Fashion Week Series // Paris
This week, from September 23 to October 1, Paris Fashion Week will descend on the city The Ink Collective calls home, and our agency team will be in the midst of it — meeting & greeting talented designers and discovering fresh trends for the seasons ahead. For those also in town for the shows and events, we’ve compiled a listing of a few of our favourite haunts to try — our top picks on where to Eat, Drink, Stay & Play in style for fashionistas in full swing.
Paris — City of Lights and capital of fashion, cuisine and culture. All year, people flock to France to get a taste of the joie de vivre and je ne sais quoi that these particular locals are famous for, but during Fashion Week — feast of beauty, mode and lifestyle — is when this femme fatale of a city truly turns heads worldwide. For a few days in the fall, the créme of the crop for fashion, design, photography, film and art converge on the cobblestone streets and across the chicest quartiers, flooding restaurants, bars, galleries and café terraces and turning them into a kaleidoscope of colour, style and sass.
Always a place to see and be seen, people watching is more of a past time in Paris than most places — but at this time of year, it’s a must.
So — if you have time while running between fashion shows and afterparties — take our humble advice and don’t forget to stop, pick a place, set up shop and enjoy the scenery with a coffee or a cocktail, because many will be dressed to impress. Bienvenue, let the show begin!
Paris Fashion Week Official Insta: @parisfashionweek
– EAT
Fashion Week may not be synonymous with food, but when the well-heeled need sustenance there are a few tried-and-tested spots they frequent for top fare, excellent service and a chic ambience. Here’s where you’ll find some of the city’s finest fashionista’s vying for a table:
L’Avenue
A bonafide celebrity hotspot located in the fashionable 16th arrondissement, L’Avenue has always been a magnet for mavens de mode, but during Fashion Week it’s an actual challenge to get a table. That said, if you manage to succeed, you will enjoy dinner surrounded by fashion bloggers, designers, models and the upper echelons of the city’s elite.
If you’re not in the mood to fight for your dinner, then L’Avenue also serves also amazing brunch. Tip: Try to get a seat on the terrace if you really want to revel in the full experience of this iconic spot to see and be seen.
Address: 41 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris
Website: avenue-restaurant.com
CoCo
If you can’t get a ticket to the Opera — or you just don’t have the time — then you can always pop into Coco to feel that same festive atmosphere, dine on delicious fare, and enjoy great service in an amazing location — as long as you make the reservation a week in advance.
Tucked into the heart of Palais Garnier, this new place by restaurateur Laurent de Gourcuff (the wizard behind such hotspots as Girafe, Loulou) has masterfully seduced Paris’ high society with its chic style and tasty food, and quickly become the talk of the town.
Installed in the right wing of the Opera, the space — designed by the young Corinne Sachot — pays homage to the historic venue with its spectacular dining room, piano bar and terrasse; and is the perfect place for tea time in between fashion shows or for a dinner in imperial atmosphere.
Tip: We also recommend you visit the other creations by the Laurent de Gourcuff Group — including Monsieur Bleu and Loulou, as spotlighted in our Paris Prêt-a-Partir series.
Address: Palais Garnier, 1 Place Jacques Rouché, 75009 Paris
Website: coco-paris.com
Insta: @coco_palaisgarnier
Wild and the Moon
Head here for a healthy pit-stop in-between PFW races. This place — and everything in it — was designed for those who care about both their bodies and our planet. Proposed on the uber-healthy menu are a variety of cold-pressed juices, organic coffees with assorted nut milks, smoothies, salads, soups, desserts, super bowls and snacks — simply put, a smorgasbord for mind, body & soul. You’ll never find any sugar, additives, chemicals, GMOs, gluten, dairy or plastic boxes in this place — but during Fashion Week you will see a fair few models.
Address: 19 Place du Marché Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris
Website: wildandthemoon.fr
Insta: @wildandthemoon
– PLAY
Those who work hard on and off the catwalk also deserve their down-time, and when in Paris, it’s important to take a moment to savour the cultural depth that this city has to offer. Of course, there are the usual suspects — the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and the Georges Pompidou Centre, for when you will have more time — but for a quick cultural trip and some fun time off during PFW, we recommend the following:
Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris
If you want to better understand why Paris is the capital of fashion, visit the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. An ode to the iconic Yves Saint Laurent and his beautiful creations, this jewel of a museum is located in the legendary hôtel particulier at 5 avenue Marceau where the designer spent nearly thirty years designing his collections from 1974 to 2002.
This place artfully tells the story of his life, both personal and professional, and — after looking at fashion through the lenses of Yves Saint Laurent — you’re guaranteed to fall in love with it even more.
Located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, blessed with beautiful architecture and a calm serenity to its walls, this is the perfect choice for taking a pause from the PFW wildness.
Address: 5 Avenue Marceau, 75116 Paris
Website: museeyslparis.com
Insta: @museeyslparis
Le Carmen
What is the best part of Fashion Week? If you guessed after parties, you’d be right! Curtain’s close is the time when everyone can drink, dance and forget about organisation, schedules and guest lists, and Le Carmen is a firm favourite for that.
Located in the Pigalle district, this club combines a mix of interesting people, good music (although the style is depends on the party) and a beautiful venue. The creators of this very select bar gave carte blanche to the decorator Antoine Plateau and he has magically transformed the space into a dim-lit den of draped curtains, chandeliers and decadent furniture — think: beds in the living rooms, raised golden cages, renaissance armchairs, and lots of red velvet.
