I don’t own any Saint Laurent, so this would be a first. It was the only brand other than Hermès that I liked a decent number of styles. The cat bags by Lanvin are gorgeous but too small. I would buy one of those. Looked at Dior…too much logo and too much quilting/cannage. Just not me…though I have heard great things about their service. I was pleasantly surprised when I stopped in my local boutique to check out the Lady D in person for a friend how welcoming, enthusiastic and just plain nice the SA was.
Dior SAs are nice all over the world in my limited experience. And they seem to be nice and friendly in the same kind of way, which makes me think their customer training is somewhat uniform. There are a lot of dior bags at different price points.
@Jereni, there are lots of other bags than LD, though it seems that smaller boutiques dont have as full an assortment as flagships. I like the St. honore; 30 Montaigne box, two that come to mind. There are also limited edition; art bags; and custom. And some of the book totes are gorgeous; some over the top; others girly and frilly. Here are two I tried on recently (I prefer dark tones
I never thought much of delvaux until I actually went in. Very nice staff and gorgeous, high quality product with some whimsy. same with Moynat, but unlike many tpfers, I’m not a rejane fan. The Gabrielle and the Gabby are Moynat versions of the kelly, if I recall correctly. And Moynat does do beautiful structured bags like a cube etc. here’s a delvaux (my pic doesn’t do it Justice
And my favorite sun glass cases from valextra, a brand which is not always easy to find in the US.
IMO, my highest quality bag is from Duret.com. He has a tiny storefront in Paris and his workshop is outside of Paris. everything is hand stitched and he is amazing. DH loves his belts. But, as it’s all custom, it’s a lengthy process; you cannot just buy a bag. You sit, you discuss what you want, and he tells you what he thinks. You pick everything from type of skin; choose a hide (H tannery); stitching etc etc. and then he will send you videos of the craftsman cutting, piecing and sewing your bag, step by step. Suede finished crocodile belt and Buffalo Dalmatian bag
don’t forget Paris is also where you can find amazing fragrance; clothing; fripperies; items for the home; comestibles. There are still local neighborhood shops and smaller designers. There are French sunglasses.
and, of course, don’t forget vintage Shops (collectors square for leather) but also shops for RTW. Fun to visit didier ludot in palais royale and many other places. Years ago, I used to like the area around Place de Vosges for little shops.
@Katinahat, I prefer to buy in person, so I get a sense of how a designer meshes with my own personal taste; and to see the specific item before purchase. I also only Shop where I feel comfy and welcomed. The good part is the SAs get to know me:0; and I love what I buy, so I almost never need to return stuff. When I used to buy more on sale, I found myself making compromises and regretting some purchases. Of course, ideally one could buy mindfully and on sale lol
i do think as a general rule, chanel boutique is more friendly than hermes, but dior is far and away the friendliest. I have had less good service in department store leased spaces for these designers, and even in malls, than in stand alone boutiques.
L
and, of course the orginal Pierre herme for cannele, gateau Breton, kouige Aman, macarons. And fauchon, Laduree , Angelina
and fabulous Lebanese and Vietnamese food too
and amazing pans for the kitchen
Dior and chanel fragrances are more expensive in france bc (I am sure I am butchering this explanation) the water used as filler is potable and more expensive and the ingredients are better. Of course Guerlain and Caron. (Caron used to have urn fragrances where you could chose your size and type, and you could even buy special perfume bottles. And Fragonard. There are some exclusives to France. Jovoy is a wonderful perfumer (there are a few others too) Frederic Malle is french. I believe his uncle may have been Dior, not sure. And there are also independent perfumers And chocolates. Special shops for coffee and tea. Mustard. gelato. Cheese.
and, don’t forget for the cost of a premier leather bag, you could also peek into VCA and other jewelers. . . Dior does beautiful fine jewelry. For 6800 usd in the US, there was this wonderful gold bracelet, unique. Under the radar.
beyond, Hermes and Etro etc. there are wonderful silks and cashmeres. Etc.
and of course, plenty to do, if you do not want to shop lol
forhot to add: if all else fails there is always CDG airport duty free
Black is a classic that is great to have in your wardrobe, but the pink is a happy color and the design is classic, so you can use it for a long time.
I think you'll regret it if you don't get it. And you already have planned events to wear it to. I vote to get it. After all, this Thread isn't about having a total Ban on buying new bags.
I just realized that Platinum AmEx offers a free membership to WalMart delivery. I’m not a fan of WalMart (understatement) but figured I’d give it a try.
