Every so often I get wind of a favorite cult fashion label. It's not that I always need to purchase what is popular or what fashion insiders love, but I do like to know these sorts of things. As a buyer for a well known boutique in Paris, it's important for me keep my ear to the ground and my eyes wide open. After all, my customers depend on me not only for the latest and greatest, but for new labels that truly deliver an amazing fashion punch. Our customers, many of whom have become great friends over the years, don't want to look like fashion victims. Their lives demand a wardrobe that is wearable, but creative at the same time. They are women with their hands in many amazing endeavers; several are lawyers, a few work in fashion, and others work with tech startups. It's in their best interest to look put together without wearing a label from head to toe. Many of our customers have stated they need looks that are easy to put together, but have an element of personalized fashion as well. Translate: They don't want a boring corporate look, but they can't look like Lady GaGa either.
Our boutique is more of a mini department store. It takes up half a block and is well stocked over 4 floors. The below ground level houses a cafe, small wine bar, and a newsstand with magazines from all over the globe. This is the heart of the boutique and is packed daily with people stopping in before work for coffee and customers grabbing a wine at the end of the day after shopping the floors above. The first floor houses one of the most beautiful beauty spaces I've ever seen. And I'm not stating that because I'm biased. The combination of marbled floors and walls with chrome and steel trim is jaw dropping. It's not overpowering, but it's slick and gorgeous providing the best backdrop for shoppers to explore some of their favorite beauty brands. I'm fairly certain in my past life I was a beauty editor. This is one of my favorite floors. I'm always searching for the perfect eye cream and treatments on a nearly weekly basis. Most of my paycheck goes here. These aren't normal beauty labels. They are some of the most sought after in the world and extremely hard to find.
The second floor is probably our most popular. It's the accessories and shoe salons. In fact, it was rated the number one accessories assortment in Paris. That's a major honor as we beat many well known and famous department stores. We have customers fly to Paris just so they can shop our boutique. It's amazing actually what loyal and devoted customers we are able to serve. I am lucky that I get to see many of our devoted customers on the accessory floor as this is my buying department. My main goal is to always stock the floor with beautiful accessories. From those brands that are well known to those that are coveted in tight knit fashion circles. I have been with this department for over ten years and I love it. It doesn't even feel like work and I've made so many incredible friends. I've also been lucky to make friends with some of the designers behind the labels we cary. The accessories floor is always buzzing with activity and it's my job to make sure it's well stocked with the best and brightest in the industry.
One of my best friends is a fashion editor and we agreed to meet for dinner one night after work. Not only did I want to catch up with her, but she wanted to introduce me to the new handbag label that already had a cult following. Finally Friday evening came around and we met at a nearby café. It's a world famous eatery and great for celeb and famous faces spotting. I found her back in the corner. Our favorite table and perfect for people watching. She carried the most amazing designer handbags and it looked vaguely familiar. As we sat down, chatter took us directly to fashion. No surprise there. We are best friends, but we also love fashion and love to talk about it. She told me this is what she wanted to discuss- the new handbag label with the cult status.
Her handbag is by PLIA Designs and they make a dreamy line of designer handbags. I immediately knew this was a line the boutique needed and the bags would instantly sell out. Their satchels were spot on and incredibly fashion forward while still being classic. My friend said all of the editors were carrying designer handbags by PLIA Designs and they loved their satchel bag. The boutique would be packed with customers once they got wind of PLIA Designs and their marvelous designer handbags.
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