Our third day in Paris

Today I rose with the every ambition of conquering Paris at least in regards to packing as many appointments as possible into one day.  It was another overcast freezing Paris morning where you literally don't want to get out of bed, its so darn cold I'm always impressed when I do.

Our first appointment was at Oyuna's showroom in the Marais only ten minutes from our apartment which made me incredibly happy. Oyuna was founded in 2002 by Mongolian designer Oyuna Tsenerdorji and Swiss-Ecuadorian-British David Bernosconi, "Oyuna" combines both the nomadic heritage of Mongola with London's fashion and creativity.  Oyuna stretches the notion of traditional knitwear by bringing forth timeless pieces made up of a never before seen quality of cashmere. She explains "We love the fact that everything we do involves creativity. Whether it's creating the cashmere dress or gift packaging or label, or experience for our customers, we like to think about every detail like: Is it practical? Is it comfortable?  Is it an enjoyable experience?"

Our second appointment of the day was at the world famous Guidi shoes. In case  you don't know what Guidi shoes are here is a little background information for you.  Guidi was established in 1896 by tanners Giovanni Rosellini and Gino Ulivo.  The focal idea of Guidi’s shoe collection is a passion for leather and a respect for its traditions, while refusing mass production and using an old craft and artfully creating shoes that only a great craftsman could make.

The rest of the afternoon we spent at the Tranoi show at the Carrousel du Louvre where we saw Avant - Toi, Johnny Farah, and Majestic.  We also continued our mission to find new lower price point lines that don't compromise quality and looks.

Avant- toi is a luxury line of cashmere and wool sweaters for men and women.  In the Avant- toi line various techniques and innovative treatments for distressing and dying the fabrics are used.  The distressed smokey flocked treatments and distressing are just some of the characteristics that stand out in this line.

Johnny Farah is a Lebanese designer of handbags, belts, shoes, and accessories.  All his pieces are designed and manufactured in Lebanon.  He uses earthy colored dyes and vegetable tanned high quality leather.  Both his leather brass and silver are custom-made for each piece resulting in a  distinctive style.

[PARIS DIARY] Our second day...

We were off to a late start, I rose at ten am was very jet lagged but headed straight for our very first appointment at a clothing line by Damir Dolmas called "Silent." It's a casual collection for men and women created by the Parisian avant-garde Damir Doma. It was first presented in Paris in October 2009 alongside the womens ready-to-wear collections. His collection offers wonderful mens and womens styles in casual and comfortable jersey, knits and woven fabrics - along side his leather outerwear, shoes, and accessories/

I loved this line I thought it would serve as the perfect addition to our store. It had all the elements and detail in the sweaters and jerseys that an expensive line would have at a fraction of the price. The line is about comfort being cozy and comfortable but of course with a twist!

"Silent is the state we are in when we are freed of thoughts, of noise or of any other distraction. It is in silence that we can clear our minds and focus on details that would otherwise be overseen. Confronted with a world that becomes more noisy every day, we can close our eyes and hear the music behind the roaring sound of a city -the enduring play of silence and sound. For it is when we are silent, that we can truly admire and embrace the essence of something. We are left in state of purity and peacefulness, open to embrace the surrounding.” Damir Doma

For lunch we stopped into Breizh cafe which is known for its ingredients and a long list of artisanal ciders. Breizh is all about slate floors, raw wood, and Japanese crêpe-makers. For lunch we had oysters on the half shell white wine and a ham and cheese crepe made with buckwheat that melted in your mouth. Another extraordinary meal!!

Our next appointment was with Barbra Bologna, a transgressive visionary who bridges the gap between art and fashion drawing from her background in both both music and art. Her designs convey a dark mysterious story, which she calls "containers full of artistic substance, sealed by my soul and all the things that I am."

"Area is my space, my emotional perspective in which I find art, fashion, music, and theater.... The place which those are able to feel the rest through the dress." Barbra Bologna

[PARIS DIARY] Our first Day in Paris

We landed in Paris and first thing mom says is " boy is it cold" and it was! The bitter cold air seemed to penetrate my socks and bite at my nose. So first thing we drove by taxi not train to the Marais where our very cosy little studio apartment awaited us.

Our first meal out was at non other than our favorite restaurant LeTaxi Jaune. A little French bistro in the heart of the Marais French brasseries start to feel very similar after a while. This little restaurant is different in some important ways. When we walked in the atmosphere was warm, inviting and not at all commercial. Our waiter explained in great detail in English each of the items on the menu. I can't over how helpful this is when you are in France. Our dishes were the vegetable soup, scallops, the cod, and for desert a light and airy raspberry Baba Rhum.

The first three dishes were wonderful, full of well balanced flavour and little suprises thrown into the mix. The vegetable soup was superb. The white cod in a green vegetable butter sauce on a bed of mashed potatoes. The scallops are a popular dish there and so well prepared! The portions were just right for dishes this flavorful. And to top it all off we shared a most excellent bottle of red wine. The bill for 2 came to €100 exactly. Money well spent.

text by Natalie Hicks

Vlas Blomme In Store Now

Japanese label VLAS BLOMME was launched by Yoriko Sakurama. Vlas Blomme means “flower of linen” in Flemish and the clothing is mainly made of linen from Kortrijk in Belgium, a town that's been making linen for over 100 years.