A Fashion Lover's Guide to Paris

Department stores I always recommend

One of the things I love most about shopping in Paris is that its grand department stores are destinations in their own right. If I had to recommend just one, it would almost certainly be Le Bon Marché. It is often credited as the world’s first department store, but what matters to me even more is how it feels today: calmer, more refined, and still very much the choice of many Parisians who would rather shop beautifully than hurriedly. Every time someone asks me where to begin, I tend to send them here first. The fashion edit is excellent, the atmosphere is far more civilised than in some of the busier stores, and before I leave I always stop at La Grande Épicerie de Paris next door. Even if I am not technically shopping, I never skip it.

For a different mood entirely, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is still worth visiting for the Art Nouveau dome, the rooftop terrace, and, in winter, those famous Christmas windows. And if you want to see how Paris does contemporary luxury on a grand scale, La Samaritaine is essential: beautifully restored, architecturally striking, and seamlessly linked to Cheval Blanc Paris, which makes the whole complex feel less like a store and more like a complete Parisian lifestyle destination.

French brands I always seek out

While the great maisons deserve their reputation, some of my most satisfying shopping in Paris comes from contemporary French labels. Every time I’m in Paris, I somehow end up back at Sézane, even when I tell myself I am only “just looking.” Their knitwear, silk blouses, and beautifully cut staples have become part of my own wardrobe, and if you only visit one address, make it L’Appartement Sézane, 1 Rue Saint-Fiacre. It feels much more like stepping into a chic Paris apartment than into a retail space. My one piece of practical advice is simple: arrive early. Later in the day, especially at weekends, queues are common.

I also love stopping by the VEJA boutique in Le Marais. Their sneakers are understated, comfortable, and very Paris in spirit. In fact, I always say VEJAs are a bit like good wine: they tend to get better with age. If yours pick up a few scuffs while you are walking the city, all the better.

For polished, contemporary French fashion at a more approachable level, I often suggest Maje and Sandro. And one of my own favorite discoveries came not in Paris but in Lyon, where I first found Cotélac and bought a silk blouse I still wear. I now seek out the brand in Paris as well; it has that quietly artistic, somewhat under-the-radar French sensibility I always hope to find.

The maisons that are worth the detour

No fashion trip to Paris feels complete to me without a stop at Hermès, especially the historic flagship at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. But I always tell clients the same thing: don’t go for the Birkin. Look beyond it. The magic of Hermès is in the craftsmanship across the house: the silk scarves, leather goods, jewellery, home objects, and the extraordinary attention to detail that defines French luxury at its best.

If Dior is more your world, then 30 Avenue Montaigne is absolutely essential. The historic home of the House now unfolds as far more than a flagship boutique, and even travelers who are not planning to shop should make time for La Galerie Dior, one of the most compelling fashion experiences in Paris. For those drawn to the rarer side of luxury travel, La Suite Dior is one of the city’s most discreet and unusual addresses: an ultra-private apartment within the House of Dior itself. Experiences connected to it can reportedly include private or after-hours access, bespoke shopping, and privileged visits that go well beyond what most visitors realise is possible at 30 Montaigne. During Fashion Week, for a very small circle of Dior guests, that world can extend even further, occasionally as far as runway access.

Where I would stay for a fashion-led Paris trip

Where you stay in Paris can become part of the fashion experience, and for clients who want that world built into the trip, I usually think first of three hotels. Château Voltaire is one of my favorites because it feels intimate, intelligent, and deeply Parisian rather than performative. Created by Thierry Gillier, founder of Zadig & Voltaire, it is exactly the sort of hotel that tends to appeal to editors, photographers, and creative people who care as much about atmosphere as address.

Cheval Blanc Paris is different: grander, more polished, and almost impossibly well placed within La Samaritaine, with the added advantage of the excellent Dior Spa Cheval Blanc.

And then there is Hôtel Plaza Athénée, the classic choice for anyone who wants to wake up in the heart of couture Paris. Sitting on Avenue Montaigne, steps from Dior and other major houses, it remains one of the city’s most recognisable fashion addresses, and those famous red awnings are part of the fantasy.

Fashion in Paris, though, has never been just about buying beautiful things. It is about craftsmanship, style, architecture, and that uniquely Parisian ability to make elegance feel lived-in rather than staged. Some of my favorite memories are not purchases at all, but a quiet morning in Le Bon Marché, an unexpected discovery on a side street, or simply watching impeccably dressed Parisians pass by from a café terrace. That is the Paris I always hope my clients will experience.

• Go to Sézane early. If L’Appartement on Rue Saint-Fiacre is on your list, arrive close to opening time. Later in the day, queues are very common.

• Build in a stop at VEJA in Le Marais. The Marais boutique is easy to combine with a morning of wandering, and Paris is the perfect city for actually wearing the sneakers you buy there.

• Time your trip around les soldes if shopping is a priority. France’s official winter and summer sales can be excellent for both contemporary French brands and major department stores.

• Remember the VAT refund. Travelers visiting from outside the EU may be eligible for a refund on qualifying purchases, and the larger stores are used to helping with the process.

• If you are traveling during Paris Fashion Week, book very early. The best hotels fill quickly and the atmosphere in the city changes dramatically. Château Voltaire, Plaza Athénée, and the most in-demand luxury addresses are especially sought after.

• Leave room in your suitcase. I never leave Paris with only the things I intended to buy. That, to me, is part of the city’s charm.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Paris page.