So if you followed my invigorating buying trip in Paris via IG or FB you already know how hyped I am about what I got and how I got it. In all honesty, I was nervous to do my thing in the iconic City of Light, land of antiques and coolness. I mean, I am totally used to throwing my weight around for vintage in Italy, but thought Paris would be harder to warm up too…thought…not the case.
The first day of my 5-day buying trip I told myself I needed to relax, see the sights I had seen on my last trip, but, I walked over to the Eiffel tower pastry in toe took a selfie and about 12 minutes later I was on the metro off to the cuts to start hitting the thrift shops I had mapped out for myself.
My first stop was totally random. I was directed toward a shop on my map but got there too early and an American sounding man who looked like Santa condescendingly said: “Ferme, that means closed.” I was not phased, I decided to get my wander on and thought, “I’ll see the sights while I wait.” Wrong again! About a block away I popped into a dusty little leather shop and opened pandoras vintage box. I meticulously went through deadstock YSL, Balenciaga, Dior and more with the ancient owner using the four French words I knew, a little Italian and a lot of hands. I nabbed a few gems like the Celine neck scarf above and made a new French friend who I will definitely be visiting again ASAP.
I made it back to destination number one after a street market I stumbled across where I scored some Bill Cunningham French worker’s jackets and got these perfect made-in-France fall pieces.
In the thrift shop, I saw a cute girl obviously doing the same thing I was, we were the only two people trying to balance 50 garments on our bodies and shop at the same time without knocking anyone over. We got to talking and she directed me to a monthly by-the-kilo market in a nearby cafe` where I found this sinfully soft fur vest. After that I was at max capacity, I had not eaten, drank or blinked for about 7 hours so I turned in. This first day however really marked how the rest of the buying trip went. Natural, high paced and great finds…
And this 1950s caped Couture piece, yum.
Never pass up a good stripe, and the tag on this 1960s skirt is amazing.
Sunday rolled around and I was not about to go to the tourist-trap market I had visited years ago but I did find a small neighborhood market close to where I was staying. I was not sure how it worked but broke the ice with this orange 1970s fur coat within about 30 seconds and continued on till dark.
It was a little more difficult to communicate in this setting and I was definitely being made fun of by a fellow French hunter while struggling to buy these 2 pieces. But, no worries I walked off with these super soft 1970s Indian cotton gems and she didn’t.
The different Parisian brands I found here like this 1970s Nina Ricci silk gown were amazing. Nina Ricci has been an established Parisian Couture House since the 30s and I have never come across it in Itlay. Love it.
So time to close my little window into my Paris buying trip and photograph, clean and price these pieces so I can get them out to you!
Thank you, Sonja Tanaka, for the photos and her lovely neighbors for letting us take over the courtyard.
Au revoir!
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