Paris Street Has the Right Stuff for Fashion : SHOPPER: Paris Street
If you’re searching the streets of Paris for tastefully trendy merchandise and elegant and uncrowded boutiques, Rue de Passy could be right up your alley.
Rue de Passy runs through the Sixteenth Arrondissement, Paris’ exclusive Right Bank residential area. This charming shopping street is a hub of Parisian bon chic, bon genre (that’s French for yuppie) style. It may not be a bargain Mecca, but quality is high and the styles are a la mode.
Mixed Batch of Designers
Rue de Passy’s shop roster includes internationally-known, top-label clothing boutiques such as Rodier (No. 30), Burberrys (No. 56), Infinitif (No. 79), Alain Manoukian (No. 83), Caroll (No. 85) and others, as well as Guerlain (No. 93) for perfume and cosmetics, and Pavillion Christofle (No. 95) for fine silver.
In addition, there are multilabel boutiques featuring both big-name and lesser-known designers, with clothing, accessories and shoes for adults and kids. Other outlets sell home furnishings, gadgets and gift items.
Fantasy Clothes
Far Away (No. 9) features fantasy casual clothes bearing the “Hysteric et Vous” label for the young in age--or young at heart. Way-out styles include a selection of amusing cartoon applique T-shirts with catchy French slogans (about $20 U.S.).
Meridith (No. 14) is a beautifully arranged women’s boutique. The fashions, bearing such labels as Pluck, Max Mara and Equipment, run from casual and sporty styles to proper business attire . Outfits cost about $300 and up.
There are also dozens of sweaters ($200 and up), with knit skirts (from $150) to match. The duffel coats ($250 and up) and fake furs (from $300) are fun additions.
Real (No. 16) is the boutique of designer Arlette Nastat, whose knit dresses and coordinates in earthy colors and grays, are simple, yet elegant. They’re sold in Paris department stores and boutiques, but the selection is greater here. Prices start at about $185.
Culinarion (No. 24) has an expansive selection of kitchen and tableware, from quaint and countrylike to high-tech. Especially popular are the copper pots with tin and nickel linings ($65 and up) and cast-iron cookery enameled with bright primary colors (from $35). The selection of gadgets and utensils (from $6) is spectacular.
Leather Coats
Mac Douglas (No. 27) sells supple, well-cut and perfectly tailored leather coats ($1,000 and up), jackets (from $500), slacks (about $300) and skirts ($225 and up).
These items--mostly in black or brown, but some bright colors, too--are stylish from season to season and wear forever. Expensive, but consider them an investment.
Kesako (No. 36) is a children’s boutique with trendy clothes at discounted prices. There are leather coats (about $90), knit ensembles (about $85) and some pink satin pleated dresses (about $65). The shop’s casual atmosphere is appealing.
Gerard Mabe (No. 37) makes and sells distinctively-styled clothes, including suede shirts ($300 and up) that lace up the front and hand-knit sweaters (from $200) in appealing earth tones patterned with country life and nature motifs. Also available are Tyrolean jackets (from $450) and hats (about $85), and stunning belts made of woven silk strands (about $75).
Pile & Pull (No. 42) shows simple casual coordinates in brightly-colored, lightweight knits. These offer creative dressers the perfect opportunity to accessorize and put-together looks of their own. The separates are reasonably priced--from $40 per item and up.
Perfume Chain
Sephora (No. 50) is one of a chain of 18 perfume, cosmetic and drug supermarkets scattered throughout Paris. The shops have a huge stock of perfumes and often reduce prices up to 40% on certain cosmetics.
l’Entrepot (No. 50, second floor) is a discount trading outpost. The shop has everything from pleasant and inexpensive (albeit not particularly well-made) furniture, to cookie cutters shaped like stars, bells, bears and other items.
There are a lot of toys (from $2.50), the smaller items overflowing from large glass barrels and larger items filling the shelves. Posters ($5 and up) and stationery are plentiful. There are favors for parties and gadgets for stuffing stockings ($2 and up), and stockings ($5 and up) to stuff.
The kitchenware features interesting gadgets. You may even find some trendy accessories or even a leather coat (about $85) in the clothing section.
Bambolino (No. 51) provides chic togs for the Sixteenth Arrondissement’s wealthy and well-dressed tots and teens. From play clothes (including chic sweat sets for about $60) to formal garments, including tuxedos (from $285).
Famous Labels
Nadine Samson’s (No. 52) boutique has a collection of labels, including Miss V, Alaia, Byblos, Ungaro, Junko Koshino, Claude Montana, Complice and Genny, and styles from the conventional to the trendy. The tone is definitely high-fashion, with prices (about $350 and up for an outfit) to match.
Anastasia (65 Rue Boulainvilliers, at the corner of Rue de Passy) features the feminine fashions of designer Francois Viannay. Flowing full skirts ($90 and up), loose-fitting halter tops and blouses (from $70), shifts ($120 and up) and jackets (from $145) in vividly-colored flowered patterns and plaids are designed to be mixed and matched in layers for a sophisticated Gypsy look.
Franck et Fils (No. 80), a pricey department store, is well stocked to supply the head-to-toe fashions and accessory needs of women from 19 to 90 years of age. Boutiques are spacious and feature tempting displays of top-label goods by Saint Laurent, Cardin, Jean Louis Scherrer and other top designers. Prices are high (outfits from about $500), but service is excellent.
Kickers (No. 93) sells fashionable footwear for youths. There are clever, colorful editions of sport shoes (around $45), always in bright and trendy hues. Colorful, too, are rain boots ($35 and up) that can cheer even the gloomiest day. Some children’s clothes are sold, too.
Diamant Noir (No. 99) shows Claude Petin’s evening attire, including gowns ($550 and up) with clinging shapes and plunging necklines that are covered with elaborate beading or sequins. There are also attention-getting cocktail dresses ($300 and up) with abundant lace and ruffles.
Inno Passy (on a side street at 18-22 Rue de l’Annonciation) is an enormous supermarket, part of a big Parisian chain. The food section has everything from fresh hares (in season) to canned tuna. The produce department has an assortment of exotic fruits and vegetables. The store has fantastic buys on other things, too, from casual clothes to hardware.
In the expansive children’s clothing department, you can pick up cute little playsuits or dresses for about $20. Women’s costume jewelry ($3 and up). Men’s and women’s hosiery ($2.50 and up) comes in a vast array of color and fabrics. This neighborhood store draws customers from all over Paris.
Coutellerie de Passy (next door to Inno Passy, at 17 Rue de l’Annonciation) has extraordinary antique and contemporary cutlery. This shop opened in 1902, and the old cabinets and woodwork are kept well-polished.
Stock includes knife sets (from $80). Best of all are antique knives, forks and spoons with carved bone or ornate silver handles. These pieces, sold individually or in sets, are about $20 and up per piece.
Regis (No. 89) has been Rue de Passy’s neighborhood chocolatier and patisserie for many years and has a huge (in number, not in size) clientele. Especially popular are the shop’s strong chocolate confections, including specialties such as palets d’or and pralines maison , and three famous chocolate cakes (about $3 per 100 grams). It even has fabulous American brownies ($2 each).
Prices quoted in this article reflect currency exchange rates at the time of writing .
