Paris March 3

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Pinch me please... this is too good to be true!!

Today we woke up early and hit the streets, it was our first full day of buying for Blanc's fall fashion and we were itching to get started. We met with the reps and the designers from three if our hottest European collections; Lost and Found, Blayde, and Marsell.

Our very first appointment was at the Lost and Found showroom in the Marais, where we met with the most talented artistic and eclectic designer, Ria Dun, to view her fall 2011 collection.  The showroom is located on a small side street called Rue Quincampoix in the heart of the Marais. Upon entering the showroom you are met with the most magnificent atmosphere that screams art, individuality, and self expression in perhaps one it's purest of forms. From wall to wall large painted sheets line and drape down from the ceiling to floor without leaving but one square inch of the walls are exposed.  The cloths hung carefully on each rack seem to fit neatly in this environment as if a celebration of their own creativity.  Some of my favorite pieces in her collection included pieces which were those that were incredibly unique devised with elaborate construction.  Such as a jacket which unzips down the front left side of the jacket leaving an approximately four or five inch opening which can then be pulled up and across the chest and used as an arm hole creating the illusion of a fantastic collar and draping across the front. Another piece I loved in the collection was a black stretch shearling motorcycle jacket, which too had a brilliant construction that hugs the silhouette oh your body the designer used what looked like separate pieces of shearling strips sewn together to get this very sliming and stunning effect.

After a couple hours of carefully selecting our fall order my mother and I continued just a little ways down into the Marais into place des Vosges onto our next appointment at Blayde, to look sweaters for fall.  The Blayde showroom is inside an old 17th century courtyard, by far one of the most incredible and unique locations for a showroom yet.  The sweaters in this collection were fantastic; the Cashmere simply doesnt get any finned in quality. The combinations of materials -such as wool, cashmere, and plaid made the sweaters incredible and unusual with a fresh new spin on fall.  The fabric hand of these sweaters is what makes them so spectacular, light and fluffy and wonderful to the touch. Cashmere simply doesnt get any finned in quality. The wrapping yourself up in one is heaven!

Our next appointment was no other than the famous shoe designer Marsell, by far one of the most talented and might I add handsome designers in all of Paris. He is known for his  hand made shoes, with hand carved wooden heals, and unbeatable  Italian leather. Some of our picks for fall included a beautiful chocolate brow boot with a hand carved wooden wedge, a black brushed/ suede supple leather ankle bootie, a lace up the front bracket high heal, and one of Marsells well loved and famous flats in brown.

Natalie reporting for Blanc Boutique from Paris, France