i hadn't planned to make the trip to paris a shopping trip, but there were definitely several stores on my hit list, a few in the marais. as my luck would have it, my friend matt was living in that neighborhood and he kindly spent a couple of days guiding me through the rues...at the very top of my list was merci, a concept store that opened in 2009, and named by one of my long-time style icons, ines de la fressange, as one of her favorites. in the 1980s, ms. de la fressange was most famously known as the first model to sign an exclusive contract with chanel. but i have loved her for her non-chanel style: with her short brown hair, slim cut trousers and blazers, sweaters and tees and great shoes, her look was always smart, chic, and unfussy. parisian. she never really left the style pages, but she's enjoying a burst of recent fame with the publication of a parisian style book, a spread in "the selby," and recent catwalk turns for karl lagerfeld and jean-paul gaultier. anyway, i figured if she loved merci, i would too.
and i did--from the minute i entered the courtyard and saw the little red fiat.
merci is a "lofty" space, with abundant natural light to glorify everything inside. flowers greet you on the first floor, and there are different boutiques, upstairs and down. as a concept store, they sell clothing and accessories for men, women and children, and have sections devoted to seemingly every room in your home, as well as the garden, if you have one. it's the one-stop shopping of the highest order--everything is beautiful, a mix of vintage and new, a blend of easy and elegant. even the coffee bar is swank.
merci is a "lofty" space, with abundant natural light to glorify everything inside. flowers greet you on the first floor, and there are different boutiques, upstairs and down. as a concept store, they sell clothing and accessories for men, women and children, and have sections devoted to seemingly every room in your home, as well as the garden, if you have one. it's the one-stop shopping of the highest order--everything is beautiful, a mix of vintage and new, a blend of easy and elegant. even the coffee bar is swank.
i spent most of my time in the gal's apparel section, where the lust factor is high--i ogled slip dresses and buttery leather coats, all manner of garments with interesting lines or special adornments--zippers, ruffles, and beads, some more subtle than others. my budget and i did little more than browse this time 'round, but the terrific thing about merci is that once the store breaks even, the proceeds are distributed to women's and children's charities in madagascar. those with a little extra spending room can feel feel doubly good about the experience.
***merci's bookstore carries mostly secondhand volumes...this was my second favorite section...would have been first, maybe, if i could read french?
a few extra photos here, if you're interested:
