Le Quartier Montorgueil

The off-the-radar Parisian triangle formed by the rues Montmartre, Montorgueil and Etienne Marcel is both steeped in history and thoroughly modern, with ancient monuments, a bustling market, chic cafés and some very exciting shopping. At the edge of what was once the wholesale food market of Les Halles, the quartier straddles the 1st, 2nd and 3rd arrondissements and carries traces of its long culinary past: four of Paris’s oldest cookware shops, gastronomic specialty boutiques and atmospheric bistrots that once catered to the market workers.

As one of the city’s few remaining market  streets, rue Montorgueil’s fruit stalls, fromageries, fishmongers and butchers—along with Paris’s oldest oyster bar and the famous Stohrer pâtisserie—are vibrant reminders of the neighborhood’s storied past. But today the quarter’s dozens of clothing and accessories boutiques are also a big draw for 20- and 30-somethings happy to escape the crowds in the rue Saint Honoré, the Marais and Saint Germain des Prés. Pedestrian streets make it feel more relaxed, as do outdoor cafés teeming with the young and beautiful.

Agnès b.

Fashion designer and pioneer Agnès b. opened her first boutique on the rue du Jour in 1975, in a butcher shop abandoned a dozen years earlier when the old food halls decamped. Her flagship store captured the spirit of the times, with art posters, graffiti and music. Her instantly successful early designs have become emblematic: striped cotton fisherman’s sweaters in off beat colors and the cardigan pression, a square-cut, snap-down cardigan in black, lipstick pink, or whatever color takes her current fancy. One of the few designers to thrive through fashion’s ebbs and flows—and to receive the French Légion d’Honneur—Agnès b. now has a worldwide presence and a foundation that underscores her commitment to art, music, film, international charities and the environment.

Rue du Jour is now the home base of the Agnes b. universe, with four boutiques—womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and her travel-inspired boutique Agnès b. Voyage. The sprawling women’s boutique on two floors houses her pet projects: CDs of her favorite music, artists’ tee shirts, or whatever other pulse her finger might be on. Whether for men, women or kids, the clothes are all remarkably versatile, sturdy and well made, and encourage creative mixing and matching.

2, 3, 4 and 6 rue du Jour, 1st, 01.45.08.56.56. website

En Selle Marcel

Status symbol, work of art, fetish object—the bicycle (bicyclette or vélo, from vélocipède) is no longer just something to get around on. A half-hour on the Marais’s chic rue de Bretagne is sufficient to see the entire spectrum of the newest, coolest vélos come and go. Of the slew of new shops catering to the bespoke bicycle craze, En Selle Marcel is the latest and most stylish. Opened in June, it’s a showroom for the most coveted names in cycling, along with top components for customization. Behind the main showroom, the boutique boasts its own workshop for repairing, restoring and building tailor-made bicycles, with a private space in back for haute couture bikes. Along with the Brompton folding bicycle in lacquered candy colors, and the coveted Italian ABICI models, the boutique specializes in the pignon fixe, or “fixie”, a nostalgic fixed-gear cycle that hearkens back to a time when most bikes had only one gear and backpedal brakes. The Italian version from Bianchi is a best seller, and a more beautiful bike would be hard to find. Many of the bikes at En Selle Marcel (selle is saddle) are vintage-inspired; if you prefer the real deal, there are also refurbished original models from European manufacturers such as Motobécane and Peugeot, dating as far back as 1959. Along with custom-made leather saddles, handles and almost any other accessory, there are buckle-on leather wine-bottle carriers.

40 rue Tiquetonne, 2nd, 01.44.54.06.46. website

Barbara Bui

High glamour, a minimal aesthetic and absolute cool—Barbara Bui’s sleek separates are catnip for the chic Parisienne. Bui made her debut in 1983 and has since built the label to hugely popular proportions, catering to urban sophisticates with a look both sexy and smart. Impeccably tailored separates fit like a second skin and have timeless panache—and superb quality—that flies off the racks despite the hefty price tags. For Fall/Winter 2011/2012, Bui’s riff on the classic motorcycle jacket is a huge success—an ingenious mohair-and-leather version in black or ivory, with a high collar, black leather piping and a detachable bottom panel, so that it can be worn short or thigh-length.

An even bigger triumph is her streamlined version of cigarette pants in patent, stretch or metallic leather with just the right fit to flatter in all the right places. They match up perfectly with Bui’s tall, velvety black-suede platform boots, or her metallic snakeskin booties. Top accessories include an oversize bag in matte gunmetal crocodile, and three-tiered leather belts to cinch an asymmetrical fur vest.

23 rue Etienne Marcel, 1st, 01.40.26.43.65. website

By Marie

Sometimes it’s a relief to have the work done for you, which is exactly what By Marie is all about. Along with her own label, Marie Gas puts her spot-on fashion sense and insider’s knowledge of French designers to excellent use, judiciously selecting the best of the season’s ready-to-wear collections and making it easy to find just what you’re looking for. Along with more famous names like Thakoon, Isabel Marant and Vanessa Bruno, Gas carries an impressive stable of elite designers that are hard to find in the US, including forte_forte, Roseanna and Heimstone. Friendly saleswomen are happy to guide you through, and if you’re pressed for time, you can make an appointment 48 hours in advance for a private shopping service, until 8:30 in the evening. If it’s a gift you’re looking for, you can do it on your computer screen. The boutique will send photos to help you choose, and mail your gift, beautifully wrapped, anywhere in France or beyond—or dispatch it by messenger in Paris.

44 rue Etienne Marcel, 2nd, 01.42.33.36.04. website

Mokuba

Grandma never dreamed of a notions shop like this. With thousands of ribbons in every size, color and material imaginable, it’s a dream come true for couturiers, jewelry makers, interior designers, hatters and those who know a very good thing when they see one. Minimal to the point of austerity, the boutique offers a huge selection of the 55,000 ribbons created since the brand’s inception. The Japanese company’s founder, Shoichi Watanabe, began making artisanal ribbons in 1954, inspired by the obi, the wide silk belt used for a kimono. His cottage industry was so successful that he opened his first boutique in Tokyo in 1967. Mokuba is now a leading manufacturer of specialty ribbons, using the finest silk, satin, organdy, lace and leather; some are laced with gold or silver threads or scattered with metallic “dust”. Prices range from about 45 cents to $175 a meter.

18 rue Montmartre, 1st, 01.40.13.81.41. website

Originally published in the November 2011 issue of France Today