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Nothing, but nothing, can push you into the current of Parisian life faster than a few hours of shopping. Follow the lead of locals, who slow to a crawl as their eyes lock on a tempting display. Window-shopping is one of this city's greatest spectator sports; the French call it lèche-vitrine—literally, "licking the windows"—which is fitting because many of the displays look good enough to eat.
Store owners here play to sophisticated audiences with voracious appetites for everything from spangly flagship stores to minimalist boutiques to under-the-radar spots in 19th-century glass-roofed passages. Parisians know that shopping isn't about the kill, it's about the chase: walking down cobblestone streets looking for items they didn't know they wanted, they're casual yet quick to pounce. They like being seduced by a clever display and relish the performance elements of browsing. Watching them shop can be almost as much fun as shopping yourself.
And nowhere is the infamous Parisian "attitude" more palpable than in the realm of fine shopping—the more haute the more hauteur.
Parisians are a proud bunch, and they value decorum. So dress to impress—and remember your manners. You must say bonjour upon entering a shop and merci, au revoir when leaving, even if it's to no one in particular. Think of it more as announcing your coming and going. Beyond this, protocol becomes less prescribed and more a matter of good judgment. If a salesperson is hovering, there's a reason; let him or her help you. To avoid icy stares, confidence and politeness go a long way.
As for what to buy, the sky's the limit in terms of choices. If your funds aren't limitless, however, take comfort in knowing that treasures can be found on a budget. And if you do decide to indulge, what better place to make that once-in-a-blue-moon splurge? When you get home and friends ask where you got those to-die-for shoes, with a shrug you'll casually say, "These? Oh . . . I bought them in Paris."
The owners of Pretty Box have scoured Europe for unique pieces from the '20s through the '80s. Women love the superstylish belts, shoes, and bags—many in reptile—sold here for a fraction of what they'd cost new, along with an eccentric selection of cool separates and Bettie Page–era lingerie. The men's collection includes vintage French military coats, sharkskin suits, and a gaggle of riotously patterned shirts.
Rose Repetto, mother of Roland Petit, started making ballet slippers for her dancer-choreographer son in the 1940s. She soon became the dance-slipper maker of choice for the choreographers and dancers of le tout Paris. Along the way, she created Brigitte Bardot's signature ballerina shoes and Zizi Jeanmarie's jazz shoes, which are still popular today and sold in a rainbow of colors. For a price and by appointment, you can customize any one of their classic models. Repetto has branched out to making boots, leather handbags, and clothes, but still specializes in ready-to-dance and custom-made ballet and pointe footwear.
Founded in 1925 by Joseph Richart, these fine chocolates have evolved into tiny works of art, now created by the founder's son and grandson. As the name implies, each tiny square of Richart chocolate is a colorful piece that dazzles the eye and elevates the palate.
Rick Owens expertly finessed the jump from L.A. rock-star chic to Paris offbeat elegance. Lately defined more by glamour than grunge, his lush fabrics and asymmetrical designs have evolved to a new level of artistry—and wearability. Owens still loves a paradox (shrouding while revealing) and mixes high luxury with a bit of tooth and claw. You'll also find shoes, furs, jewelry, and accessories.
Long known for his Pilgrim-buckle shoes and inventive heels, Roger Vivier's name is being resurrected through the creativity of uber-Parisienne Inès de la Fressange and the expertise of shoe designer Gherardo Felloni. The results are easily some of the best shoes in town: leather boots that mold to the calf perfectly, towering rhinestone-encrusted or feathered platforms for evening, and vertiginous crocodile pumps.
Near Parc Monceau, this is one of Paris's more vibrant and oldest market streets, dating back to the 1600s. Though some cut-rate boutiques lately encroached, you'll find plenty of the authentic good stuff, from cured Iberian ham to every French specialty under the sun.
This colorful market street near the Jardin des Plantes reflects its multicultural neighborhood: vibrant, with a laid-back feel that still smacks of old Paris. The street market is best on weekends (although it closes Sunday afternoon and Monday as well).
This shop specializes in fine wines and liquors, with port, Calvados, and Armagnacs that date from 1878. Looking for a great gift idea? Find a bottle from the year of a friend's birth and have it labeled with their name. Personalized bottles can be ordered and delivered on the same day.
