Field Notes Returns to Paris for Part 2
Good eats, unconventional lunch hours, and more great spots to window shop.
Welcome to Commerce Thinking, an ongoing content series where we tell stories about the world's fastest-growing brands and those shaping the new luxury market.
ICYMI
Field Notes is a content series where we explore the luxury retail landscape in cities worldwide. They’re meant to be anecdotal; we’re sharing and observing what we see.
The idea is that we’ll take a neighbourhood or city with a strong luxury retail presence and dissect what we like about the retail establishments there.
PS — here’s Part 1 of our Paris Field Notes.
Got an idea? Let us know where we should visit next!
Hey everyone! It’s Luke from Commerce Thinking back with a second edition of Paris Field Notes.
There’s something in the air in Paris. It might be love. Whatever it is results in unpredictable lunch hours, which for the uninitiated makes for a unique shopping experience. You turn up at a store in the middle of the day, find out it’s shut because the staff have clocked off for lunch and you’re left to admire the stores content through the window…
The second part of Paris’s Field Notes serves leisurely shoppers with as many opportunities to eat and drink as it will offer places to bolster your wardrobe.
If the stomach is the best way to the heart, and Paris’s retail spaces are the best way to style, the city is on to a winning formula.
Let’s tuck in…
Paperboy
“Everybody’s Local” isn’t the easiest to locate by hunting down Paperboy signage, as Paperboy flies intentionally under the radar.
If you’re one for an “if you know, you know” vibe, the paper place setting, crayon-clad benches and bar seats are a must-see, while bar seating offers prime people-watching. The same goes for the exposed kitchen, which shares an intimate view of the chefs at work.
A sticker-lined wall—from Stüssy to New Balance—oozes skate shop vibes while smells of delicious coffee and fresh food fill the air.
Food is (always) a must. The Pastrami Sandwich and Ginger Lemonade are top recommendations.
Stüssy
No matter what city you’re in, Stüssy and high demand go hand-in-hand, so expect to queue.
Hold your sighs – nothing about it is a chore, thanks to the brilliant man on the door, who sets the tone for the whole store by creating a positive vibe for anyone waiting outside. He’s high-energy and overwhelmingly upbeat.
Once inside, you’re immediately struck by how tasteful and understated the store is. Its design ensures the product is the main event, with metallic pillars lining its left-hand side while wooden displays showcase the latest collections.
You ain’t leaving without seeing Stüssy’s brilliant accessories and novel items, tactfully displayed right next to the tills.
A.P.C Vintage
Forget what you know about shopping—the French do it differently.
Stores routinely close for lunch, and, in my experience, there’s little consistency between stores, leaving much to the imagination.
What I saw from the window was great: simple pricing and well-selected pieces that span seasons and collections. Everything comes together for a vintage luxury feel—at least from the curb.
My advice? Stop shopping between midday-2pm and enjoy a leisurely lunch with a nice bottle of Chablis. I didn’t do this and, on reflection, regret it badly!
Wooyumgi
Paris’s unpredictable lunch hour strikes again! Wooyugmi was another store that was experienced from the outside…
Rivieras
Not unlike lunchtime closures, Rivieras came as a total surprise. I stumbled upon the store after picking up a pastry in a local boulangerie.
On a street lined with traditional shop fronts, the photography-filled window stood out naturally. Intrigue and minimalism lent themselves to old-school floor-to-ceiling blinds with tasteful spotlighting that leaves you feeling compelled to take a peek behind the curtain (or blind).
Combined with heavy use of wood panelling, complimentary orange and brown flooring, and classic white shoe boxes that dress the store’s interior, you’re left feeling like you’ve stepped back in time—in a really good way!
Complete with carefully curated clothing and shoes mounted to the wall with old-looking hangers, the store’s genuinely cool aesthetic is unlike any other store I've visited.
Bis Boutique Solidaire
When your retail experience includes the likes of Stüssy, which defaults to high foot traffic and queues, anything busier tends to feel unlikely.
On this occasion, Bis Boutique Solidaire set a high bar, proving to be the busiest store I’d visited with a 10-15 minute wait to checkout—something worth considering if you’re a busy shopper.
With carefully considered curation throughout the store, Bis Boutique Solidaire is a natural hot spot for conscious vintage shoppers. While womenswear makes up most of the inventory, there’s a great baby/kids section where I picked up a beautiful shirt for my daughter.
Hungry for more?
If you’re keen to get familiar with some of the best spaces that the global retail scene has to offer, you won’t want to miss out on any of our Field Notes. Subscribe to THOUGHTS below to see which city we visit next.