High Fashion

Finding Colette, the concept store was on the top of our things to do so we found it on our map and headed there first thing. When we found it, it was far more descreet that I had expected. The store was absolutely beautifully well thought out. On entry there were art, fashion, graphic and current trend books piled up on a table. I was then drawn to the back of the store which had a wall of the latest fashion, art and graphic magazines from around the world and on the opposite wall, current 'cool' CD's were lined up with sets of headphones for people to listen to the latest tracks. Set in cabinets in this back area of the store was clearly the mens favourite spot, filled with high tech, on trend gadgets. My attention was straight was drawn to the beautiful selection of leica cameras for sale, including the 'minex', which is a tiny version of the classic camera...maybe a friend for my diana mini?! not at those prices unfortuantely. other gadgets included huge, trendy headphones, speakers, watches, ipods, unique USB's and more...at the front of the store by the window was a selection of lomography cameras, so I was happy to see my diana mini being sold there along with the classice holgas and fisheye cameras.

also on this level of the store was the menswear collection. It was nice, but the only thing which really stood out for me was a collection with 'where the wild things are' print on it. The clothes were hing on rails in a little glass compartment to separate them from the rest of the store.

Up the stairs surfboards were hung from the walls portraying a 'cool' image. On the first floor was the womanswear collection. The clothes were beautifully displayed, hung on mannequins in full outfits. Erdem was in the windows of the store and featured heavily within the collection. The Erdem collection was mainly a floral print in purples and blues, into dresses and playsuits, all ready for sping and summer. These looked very cool, and most importantly they were displayed to make them look very accessible and wearable teamed up with denim jackets and more casual items.

After spending quite a while in Colette we decided to cross the park and go to le louvre. The glass pyramid looked quite extraordinary against the vast old building. We wondered around the gallery, of course not missing the famous Mona Lisa..which was a little disappointing (of course) as there were huge crowds of tourists around it's positioning, a rope at least a couple of meters from the painting cordoning us off and the painting itself being incased in glass.

After a quick baguette and chocolate tart we went to find the Pompidou Gallery.

I had seen the Pompidou in school textbooks, but never had been before and it is such an odd building. Enormous and placed in the middle of a traditional square, with the tubular lift scaling the side of it. Inside was a hu

ge space, with signs lit up with dotted white lights. A contemporary feel from the moment we were inside, I immediately felt more at home than in le louvre. once again, it was free as we were students which was a bonus and always makes it that much more enjoyable.

A huge variety of modern art work from paintings to product design to film to graphic editorial pieces.

This was my favourite of all the galleries that we went to, we were in in there for hours trying to soak it all up.

At the top of the Pompidou we had an amazing panoramic view of Paris at night. Absolutely beautiful- there was a terrace and restaurant up there and thought how it was a shame that it wasn't summer for us to spend longer out there.

Once we were finally ready to leave the Pompidou we were pretty exhausted but pushed ourselves to visit printemps-a departmental store as we were aware that we were running out of our time in Paris. Hopped on a metro and found it in no time. I knew that there was an Alice in Wonderland window theme however, when we got there they were far more impressive than I had expected and the theme ran into the store with a mad hatter-esque tea party area with images from the tim burton film which is coming out this march. A checkered floor, a giant teapot hanging from the ceiling and the walls lined with old books and colour related products, it was really wuite special. The windows line the entire one side of the store, containing alice in wonderland themes and inspired clothes from the legendary story.

once again, shattered from a long day.