The Fabulous Coco Girls

The cat’s out the bag: American sisters and local Parisian expats Bianca and Sierra Casady (AKA CocoRosie) will be the hot-band-to-watch performing at Prada’s New York fashion week party tomorrow night. It’s not a Prada first for the girls, who were also featured on the Spring 2006 runway soundtrack created by Frédéric Sanchez. Those of us in Paris shouldn’t feel left out however, on February 14th Bianca Casady will be celebrating the opening of her art-meets-fashion-meets-everything-else tea room called Mad Vicky’s Tea Gallery! Mariage Frères beware!

Mad Vicky’s Tea Gallery, 3 rue Nicolet, 75018 Paris, M° Château Rouge

www.madvickysteagallery.com

Cashmere jumpers and other musings…

A recent post from Style Bubble made me laugh! First of all her waiver that a **GIANT DOSE OF BORING IS ABOUT TO BE FED TO YOU** and then her soliloquy to her days at Uni wearing Ferragamo “Vara” flats and Uniqlo cashmere jumpers. I was sent off on a trance about how much I adore preppy-ness, especially à la “Love Story” (which is quite possibly my favourite film wardrobe of all time), and then to thoughts on cheap cashmere jumpers from Uniqlo.

I went on the UK website for Uniqlo to look at the prices and £29.99 for a v-neck jumper seemed totally obscene! I immediately tried to buy a whole lot! But at the billing section, I realised they wouldn’t take a foreign credit card. A good thing to tell the truth, as I was a bit dubious about buying cashmere without actually feeling the quality.

Then yesterday, a friend very casually mentioned to me that he was interested to go to La Défense on Friday, as the first Uniqlo shop in France will be opening at the Commercial Centre “Les 4 Temps”!! How bizarre is that? I suppose now I have no excuse, and must certainly make the trek with him to see whether I should officially make a fuss or not!

Uniqlo France, Centre Commercial Les 4 Temps, Niveau 1, Zone Cassis, 15 Parvis de la Défense, 92092 Paris La Défense, M° Grande Arche de La Défense

www.uniqlo.co.uk

www.les4temps.com

Il était une fois…

There’s a new girl in town! A sort of Cinderella on the hunt for her ”happy ever after”, according to Rue Princesse owner Laurent Morel-Ruyman, who recently opened their newest boutique for all the princesses at heart, on where else, but the Rue Princesse! This adorable boudoir boutique is the perfect place to find a cute Christmas gift – choose from their line of handbags and accessories, as well as a selection of precious and semi-precious stone jewellery.

Rue Princesse, 11 rue Princesse, 75006 Paris, Tél 01 46 33 32 54, M° Mabillon or Saint-Germain-des-Prés

www.rueprincesse.com

Citoyen, Citoyen!

I’m happy to report that being a good citizen of the world (from France) just got a whole lot easier! I, like many others I’m sure, am always wondering where the nearest bio market is, and would be happy to know where to buy fair trade goods in Paris!  Especially with Christmas approaching! Last year’s Opération Noël was a huge success, and thankfully this year’s edition has just launched, on Le Marché Citoyen. Log on to find bons plans and original gift ideas, whether they be bio, équitables or solidaires!

www.lemarchecitoyen.net

Looking for Mr. Right

Like the thousands of single girls, the BHV has joined in the race to find Mr. Right, or 8 Mr. Rights to be exact. Starting tomorrow and Friday from 15h to 20h (if you think you have what it takes to be featured in a major advertising campaign and catalogue) potential Mr. Rights may present themselves at 36 rue de la Verrerie in the 4th. All ages, all sizes, and all styles will be considered!

www.bhvhomme.fr

You turn me upside-down!

Have I ever mentioned that I can hardly bare to drink anything but champagne? A ‘cosmo’, a ‘mojito’, ’sex on the beach’ would literally turn my world upside down! But today I discovered that fashion designers Viktor & Rolf have taken the liberty to do that for Piper-Heidsieck’s Rosé Sauvage!! Look at how cool this set is: the champers, the ice bucket, and the flute are all in a reversed topsy-turvy limbo, which will no doubt float through the room or at least seem incredibly trippy after a few bottles! Retails exclusively at Colette.

 Colette, 213 rue St. Honoré, 75001 Paris, 01 55 35 33 90, M° Tuileries

www.colette.fr

Ahhh.. Bellissima!

I walked past Galignani’s last week and noticed that Belladone Island was featured prominently in their window. Belladonna is the toxic plant Renaissance Italian women used to dilate their pupils (a sign of sexual arousal) and which grows in abundance on Belladone, the imaginary island created by Victoire de Castellane for her line of haute-joaillerie at Dior.

Illustrated by Guido Mocafico and curated by Eric Troncy, I am totally mesmerised by this book and Victoire’s stunning pieces like the “Reina Magnifica Sangria,” “Poisono Misterius Spinella, and ”Dracula Spinella Devorus.”

