Where to Shop, Eat and What To See in the City of Light
What better season than spring in Paris to discover some of the latest hot spots, from alfresco dining experiences and summer- ready shopping to hair- raising exhibitions?
Shop ‘ Till You Drop
Celebrity eyewear favorite Chimi — spotted on the likes of Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Quavo — has just opened its first retail outpost outside its native Sweden. The minimalist space in the Marais was curated by architect Jani Kristoffersen, and offers the label's eyewear as well as its recently introduced ready-to-wear pieces.
Sneakerheads be warned, resale platform StockX has tied up with multibrand retailer Modes at its boutique on Rue François Premier, just off Avenue Montaigne, to offer a selection of its most coveted pairs, including the Louis Vuitton Nike Air Force 1 Low and the Jordan 1 Retro Low Dior, as well as apparel and collectibles. It's StockX's first physical retail location.
Those sneakers will be perfect for hot-footing it across town to Le Bon Marché's feel-good summery installation,
Les Bons Marchés de l'Eté, where the bustle of the city gives way to the colorful vibrancy of a village market through
June 18. Striped deckchairs, colorful stalls, bright floral displays and limited-edition products pave the aisles of the store's various departments. Boho-sweet Parisian label Sézane is the guest of honor, celebrating its 10th anniversary with exclusive collaborations and products and bringing along its “stepfamily,” including Café Tapisserie, Sézane founder Morgane Sézalory's relaunched homeware label Les Composantes, Sézane Editions, its new occasionwear range, and men's label Octobre Editions. — Alex Wynne
Chimi Paris 127 Rue Vieille-du-Temple, 75003 Paris, open every day. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Modes Paris 17 Rue François 1er, 75008 Paris, Mon. to Sat. 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sun. Noon to 7 p.m. +33-1-53-23-98-11 Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche 24 Rue de Sèvres, 75007. +33-1-44-39-80-00
Dining Out
Inside an 18th-century private mansion in the 8th arrondissement, the recently opened Maison Delano Paris is home to Mediterranean eatery La Chambre Bleue, headed by Michelin-starred Spanish chef Dani Garcia, as well as a cocktail bar. With a retro-tinged décor inspired by Picasso's Blue Period by Spanish interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán, it has 170 seats, an inner patio and an open kitchen with a row of hubs for paella pans lined with specially created ceramic wall tiles. For Garcia's first restaurant in France, expect a menu built around seafood and Iberian specialties, as well as a selection of cocktails inspired by Picasso.
For vintage lovers who can't spend a few days in Paris without a wander around “Les Puces,” Eyal Shani's HaSalon Paris, at the entrance to the Marché Serpette, offers leisurely lunches for lazy weekends and an outdoor dining space in a festive setting inspired by the effervescence of Tel Aviv. The open kitchen and colorful vegetable display set the scene for Mediterranean sharing plates designed by executive chef Jess Soussan using locally sourced ingredients. Lunch is served from noon through 5 p.m. on the weekend, while the restaurant takes on a party vibe in the evening from Wednesday through Saturday.
New in the 18th is festive restaurant Superflu, created by Louis Bruneteau, who's behind wine bar Stéréo, and architect Jean-Baptiste Andrau. Its premise is that guests should not have to choose between drinking a glass of clean wine, listening to good music and meeting around plates to share. With a colorful retro design — its centerpiece is an undulating ceiling installation created by Zato in collaboration with Jean-Baptiste and Eliott Sounigo and designed for perfect acoustics — and a hidden courtyard that seats 50, the program includes weekend DJ sets with local house and funk artists and collectives. The menu is by Italian chef Cherki Slimani with the help of executive chef Paul Eidel from Boucan, and there's also an extensive selection of European wines with a focus on a natural and biodynamic offer. — A.W.
La Chambre Bleue 4 Rue d'Anjou, 75008 Paris, 33-1-83-96-88-70
HaSalon 106 Rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen, 33-1-84-21-04-30
Superflu 227 Bis Rue Marcadet, 75018,
Tues. to Sat. 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., 33-1-53-11-08-41
Art Fix
Following its immensely successful 2018 exhibition of the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, the Fondation Louis Vuitton is showcasing the artist's collaboration with Andy Warhol, with the “Basquiat x Warhol Painting Four Hands” exhibition. Curated by Dieter Buchhart and Anna Karina Hofbauer in collaboration with the Fondation Louis Vuitton's curator Olivier Michelon, it is the most important exhibition ever dedicated to work done in tandem by the duo in 1984 and 1985, when they created 160 paintings together, a partnership described by Keith Haring as two minds merging to create a “third distinctive and unique mind.”
The Musée des Arts Décoratifs is continuing its exploration of the link between the body and fashion with “Des Cheveux et des Poils,” an exhibition on hairstyles and body hair, exploring how grooming has been a part of how people construct their appearance through the centuries. With 600 works from the 15th century to the present, it highlights iconic figures ranging from MarieAntoinette's favorite hairdresser Léonard Autier to the Carita sisters and Alexandre de Paris, and also looks at designers like Alexander McQueen and Martin Margiela's use of hair in their designs. “Basquiat x Warhol Painting Four Hands” April 5 to
Aug. 28. Fondation Louis Vuitton, 8 Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi, Bois de Boulogne, 75116 Paris. +33-1-40-69-96-00 “Des Cheveux et des Poils” April 5 to Sept. 17. Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 107 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris. +33-1-44-55-57-50
French Beauty
A concept store stocking
38 young French clean and sustainable beauty brands has opened in the Marais district. Called La French Beauty, it is housed in what for 10 years was the Huygens beauty boutique, and carries products for the face, body and hair care, fragrance, makeup and food supplements. Brands include 1919 Bains de Mer, All Tigers, Botak, Demain, Juste Paris, La Canopée, Les Huilettes, Miyé, PH Fragrances and Shaeri. — Jennifer Weil
La French Beauty 24 Rue du Temple. 75004. +33-9-83-75-70-50