As one of, if not the most important fashion capital, Paris offers some of the best shopping experiences in the world. The French have a penchant for all things chic and high quality so if you are looking to update your closet and add a little bit of that famous je ne sais quoi to your wardrobe, you’re in the right city.
Concept stores are ever so popular in the City of Light with new ones popping up all the time offering not just fashion pieces from premium brands but also home and décor accessories. They cater to customers looking for a lifestyle shopping experience and some of the boutiques have reached cult status among the trendy Parisian crowd. And speaking of high-end brands, there is no better place to get your luxury ready-to-wear fix than Paris. Whether you’re a vintage enthusiast in search of timeless designer pieces, a fan of sustainable labels, or would simply like to sip champagne and shop the latest creations of haute couture maisons, there is a store for you in the City of Light.
Keep scrolling for a list of the trendiest boutiques that make for unbeatable shopping in Paris.
Merci
This independent three-story boutique located in the historic Haut-Marais neighborhood has become one of the most popular concept stores in Paris (singer/actress Vanessa Paradis is also a fan). It offers a large (and incredibly stylish) selection of women’s and men’s fashion and lifestyle items, including its in-house label (definitely pick up a set of their cotton bed sheets). But Merci is more than just a store. Its founders, Bernard and Marie-France Cohen (who also launched the hugely successful children’s brand Bonpoint) set it up so the profits go in an endowment fund that finances educational projects and development in Madagascar. 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, 75003 Paris
Thanx God I’m a Vip
Paris is one of the best places in the world for luxury vintage shopping and Thanx God I’m a Vip (or TGV) is the proof. You won’t find messy racks or items in bad condition here. The clothes are beautifully arranged by color and the accessories are displayed in glass cases. Pick up a pussy bow silk shirt by Guy Laroche or a pair of wide-legged Yves Saint Laurent pants and when you’re done with shopping, have an espresso in the store’s coffee/lounge area nestled under a skylight that fills the space with natural light. Before you pay TGV a visit, make sure to check out the weekly new arrivals posted on the store’s website. 12 rue de lancry 75010 Paris
Holiday Boileau
Located on a quiet street in the posh 16th arrondissement, Holiday Boileau opened its doors in 2018, four years after creative director Franck Durand revived the cult travel magazine Holiday. Given Durand’s extensive fashion experience (he is responsible for the campaigns of brands like Balmain and Isabel Marant), it’s no surprise that Holiday Boileau is now among the go-to brands of Paris’s cool street style crowd. But the boutique offers a lot more than the colorful logo-stamped sweatshirts the brand is now famous for (and you should definitely get one for yourself). Holiday Boileau often collaborates with other cool French labels such as Edition M.R, Jacques Marie Mage, and Aurélie Bidermann and the result is effortlessly chic casual pieces like classic marinière striped sweaters and thick-framed sunglasses. 11 rue Parent de Rosan, 75016 Paris
Centre Commercial
Now with two locations—one on each side of the river Seine—Centre Commercial prides itself with offering sustainable fashion for men, women, children, as well as some lifestyle products like insulated water bottles, fragrances, and Petit Passport city guides. The stores are actually owned by the founders of Veja (which is, of course, very well represented in Centre Commercial)—the eco-conscious brand that took over fashion with its sleek V-embossed leather sneakers. 9 rue Madame, 75006 Paris and 2 rue de Marseille, 75010 Paris
La Botte Gardiane
For high-quality French-made footwear, head to one of the two La Botte Gardiane stores in Paris, named after the sturdy boots cattle herdsman in the South of France wear. The company has been around for some 60 years and in 2017 was certified as a “Living Heritage Company” by the French government. All La Botte Gardiane shoes are made with high-quality French leathers in the company’s factory in Aigues-Vives in Southern France. So whether it’s a pair of over-the-knee flat boots or strappy sandals you are in the market for, expect classic design and impeccable quality that will last you for years. 25, rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris and 25, Rue du Bourg Tibourg, 75004 Paris
Nous
If you are still mourning the closing of the cult concept store Colette in 2017, you’ll be happy to find out that two of its former staffers are behind the menswear brand Nous, that just opened its first store around the corner from The Ritz Paris, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, on Rue Cambon.
Expect perfectly curated fashion, art, books, timepieces, and lifestyle items by contemporary brands such as Moschino, Antidote, and Drôle de Monsieur. Don’t’ miss the beauty corner in the store where you will find a selection of organic skincare products, niche fragrances, and Nous’s own hemp-based beauty line. 48 rue Cambon, 75001 Paris
Les Suites
Everything in this elegant boutique, situated just steps away from Champs-Elysées in the chic 8th arrondissement, is about delivering an exclusive luxury experience. A personal stylist will help you choose the best pieces among a highly curated selection of timeless fashion pieces and accessories, and then help you to a private space on the second floor to try them on and enjoy a glass of champagne. Right now, we have our eyes on an embroidered emerald green midi skirt by Manish Arora, a strapless mini dress in fuchsia by Giambattista Valli, a long-sleeved silk top in coral by Roksanda, and a satin pearl-embellished turban by Jennifer Behr. 47 Rue Pierre Charron 75008 Paris
Gang of Earlybirds
Owned by former Lanvin buyer Fanny Airault, this hip concept store at Le Marais is dedicated to promoting up and coming fashion and lifestyle brands from all over the globe. We’d leave with a pair of 90s-inspired strappy leather sandals by celebrity-favorite brand By Far, a gorgeous tiered maxi skirt in sky blue by Maryam Nassir Zadeh, and a trio of geometric acrylic bracelets in bright yellow by Cult Gaia. 4 Rue de Normandie, 75003 Paris
Smallable
Head to this spacious “family concept store” in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood to shop the chicest pieces for you and your little (or grown-up) ones. If the brands sold here are any indication of how French moms dress then we can say for sure that their wardrobes are anything but bland. Poplin shirts by Officine Générale, bold-hued dresses by Xirena, Sessun, and Numero 74, and sexy underwear by Ysé.
The store sports exposed steel columns and a large skylight that gives it an industrial yet homey feel, and the merchandise—a mixture of fashion, décor, and furniture—is tastefully arranged. Also, don’t miss Smallable’s Baby Store that’s right across the street for a large selection of baby essentials. 81 Rue du Cherche Midi, 75006 Paris
Empreintes
Skip the souvenir shops along the main tourist attractions in Paris and instead head straight to Empreintes (or fingertips) for unique gifts. We can spend hours in this four-story boutique dedicated to all things crafts. The space itself, located in the Haut-Marais neighborhood not far from the Picasso Museum, is absolutely stunning with its extra-large windows filling the store with tons of natural light. The tables are covered with one-of-a-kind plates, bowls, cups, vases, and other home accessories, all handmade in France by local craftsmen. The store also houses a coffee shop, a library, and a screening room—we told you we could spend hours in here. 5 Rue de Picardie, 75003 Paris
