La Ville des Lumières - Partie Deux

A quick aside before going into this post. Two random points. Firstly writing this blog has helped resuscitate a lethargic mind. Being able to post about a trip I did a few weeks ago helps solidify my memory of the events. I guess that's sort of the point of these blog things, to be a sort of online diary; whether or not you set out to make it that. Secondly I am deeply touched with the responses I have received on my Why We Buy Today post. Especially from my friend Joy who wrote a whole post as a response :). I'm currently in the process of expanding upon my first thought, I don't want to burden myself with the idea of a deadline as I want it to be just as thoughtful as the first post, but I am looking forward to more of your thoughts.

Anywho back to my whirlwind Parisian adventure... The second and final day started out with a trip with Fatima to the secret L'Eclaireur which has no window or exterior semblance to your traditional boutique. You go to a nameless apartment building and ring a doorbell and I guess if they like you they'll let you in (I kind of love this). Upon entering the places rigid, unasuming exterior melts into a warm inviting interior with some of the loveliest sales associates I've come across. Coffee? Tea? Champagne? Chocolates? It all came out as the charming Natalie greeted us. The level of service at the store is the equivalent to a fine hotel with a huge dash of personality. I won't go into too much more about the store but they do carry some very rare and difficult to find designers in a space that very much focuses on the livability of some pretty extreme designs. When someone is spending a fair amount of money on interesting and thoughtful clothing the store shouldn't have an attitude and instead focus on loving the products and the people that appreciate them, L'Eclaireur does this to a T. Both Fatima and myself had a really terrific time. I think one of the things I came away with most was how if you are a colourful person that never goes away. It was a sort of faux-tug of war between Natalie and myself: Me finding anything that wasn't black and Natalie handing Fatima anything that was. As we were leaving Fatima very kindly gave me a beautifully packaged Pierre-Louis-Mascia Scarf which Natalie had draped over me during our fashion frenzy.

I'm sure you would agree, the packaging is lovely. The ribbon seems to be a kind of coated cotton which almost looks like leather. Veryyyyy nice.

I'm not an expert on prints and textile (yet!) but this is one pretty landscape. I can't even imagine how long it must have taken to develop something like this. Dreamy..... Note how puffy it is, thanks to the modal lining (which also makes it soft and squishy :) ).

Closeup of my favourite part of the scarf.

We actually ended up going to the other L'Eclaireur as I had spotted a Peter Pilotto dress that I knew would look so special on Fatima, and it did...

The gorgeous Fatima in a Peter Pilotto digital print draped dress and an Undercover leather lined parka all from our earlier expeditions to L'Eclaireur before eating lunch at Hotel Costes which is basically the only place where lounge music doesn't feel totally cheesy. Chic as hell!

Fatimas Prawns

My Longostino on a bed of Couscous that literally melts on your tongue.


I didn't want to take many photos within the hotel as the atmosphere was so good. It's funny I have a feeling that Parisians feel that this place along with some of the other places that I thought were so cool were super cheesy to them, whilst many of the places here in NY that a lot of Europeans think is so amazing and we think they're a cornfest. Another part of being human, the thrill of the exotic...

We spent the rest of the day stuck in cabs thanks to the demonstrations about Tunisia and before I knew it we were having a farewell snack at the historied Cafe Flore With Fatimas friend Anna who I met when I first met Fatima at the Soho Grand. Thank god she had been there otherwise I'd have missed my train!



Yummy Spanish ham :P eaten in about 5 minutes before a mad dash across the Seine to the hotel and then Gare du Norde almost losing my passport! Before I knew it I was back in London at St Pancras. What a whirlwind trip!





Love the renovated St Pancras



My steed



is longggggg



Nobody here for me :(



Look at those beams!



Purdy lights



A la outfit shot by none other then Steven Meisel... [Thrifted Mao jacket, Pierre Louis-Mascia scarf, Marios Schwab cropped shearling vest, Uniqlo wool trousers, Yohji Docs]