Galignani, 224 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, 01 42 60 76 07, M° Tuileries

‘Tis the season to party at Hermès!

Everyone’s favourite shop (or maybe just mine…!) Hermès, located at the famous 24, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, is getting ready to kick-off their new extended shopping space with a 24 hour party which starts at 8 pm on October 23rd. There will be dancing and musical performances throughout the night, which leads into breakfast and shopping the next day. While there’s no official stance, who’s to say that getting your favourite sales associates a little bit tipsy might not help with your advancement on the Birkin waiting-list (hey, it’s worth a try isn’t it? )

More artistically inclined clients will want an invite to the opening of H Box, the new itinerant art show by Hermès, which will open at the Centre Pompidou on November 28th. The show will run to January 5th, and features the work of artists like Alice Anderson, Yael Bartana, Sebastian Diaz Morales, and Dora Garcia; all exhibited within a massive space-pod-like structure designed by the artist-architect Didier Fiuza Faustino!

Hermès, 24 rue du Fbg St-Honoré, 75008 Paris, 01 40 17 47 17, M° Concorde or Madeleine

H Box from Nov. 28 2007 – Jan. 5 2008, Centre Pompidou, Place Georges Pompidou, 75004 Paris, 01 44 78 12 33, M° Rambuteau or Hôtel-de-Ville

www.hermes.com

www.centrepompidou.fr

Just COS

Ok, I know that many a fashion blogger has recently become obsessed with COS (Collection of Style), the more grown-up, style-driven brand from H&M. I have friends who send taunting emails from London because they love their store so much! Well Paris, get ready, because opening March 2008, we will have our own store, located in the Marais, on 4 rue des Rosiers!!!

www.cosstores.com

The Russians are here!

Above : murals by Valery Chtak; Below : collection of objects by Alexandre Brodsky © Louis Vuitton images

It’s not every day that Russia comes to the Champs-Elysées, so if last night’s “Moscopolis” vernissage was any indication, having received the royal Vuitton welcome, Moscow is here to stay (or at least until December 31st!). You don’t need to grab your furs for this exhibition, but the air is defintely fresh, as the Espace Louis Vuitton exhibits 11 Russian artists who will transport you through their unique vision of the capital.

Espace Louis Vuitton, 60 rue de Bassano, 75008 Paris, 01 53 57 52 03, M° Georges V

www.louisvuitton.com

Coming Soon!

If the name Coming Soon doesn’t whet your appetite, the man behind the new label will almost certainly pique your interest: Yohji Yamamoto is the force behind this forthcoming ”supercasual” line for men and women, slated to be unveiled this January. But for Yohji fans who can’t wait, the new Y-3 store in Paris is certain to be a huge hit, the opening of which will be celebrated at a party on October 4th during Fashion Week!

www.yohjiyamamoto.co.jp

www.adidas.com/y-3

Girls Only!

Bikini season may be over, but fit body seekers should head to the new Nike Women store to stock up on female-only fitness gear and expert advice. Look for the Dance Collection, which is one of the big hits for Fall, and will have you slamming and krumping with the best of them!

36 rue de Passy, 75016 Paris, M° Passy

www.nikewomen.com

Mass with Class

This season’s European ad campaign by Mikael Jansson for Gap was probably an indication that something was in the air, and now we can confirm that Pierre Hardy will indeed be designing a line of shoes for the mass retailer!

Gap by Pierre Hardy includes footwear for both men and women; and will be launching at the end of this year, with a full collection available by Spring 2008!

www.pierrehardy.com

www.gap.com

Rentrée News Bites

God knows we need to ease back into this whole “rentrée” business, so here are some fun Fall news bites that are going to be hot stuff this season!

Designers: Marc Jacobs is rumoured to be unveiling a collaboration with artist Richard Prince during his Paris Fashion Week collection for Vuitton. Veronique Branquinho will also be unveiling a new project during PFW. She’s also celebrating her house’s 10th anniversary this Fall. Hedi Slimane will be exhibiting in a solo show this November at the Almine Rech gallery. He will also be curating their stand at the upcoming Frieze Art Fair.

Collaborations: Tommy Hilfiger and Thierry Henry have created a line of rain-coats for their anti-racism foundation, One 4 All. They will be throwing a party at the end of the month to celebrate, the Plasticines have already been signed to perform. 

Shopping: Savannah and Sienna Miller’s Twenty8Twelve is now available at Montaigne Market and Le Bon Marché. H & M have finally been granted permission to open on the Champs-Elysées. Jean Nouvel is rumoured to have been tapped to create the mega-boutique, which open in late 2008 at 82-90 avenue des Champs-Elysées. 

Politics: Nicolas Sarkozy has earned a spot on Vanity Fair’s 68th Annual International Best-Dressed List, featured in this month’s issue.

Et voilà! A demain!