Paris shopping

[clausc]

I will be in Paris this weekend. Is it worth a visit to the outlet shopping centre near Disneyland - La VallÃ

e Village (http://www.lavalleevillage.com/laval...ult.asp?lan=en) for clothes and shoes (Paul Smith, Hackett, Barbour, Paul Smith)?

Do you know any good addresses in Paris, like Old England, but with something on sale (shoes)? I would also like to see 'in person' some low, mid-level French shoes (Bexley, Finsbury, Loding)

 

[audiophilia]

Loding on Ave de l'Opera (sp) is fantastic. Amazing quality for 150 Euros on sale. Non sale, still a bargain at 200. I swear, I would have bought the whole store, the style and quality was that good. 'Low quality'? Hardly...

Enjoy.

 

[MrFab]

from my experience living there bargains aren't the easiest thing to come by there outside les soldes seasons in January and July, plus if you're using dollars that makes it especially hard. I know prices are over the top even for Paris, but a stop at collette is a must for the sartorially inclined, even if you don't buy a thing. It's just about the most trendy store on the planet and if you're lucy you'll spot Karl Lagerfeld shopping there. Have fun!

 

[Pylon]

I used to live in the 16th, over in Autueil. Though it's heavily residential in the 15th and 16th, there's a handful of botique shops throughout the arrondisements... much quieter surroundings and certainly less hustle & bustle than the over-rated Champs-ElysÃ

es.

And +1 about the above comment regarding Les Soldes seasons.

 

[clausc]

Thanks for the tip on Loding. Apparently they have a brand new website (http://www.loding.fr/accueil.html) with online store, 3D presentation, nice pictures. I think it's in French only unfortunately. I should check the store. All the models are 150 Euros - somehow this is strange, do not quite trust the quality for the price. How do they compare for quality to AE, Loake, Sargent, Grenson. Anybody visited the outlet village near Disneyland?

 

[pabloj]

Go visit Altan Bottier

 

[MaxJones]

+1 Loding. I purchased a few pairs of shoes at one of their stores earlier this year, and I'm impressed with the quality. The prices seem low to me.

I really like Arthur et Fox on Blvd St Germain. They carry beautiful casual yet elegant clothing.

 

[Amar ezzahi]

Originally Posted by pabloj

Go visit Altan Bottier

+ 1 Altan is considered as the best price/quality ratio (see french forum depiedencap). Very beautiful patinas and shoes construction equal to C&J.

If you really want to see art: Corthay.

 

[HHD]

Emling has nice shoes at reasonable prices too. Good styling. I second Arthur & Fox.

Le Bon MarchÃ

may have its 'tres bon marchÃ

' week beginning this weekend, when much of the mid-season stock is at a discount.

 

[MaxJones]

Originally Posted by HHD

Le Bon MarchÃ

may have its 'tres bon marchÃ

' week beginning this weekend, when much of the mid-season stock is at a discount.

That's a good idea to check the bon marchÃ

. They had a nice sale when I was there last and there were some good deals to be had.

 

[clausc]

Thanks everybody for the tips.

Finally I've made some shopping on Sunday mostly. On Saturday I made went around St Germain/Quartier Latin. Tried some Bexley (www.bexley.fr) shoes, but I do not like their lasts (too boring, like AE in my opinion) and they did not quite fit me. Pretty cheap for some good year welted shoes (around 129 euro). Loading looked nicer in the window but did not have the try to enter the shop.

As almost all the shops are closed on Sunday in Paris, I went to the VallÃ

e Village near Disneyland (30 KM from Paris, 40 minutes by train). There are around 70 small shops/boutiques, mostly with fashion brands. Actually I was mostly interested by some british brands, so I should have gone to London.
Burberry and Ralph Laurent were too crowded, Dunhill too expensive, Charles Tyrwhit small sellection of shirts and suits.

I tried some Paul Smith PS suits and jackets, very slim fit, not quite nice colours/patterns, still expensive at 550 euro. I bought some shirts and socks.
At Hacket they had a selection of trousers, shirt and jackets at 70 % off. I bought two pairs of trousers (around 45 euro both) and a nice herringbone jacket, working cuffs, a bit expensive (400 euros).

I was tempted by some bad weather Heschung shoes, but in the end I chose some Bally scribe black brogues at 199 euro (normal price 550) made in Switzerland. I was impressed by the quality compared to the other Bally in the shop (Italian made, glued). They had only two models of Scribe (in black). I have some Bally, they have very nice leather, modern looking and glued. Anybody has experince with Scribes, are they good year-welted? In Europe the normally sell for about 800 USD. They look much better than some other Alfred Sargent Premium black brogues I own.


Here are some pictures from my shopping trip

Hackett jacket

Hackett pants, Paul Smith socks and shirt

Bally scribe shoes

 

[pabloj]

Let me say that you managed to visit something readily available all around europe, a large shopping village ... ???
Around St.Germain (VI) you had a lot of interesting places

 

[speedster.8]

The Scribes are nice, and id consider them a steal @199€, with lasted trees. Looked at a pair this summer, but not tempted by the 600€tag. Bally has been under new management for some years now and have greatly improved their lines after a slight slump (first by out irc). There was a series of interviews in French, Swiss and German magazines & papers (mostly financial). But good reads.

 

[HermesGuy]

It's not sale month, so with the euro/dollar mess things will generally cost more in Paris than in the states (item for item).
FYI: Polo Ralph Lauren sold in Europe is a different corporation and cuts entirely differently than in the states. If you like PRL and find that the USA merch is getting too large (overall), then the European PRL is a great option. I personally can't wear American PRL (their Small is too big for me) but the euro PRL Small fits me perfectly.
Personally, I think Colette is a tourist trap and the salespeople are useless.
Around the corner is the most fantastic leather shop that specializes in croc...they will make a belt, watch band, wallet, etc, for you in short-time, of the highest quality. You can choose from hundreds of skins and exacting details. (If you go up Place du Marche St Honore from Rue St Honore, it is the street on the right, rue st Hyacinthe, just as you turn on to that street on the right side of the street, across from the hotel des tuileries.

 

[Christofuh]

Those Scribe wingtips are Goodyear, cost $700 around here and never go on sale.
The black calf used is more supple than on EG shoes. The build is tough while plenty refined.
The newer Scribe models have gone up to $800 this season.