Address: 34 Rue Duperré, 75009 Paris
Website: www.le-carmen.fr
Insta: @lecarmen_paris
Crazy Horse
You are in Paris! What could be more French than cabaret night? Forget the Moulin Rouge — it’s good as a classic option — but, for a fun and colourful night out, where you can meet celebrities and fashion industry professionals, go for the Crazy Horse. The name says it all, and the show “Totally Crazy” makes the audience go wild with moves that are at once glamorous, sexy, seductive & acrobatic.
Address: 12 Avenue George V, 75008 Paris
Website: www.lecrazyhorseparis.com
Insta: @crazyhorseparis_official
– DRINK
Wine, coffee and cocktails — are essentially the holy trinity of Fashion Week — so when this event of the year is in full swing, the bars and bistros are too. Here are a few of the best for a caffeine (or hot chocolate) hit, a vino or three or a nightcap with your favourite fashionisha crew.
Café Kitsune Palais Royal
There are many reasons to love Cafe Kitsune and to come here for coffee, but the first is arguably location. Paris is supremely beautiful in fall, and one of the most beautiful places (**a tip for those who shoot street-style**) is garden of the Palais Royal. So take you camera, fashion magazine and photographer friend/s and spend an afternoon just chilling here; and enjoy. To boot, it’s also a great spot for evening apéro, or for a casual business meeting on the fly.
Address: 51 Galerie de Montpensier, 75001 Paris
Website: www.maisonkitsune.com
Insta: @cafekitsune
Cafe Charlot
A small Parisian cafe in the heart of the Marais, which during Fashion Week turns into a makeshift runway. Bloggers, influencers, and fashion lovers galore — all converge here to have a glass of wine before dinner. Over time, the red umbrellas of this small corner cafe have become a real icon of PFW and the perfect place for that favorite Parisian pastime — people watching.
Address: 38 Rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris
Website: www.lecharlot-paris.com
Insta: @le_charlot_paris
Angelina
One of the best hot chocolates in the city — but be warned: this place is popular at the best of times, so it’s often very crowded. That said, the signature drink and desserts served here are definitely worth it! While the original location is on Rue Rivoli is nice, we would recommend going to the Luxembourg Park one — it’s the perfect stop while exploring Left Bank of Paris.
Address: 19 Rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris
Website: www.angelina-paris.fr
Insta: @angelina_paris
Serpent à Plume
This hidden den – promoted simultaneously as a place for “Café, Cocktails and Pyjamas” – is hands-down one of the most poetic (and unique) bars in Paris, tucked away into a chic nook at the beautiful Place des Vosges — the oldest square in Paris.
A great place for a drink, dance, and cocktails with a bit of bite. Order the Mowgli if you like a bit of spice — it’s delicious, unexpected and packs a punch.
Address: 24 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris
Website: serpentaplume.com
Insta: @serpentaplume_
Little Red Door
They say good things come in small packages, and this tiny speakeasy is a little slice of cocktail heaven. Voted onto the 50 Best Bars In The World list back in 2015, it still packs a punch after all those years, and delights on arrival every time.
Get here early to get a spot at the bar or on one of the cosy couches downstairs, and take your time choosing your perfect poison from the illustratrated storybook menu on offer.
Address: 60 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris
Website: lrdparis.com
Insta: @littlereddoorparis
– STAY
Those flying in for Fashion Week know and understand better than most the utmost importance of beauty sleep, so — when the they land in the City of Lights they make sure to book a bed at some of the swankiest (and comfiest) hotels on offer. Here are a few that we favour:
Plaza Athénée
This is the go-to abode for celebrities and fashion gurus during PFW. A five- star palace hotel and Grand Dame, on the prestigious Avenue Montaigne — the tree-lined boulevard of French fashion, where you will find the best service restaurants and one of the most popular bars* for fashionistas (*L’Avenue, see above).
Plush, popular, pricey — and it won’t disappoint.
Address: 25 Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris
Website: dorchestercollection.com/en/paris/hotel-plaza-athenee/
Insta: @plaza_athenee
Hôtel National Des Arts et Métiers
Between the Marais and Montorgueil, this hotel merges modern architecture with innovative design — all hidden behind a classic Haussmannian facade. Chic, contemporary and located within one of the city's hippest neighbourhoods, this establishment is a magnet for emerging designers and Marais lovers.
Address: 243 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris
Website: hotelnational.paris
Hotel Bachaumont
Back in Paris’s Roaring ’20s, the Hôtel Bachaumont was one of the city’s hot spots — and now, after a snazzy renovation it has re-opened with a fresh lease on life and a decidedly Art Deco vibe, catering to those who want to be in the thick of it but with all the creature comforts. Conveniently located near the bustling marketplace of Les Halles in the Montorgueil neighborhood, in 2nd arrondissement of Paris, this establishment is set in an area that never sleeps, so you always will find a bars, restaurants and cafe open around you.
The Louvre and Opera are within 10 minutes walk for your day program, and the Marais is only a 15 minute walk, so you can easily explore little concept stores, new brands and small ateliers at your leisure. The perfect spot for a true Parisian lifestyle experience.
Address: 18 Rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris
Website: hotelbachaumont.com
Insta: @hotelbachaumontparis
