Depot Vente - OMG!!!!

All girls have dreams, and some dream in Chanel. I hit a depot-vente in the 16th and 17th arrondissement and I felt like I found gold. These two areas of Paris are know for large beautiful buildings, very posh surroundings and loads of money. Many folks who are of this class move out of the centre of the city and settle here to have their families. As a result of such surroundings, the merchandise at these stores is amazing.

There are two stores, one in each arrondissement. The one in the 17th was bigger and had a huge selection of bags. I found brand new Ferragamo bags, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, and of course Chanel and Hermes. They had just received two classic Chanel bags and were selling them for 1300 euros each. Most of the merchandise was in impeccable condition. I also saw brand new LV shoes for around 200-300 euros. Clearly, fashionistas who are connected, get free/discounted stuff and never use it. They decide to change seasons and get rid of the old season. There are alot of clothes and tons of Chanel pieces. The jackets started at 800 and went up. But....if you are looking for a Chanel piece, they are the place to contact. They have a website, ship overseas and it is tax free!! I will definitely go there again. Since the recession is starting to hit Paris, people are getting rid of their wares fast! With the dollar getting a little stronger, I would advise to jump on this soon if you want a classic bag, jacket or any other piece of luxury!
www.depot-vente-paris.fr

Lacroix and Givenchy shows - pics follow

I spent a fabulous Sunday in the Marais. I initially just went for brunch, but ended up walking around most of the day and then decided to go to two shows in the hood. My first show was the Christian Lacroix show on rue Turenne. It was relatively calm at the entrance and not bombarded with photographers. I met some other fellow folks hoping to get in and who were also taking pics. I met a sweet girl who was decked out and of whom tons of people tooks pics. She had told me how she had gotten into a few shows and how she was really a student at the Sorbonne studying journalism. In any case, we admired all the beautiful clothes passing by and the fashionistas entering the show. We nearly got into the show, but they just closed the entrance when they let us in. Alas, we decided to head to the Givenchy show which was just a few blocks away at the Carre du Temple.

The chaos in front of the entrance was intense. We had just entered into the world of Goth fashion. The amount of leather and severe looks was impressive. I saw a group of boys who were decked out in skinny leather pants or leggings paired with platform boots. They definitely looked the part. The paparazzi were in force and attacked the few celebrities who passed. I saw Beatrice Dalle and Kanye West with his new sidekick, the bald girl. We also saw tons of fashionistas trying to get in. Even with an invitation, it was hard to get in and the crowd was growing and growing. It was definitely the show of the day. The outfits were amazing and the energy inspiring. I also ran into garance dore, the sartorialist and bill cunningham outside the show. I love fashion in action!!! Tomorrow is the Stella McCartney show......

Bill Cunningham - the legend

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Bill Cunningham at the Givenchy show. I went up to him and told him how much I loved his work with the New York Times. He was so nice and gracious and said that he loved the energy that the young bloggers gave to the show. He was so cute in his very practical jacket and super comfortable shoes. I have no idea how old he is, but he certainly smiled and talked to tons of people outside. He is an inspiration to all of us.

Fashion In Action - Givenchy

The chaos in front of the entrance. You can feel the energy!!

Loved her coat and glasses. Headbands again.

Kanye West going into the show.

Amazing coat.

She had a huge Chanel cumberbund.

A bit of color in a sea of black. Requisite Goyard bag.

Japonista Fashionista.

Goth redhead.

Acid-washed jeans.

An air of fragility with an atmosphere of campy goth.

She looked super tough. Lots of leather.

He had amazing laces.

Her Givenchy shoes were a complicated work of art.

A group of boys all in leather leggings with platform boots. They were super fierce.

Need I say more? YSL.

Fashion in Action - Christian Lacroix show

Fashion week here in Paris. I fell upon the Christian Lacroix show in the Marais. It wasn't super crowded but there were a good amount of fashionistas in the crowd. The girl with the glasses and her red-headed friend sneaked into the show. The vibe at the door was surprisingly mellow.

Headbands were everywhere in the crowd!

I befriended this Japanese photographer who is at school in New York at the Fashion Institute. She was shooting a project for her portfolio. She was using film instead of digital.

I loved the mix of textures. It was fairly cold out, but still the fashionistas managed to show a bunch of leg.

Anna Piaggi walking into the show. She is always dressed like Auntie Mame.

Loved her elegant neck and smile.

Fur was everywhere.