PARIS FASHION WEEK - SUMMER 2011
It's Paris fashion week!
And this BLOG is a small snapshot of my 'buying' time in Paris.
I come to see the many shows of the collections that we buy & visit the showrooms, not only to place orders for our existing designer portfolio, but also to source exclusive new labels...
DAY 1
Today is a busy show & buying day...
I attend the Balenciaga show at the Crillon, and it's another fabulous collection.
Next stop is Thomas Showroom in Rue Charlot where we buy Italian contemporary collection Forte Forte & Falerio Sarti...
Sarti do the best scarves in the world & are always a major sell-out, so i order way more stock than usual...
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DAY 2
Giselle & I kick start the day with a coffee &
croissant at Les Progres before heading to our Anne Valerie Hash
appointment in the 10th.
Next we head to our MIH appointment also in the 10th – this is an
exciting newly ‘re-created’ British denim brand… Fabulous history and
the cuts & washes are all great.
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Next we head to Carven...
Carven is the collection on everyone's lips as the supper cool re-created French house makes its mark on fashion chicks all over the globe. A huge favourite with OUR favourite Alexa Chung... I describe it as classic French with a giant twist!!!
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We excitedly head onto the Isabel Marant show which is another
highlight of the week especially since EVERYONE loves this label sooooo
much so we can pass on as much information to anyone & everyone
that asks us about it...
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Next we are off to our Theyksen’s Theory appointment.
SUPER excited about carrying this contemporary line...
FINALLY Olivier Theyskens has produced a new accessible collection that truly reflects his style…
We learn that part of the reason that he had fallen out with his former house, Nina Ricci, was because it's said that he wasn’t happy that his designs weren't as accessible to his fans.
This new collection is affordable yet still exclusive & more urban cool….
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DAY 3
This is me at Merci. The night before I was at the store's
collaboration launch event: a celebration of a new line that Forte
Forte has introduced which is based on lifestyle.
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DAY 4
Even though it is Paris Fashion week & one would think that the shows are paramount, which they are, as a buyer you can not possibly attend them all..
Much time is wasted getting from A to B & waiting around for shows to start, when instead, you could be in showrooms buying the actual collections. The selling period is confined to just 10 days so you have very limited time to see everything. As such, aside from important relevant show, I usually just allocate 1 full day to see as many shows as possible... & its always my favourite, the Comme Des Garcons show day when all their lines have a catwalk presentation…
Comme is one of our majors & the shows are so avant garde that it really is very important for us to see the shows in person to get the feel so that when we do visit the showroom, we are already inspired & have a vision in mind that helps us buy better… This is me outside the Junya Show– my favourite show of the season!!!!
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DAY 5
There is a Karl Lagerfeld Photographic Exhibition at the Maison
Europeenne De La Photographie Ville Des Paris in the Marais – it is
brilliant!!!!
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DAY 6
Check out this AMAZING embroidered jacket that I am bringing in for next
season from Isabel Marant… This is a long long appointment BUT we
love it!!!
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DAY 7
Today we head to our Balenciaga buying appointment.
This is another major & another favourite. And I love the sales team...
At our appointment Grace Coddington is there checking out the collection…. She is such a fabulous vision with her fire-red hair. I love it & love her work!!!
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DAY 8
After our appointments we head to La Bon Marche.
I love shopping in
here. Its my favourite department store, 160 years old. I love the building & the
layout & I love all their brand selections. Its such a fun shopping
experience.
And their children’s section is wonderful especially the
toys & books – I buy so much for my daughter here too!!!
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DAY 9
My last appointment of the day is to see Thierry Mugler.
We are
Particularly excited by the new creative director & team.
We pick
up the capsule line which is tiny because the team had just been
announced 2 weeks before Paris Fashion week started!!!
Can't wait to see
the full collection next season…
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DAY 10
I seem to spend the longest time in my Comme Des Garcons & Junya
Watanabe appointments, they take all day…
Fortunately they arrange a
fully catered lunch which we eat with pleasure & plus we need the
energy to fuel up on – buying is exhausting & hard work!!! – These
showrooms are hectic!
Pharrel Williams is sitting right next to us
being given a collection overview.
In the afternoon we visit Florence’s
showroom nearby in The Galleries Vivienne behind the Palais Royal to
see Mother of Pearl – another new collection designer by David Hirst's
wife using prints by prominent contemporary British artists... Tres
COOL!!!
See pictured.
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DAY 12
The Jerome Dreyfuss section in MERCI is so beautifully merchandised, it makes me excited to receive my new
season's bags in January. Merci is a large, especially by Parisian
standards, concept store…
There are stores within stores; a book store,
a florist, a café, a large homeware section, a large fashion section
which is quite urban & then little art displays & installations
throughout that all look intricate & fabulous...
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DAY 13
We revisit the Viktor & Rolf showroom & decide to pick it up
again for Parlour X – Viktor & Rolf are the greatest of conceptual
designers.
We LOVED the show & definitely see pieces that will
translate well with our clientele.
Check out the show's finale piece (pictured). Obviously not so wearable but truly amazing and
even more so seeing it up close.
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