the label on any inexpensive scarves (ie. <100&euro to see where it was made... many are 'made in Italy'. Nothing wrong with that unless you want a 'Made in France' scarf.

At least 'Made in Italy' is better than 'Made in Sri Lanka', etc.

For goodness sakes, please stop referring to these things as pashminas, or at least put "pashmina" in quotes! They come in dozens of colors, even chartreuse and shocking pink.
CMC, the Loro Piana sale has been held at Parsons School of Design in the garment district of NYC for the last few years. There are many sales held there as well as at the Metropolitan Paviliion on West 18th Street. For example, today through Tuesday there is a Pratesi sale at the Metropolitan Pavillion. Sometimes you have to stand in line to get into the place. There are usually big discounts but since the original prices of these things are so high, even a discount of 50% means spending lots of money!

O rly franco? I have seen some absolute crap textiles and techniques from the continent and some astounding beauties from Asia, so I'm not sure that "made in Italy is better than made in Sri Lanka etc" is true. And what's with the lecture about the word pashmina -- at this point in the US it's understood to be a soft wrap of almost any fiber.

Just having some Sunday morning fun, that's all, Fidel. Don't stress about the label issue!

Yes Fidel, Calme. Sit!

Pashmina has a "real" meaning and those that don't match it but call themselves "pashminas" are "fake pashminas" - Rayon "pashminas" are not pashminas. As both Francophile and Cigalechanta indicated - they are scarves, not pashminas and any "stole" or "shawl" is not just by that fact a pashmina. Truth in advertising still has some adherents on this board.

Ekscrunchy, thanks for the good information. Is there a site where I can find the sales which are going on during my next New York visit (as yet unscheduled)? Bargain hunting is my sport.

Here is one:
www.soifferhaskin.com

Muchas gracias, Faux.

A Fidel, sólo para usted en español ¡Siéntese!

LOL, Faux, I guess that's why mine's called a *cashmina*.

Sorry to come off as stressed -- wasn't really -- poor nuance in writing, in a hurry, etc.

I just returned from a trip accompanying a woman who wore what she called a "cotton pashmina" that she used as a blanket on the plane, then tied around later. She is allergic to some goat hair and anyway wanted that weight. This person can afford to get some of her identity from A#1 Top Branded Labels and content tags, but apparently chooses not to. I stand by my loose definition of pashmina, based on unscientific observation of young fashion-design kids, street vendors, and the lower upper middle class women I talk to about clothes. I don't see how a word being changed is so horrible -- pashmeenies for all who want them.

I hope OP makes a good score, maybe like ciagale says with stripes or a pattern. LOL saw many of those inexpensive French handbags in Marshalls.

Merci, ekscrunchy. Great site.

I haggled to get 2 'pashminas' at the market in Place Monge one Sunday morning in March 2004 for 20 euros. After 2 years I am still pleased with them, and wearing the black one in particular.

They are a large scarf size, rather than a wrap. And actually, they are not too bad quality, although compared to my real (and very expensive!) pashmina wrap there is no comparison. They were a little scratchy when brand new but have softened with wear. They are supposedly 80 per cent cashmere, 20 per cent silk but I doubt this. They dont crease or crinkle much so long as I fold them when I take them off. And as I am still wearing them on an almost daily basis they couldn't have been such a terrible fake!

But July in Paris is hot - I don't know whether you will find pashminas in Paris then - I didn't see any for sale last summer, but I suppose I wasn't looking for them then!

The main thing with pashminas, cashminas (love it Beatchick) and pashmeenas etc is to hope that people dont get conned into buying something that is not what they think it is. If it is called a pashmina but costs 5 Euros, it is not a pashmina but who really cares as long as you dont pay 50 Euros as a "bargain" pashmina and find it is only worth 5 Euros.