The gorgeous, delicate pastry creations made by Japanese-born Sadaharu Aoki are a delightful mix of traditional French with his signature Asian flavor and design touches. Look for green tea, black sesame, and yuzu versions of updated classics like éclairs, mille-feuille, and other elegant baked goods, as well as artfully presented colorful batons of chocolate.
The Marais's newest concept store is devoted to the sustainable and the selective, in a space that delivers the best in Parisian fashion (including small Parisian labels and limited editions) and beauty lines, along with a chic little café for a nice lunch or coffee and an art gallery. Look for the all-natural, made-in-France beauty lines Estampe and La Crème Libre all-natural face-care products.
Created near the chilly coast of Normandy, this company of "master spinners" has been making quality fishermen's clothes since 1889. Once family-owned, it was bought out by a devoted team of skilled employees, and the majority of their items are still made in France. The wool nautical sweaters and sailor caps are built for warmth and wear, and the striped, long-sleeve Breton T-shirts are classic French.
Anthony Vaccarello has calmed the waters at Saint Laurent with an assuredness and sleight of hand that fashion editors appreciate more every year. His recent collections have inspired the kind of praise that marks a sea change in fashion, dispensing with the rock 'n' roll glitz and overt sexiness for something less rebel-with-a-cause and more timelessly elegant. Silver evening gowns shimmer like water, and oversized suits are cut to revive movie-star glamour worthy of Katharine Hepburn. At this austere flagship store, done all in chrome and marble, you'll find ready-to-wear items (think leggings, cropped leather jackets, exquisite trenches in satin, cashmere, or leather, and bias-cut evening dresses and gowns) and all the brand's coveted accessories and jewelry, too.
Designer Emma François's main inspiration is traveling to faraway places, where she picks up ideas for the textures, prints, and colors of her versatile collection of fashion staples for women. Separates range from neutral basics—a lace inset top or camisole, a wraparound jumpsuit, a knitted cape—to brilliantly colored or natty print sweaters, trousers, blouses, and blazers. The collection is completed with a gently priced line of shoes, boots, scarves, and accessories. The Rue de Charonne concept store, the largest of her Paris shops, also has a gallery featuring the work of French artists and artisans and a selection of handmade textiles, housewares, and jewelry.
This bookseller formerly associated with chain WHSmith has stepped out on its own with this newer, independent shop that remains a must-visit for Anglophone bibliophiles. You won't just find a multitude of travel and language guides, cookbooks, and fiction for adults and children—it also has the best selection of foreign magazines and newspapers in Paris. Upstairs, enjoy a delightful afternoon tea in George Washington's former Paris apartment.
When Spree first opened, its mission was to give young designers a venue; it has since branched out to include fashion elites like Comme des Garçons, Isabel Marant, Golden Goose, and Christian Wijnants. The expertly chosen inventory seems almost curated. A great selection of accessories and jewelry, along with cool furniture and a revolving exhibition of artwork by international artists, complete the gallery feel.
If you're nostalgic for the days of Studio 54, sashay over to Studio W, where a rare Loris Azzaro gold-chain top or a plunging Guy Laroche beaded couture dress in crimson mousseline has Liza and Bianca written all over it. With plenty of jewelry, shoes, bags, and even gloves to match, this elegant boutique is a must-see for fashion divas who don't mind spending a little more for sublimity.
The bases are all covered here, when it comes to that coveted French élan: sleek designs, excellent quality, luxe fabrics, and prices well within the stratosphere. With styles that vie with the high-profile designers, and accessories to match, this label is an established, chic Parisian's wardrobe essential.
Paris designer Hervé van der Straeten started out creating jewelry for Saint Laurent and Lacroix, designed a perfume bottle for Christian Dior, and then moved on to making rather baroque-style and often wacky furniture. In his loft gallery-cum-showroom, furniture, lighting, and startling mirrors are on display.
This clutch of streets, in the beautiful historic netherworld, tucked between the fringes of the Marais and the banks of the Seine, has many antiques shops.
Whether it's a bracelet of gigantic rhinestones, a ring of fluorescent pink resin, or a pair of floating angel wings on a necklace, each Viveka Bergström piece has an acute sense of style while not taking itself too seriously.
