January 20, 2012
It is wet and cold in Paris but that does not seem to prevent the vignettes of vibrant color from seeping through the grey mist. I did my regular first day walk about on the Left Bank to check out certain tried and true lingerie domains (and to keep myself from caving in to jet lag). But it’s the street scene that always captures my fancy, the underlying style that makes Paris the most aesthetically sensual city in the world clarifying why France can still claim the crown as the queen of exquisite intimates. It doesn’t seem to matter if the whole town is on sale, or that the rain makes meandering difficult; there will always be that “je ne sais quoi” vibe. Behind the sale racks at Bon Marché vivid colors from Eres, Philippe Lim and La Perla, foretell this spring 2012 retail message. Of particular interest was the way dark (almost tea stained) laces and grounds were used to neutralize the impact. I was pretty pleased with this bold color story; maybe spirits really are rising. Let’s see if the show has the same energy.
