The Best Shops in the Marais

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Julie Street’s Marais Picks

Erotokritos belongs to the Paris-based Greek Cypriot designer who counts Kirsten Dunst amongst his fans. His colorful collections include eye-catching two-tone dresses and snazzy geometric-patterned men’s sweaters. 99 rue Vieille du Temple, 3rd

Vanessa Bruno is a Parisian designer with her finger firmly on the bobo(bohemian bourgeois) fashion pulse. Her elegant, ultra-wearable women’s collections revolve around sassy little dresses, pleat-and-drape pants and flatteringly cut tops, and she also does a great line in slouchy leather bags. 100 rue Vieille du Temple, 3rd

Martin Grant‘s tiny showroom is tucked away at the back of a 17th-century cobbled courtyard. This is the place to snap up brocade cocktail dresses, timeless daywear and the impeccably tailored coats that play a key role in Grant’s collections even in spring and summer. 10 rue Charlot, 3rd

Urban dandies will find stylish menswear with a rock’n’roll twist at Christophe Lemaire, creative director for Lacoste, who showcases his own solo line in a three-room shop decked out like a trendy private apartment. 28 rue du Poitou, 3rd

Men in search of a more formal look should check out Pierre Talamon‘s pin-striped shirts and made-to-measure suits. 15 rue du Temple, 3rd

Bargain hunters will love the loud prints and eye-catching patterns at Coton Doux, one of a small chain of Paris shops offering an array of men’s cotton shirts, boxer shorts and pajamas in bright colors and prints at wallet-friendly prices. 37 rue de Turenne, 3rd

The Collection is a branché boutique run by British owner Alison Grant offering works by upcoming and established European designers, including witty ceramics and sculptural lampshades. Fashion designer Christian Lacroix was so impressed by the trompe-l’oeil wallpaper here that he snapped up several rolls to use in decorating the Hôtel du Petit Moulin next door. 33 rue du Poitou, 3rd

Dominique Picquier who trained as an architect but reinvented herself as a textile designer creates beautiful floral and vegetal prints. If you can’t afford to reupholster your living room in gingko leaves and twirling vines, Ms. Picquier also produces charming purses, evening bags and carry-ons in the season’s best-selling fabrics. 10 rue Charlot, 3rd

Robert le Héros is not a gallant knight in shining armor but a leading design collective set up by four art school friends who reproduce their bold graphics on everything from cushions, curtains and wallpaper to funky bags and desk diaries. 13 rue de Saintonge, 3rd

The luxuriant shop windows at Hervé Gambs look like a grand Parisian florist’s until you step closer and realize that the delicate orchids, calla lilies and magnificent sprays of wisteria are actually made of silk. Once you have chosen your bouquet, the blooms can be sprayed with one of the enticing home perfumes that imitate natural fragrances, like the smell of freshly cut grass. 9 Clos des Blancs Manteaux, 4th

Patyka, a little gem of a boutique with the ambiance of an old-fashioned apothecary, offers a range of 100 percent organic beauty products and perfumes in retro glass bottles and simple but stylish packaging. The Huile Absolut Organic Serum here—made from a secret blend of geranium, rose, sandalwood and muscatel—works brilliantly as a moisturizer for women or an aftershave balm for men. 14 rue Rambuteau, 3rd

Senteurs de Fée is, just as its name suggests, a tiny olfactory haven filled with “fairy fragrances”—or at least magical elixirs and sensual potions with poetic names. This bijou boutique carries a wonderfully aromatic range of room perfumes, scented candles, bath salts and body creams all made with essential oils. 10 rue de Sévigné, 4th

At Canzi, skincare fanatics can perch at the beauty bar and watch Stéphane Mottay whip up their own personalized organic face cream as they select the ingredients. Mottay trained as a perfumer so, as a bonus, everything in his sleek, brightly lit store smells divine. 2 rue Ferdinand Duval, 4th

The Different Company is the high-end niche perfume company created by the famous French “nose” Jean-Claude Ellena and his daughter, Céline. Customers are encouraged to take an intense hit of the elegant floral Osmanthus or Céline’s modern chypre Sublime Balkiss by swilling a few precious drops around in the bottom of a brandy snifter. If money is no object, treat yourself to a leather travel case for your perfume, available in a range of exotic skins. 10 rue Ferdinand Duval, 4th

 

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