Zadig & Voltaire rocks the young fashionistas by offering street wear at its best: racy camisoles, cashmere sweaters in gorgeous colors, cropped leather jackets, and form-fitting pants to cosset those tiny French derrieres. Branches abound in every chic corner of Paris.
Here you'll find new unsold stock from last season. There's a great selection of beautiful cashmere sweaters, silk slip dresses, rocker jeans, and leather jackets, all in their signature luscious colors, for 33%–60% off.
Have you always wanted to imitate the grand homes of Paris? Here's your chance. Zuber has operated nonstop for more than two centuries as the world's oldest producer of prestige hand-printed wallpapers, renowned for their magnificent panoramic scenes. Warning: with only one scene produced per year, the wait can be nearly a decade long. Opulent Restoration-era wallpapers (including metallics, silks, velvets, and pressed leather) make modern statements and can be purchased in 32-foot rolls for slightly less than a king's ransom.
A retail institution, Au Printemps is made up of three major stores: Printemps Maison (with home furnishings on four refurbished floors), Printemps Homme (featuring six levels of menswear plus two levels for the gourmet shopping area, Printemps du Goût, which opened in January 2018), and fashion-focused Printemps Mode (which has everything à la mode, from couture to teen trends). While in the Printemps Mode building, be sure to check out the newly enlarged beauty area—the largest in Paris—with the Nuxe spa, hair salons, and seemingly every beauty product known to woman under one roof. The luxurious Printemps du Louvre—in the Carrousel du Louvre, at the underground entrance to the museum, across from I.M. Pei's inverted pyramid—carries fine leather goods, accessories, watches, and beauty products; fittingly, it also hosts revolving art exhibitions.
Built in 1826, this beautifully restored, glass-ceilinged gallery has painted medallions and copper pillars, plus boutiques selling antiques, contemporary art, accessories, and more. Christian Louboutin is an anchor tenant. At what is now the Café de l'Époque, just at the gallery's entrance, mentally troubled French writer Gérard de Nerval took his last drink before heading to Châtelet to hang himself.
This mammoth department store is one of those places that you wander into unawares, leaving hours later a poorer and humbler person. Inside its flagship building at 40 boulevard Haussmann, a Belle Époque stained-glass dome caps the world's largest perfumery. The store bulges with thousands of designers, and 25-minute fashion shows are held Friday at 3 pm in the upstairs café to showcase their wares (reservations are a must: email [email protected]; admission €12). Another big draw is the comestibles department, stocked with everything from herbed goat cheese to Iranian caviar. Just across the street at 35 boulevard Haussmann is Galeries Lafayette Maison, which focuses on goods for the fashionable home. The Montparnasse branch is a pale shadow of the Boulevard Haussmann behemoths.
This museum and crystal store was once the home of Marie-Laure de Noailles, known as the Countess of Bizarre. Philippe Starck revamped the space with his signature cleverness—yes, that's a chandelier floating in an aquarium and, yes, that crystal arm sprouting from the wall alludes to Jean Cocteau (a friend of Noailles). Follow the red carpet to the jewelry room, where crystal baubles hang from bronze figurines, and to the immense table stacked with crystal items for the home, and don't miss the drop-dead gorgeous Crystal Room restaurant, recently reopened after a colorful redesign by interiors star Jacques Grange and a new menu by two-star chef Guy Martin of Le Grand Véfour.
Opened in 1825, this pretty passage couvert has regained the interest of Parisians. La Parisette, a small boudoir-pink space at No. 1, sells fun accessories, and Marci Noum, at No. 4, riffs on street fashion. Silk bracelets, crystals, and charms can be nabbed at Eric & Lydie and Satellite.
This sentimental Rive Gauche favorite is named after the bookstore whose American owner, Sylvia Beach, first published James Joyce's Ulysses. Nowadays it specializes in expat literature. Although the eccentric and beloved owner, George Whitman, passed away in 2011, his daughter Sylvia has taken up the torch and made huge changes, including opening an on-site café. You can still count on a couple of characters lurking in the stacks, a sometimes spacey staff, the latest titles from British presses, and hidden secondhand treasures in the odd corners and crannies. Check the website for readings and workshops throughout the week.
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