8th Arrondissement Shops

In a warm white gallery lit by club-inspired spotlights, slip on a reedition of Courrèges’s iconic vinyl jacket or flip through racks of retro-cool ready-to-wear, which strike a balance between ’60s mod and clean-lined minimalism.

There are very few boutiques that fully embody an aesthetic, but L’Eclaireur does this perfectly—no small feat, considering there are seven very distinct shops scattered around the city, as well as a bar/restaurant that doubles as a shrine to Piero Fornasetti. Armand and Martine Hadida’s original outpost in 1980 was incredibly important for a number of reasons, most notably because L’Eclaireur was the first to break brands like Prada, Helmut Lang, Dries van Noten, and Martin Margiela in France. While the Hadidas have had every opportunity to rest on their laurels, the pace has been relentless ever since as they’ve continued to ferret out the world’s best new talent, in fashion, in jewelry, and in home goods. While the mix at every spot varies, we like the moodily gothic Place des Victoires location best. Under the light cast by a strange and fantastic bird chandelier, you’ll find Fornasetti umbrella stands, chunky chain link bracelets from Mawi, cashmere travel wraps by Denis Colombe, and coated Saint Laurent skinny jeans. If time allows, their most recent project shouldn’t be missed, either: They’ve taken a space in Habitat 1964’s vintage village at…

There are very few boutiques that fully embody an aesthetic, but L’Eclaireur does this perfectly—no small feat, considering there are seven very distinct shops scattered around the city, as well as a bar/restaurant that doubles as a shrine to Piero Fornasetti. Armand and Martine Hadida’s original outpost in 1980 was incredibly important for a number of reasons, most notably because L’Eclaireur was the first to break brands like Prada, Helmut Lang, Dries van Noten, and Martin Margiela in France. While the Hadidas have had every opportunity to rest on their laurels, the pace has been relentless ever since as they’ve continued to ferret out the world’s best new talent, in fashion, in jewelry, and in home goods. While the mix at every spot varies, we like the moodily gothic Place des Victoires location best. Under the light cast by a strange and fantastic bird chandelier, you’ll find Fornasetti umbrella stands, chunky chain link bracelets from Mawi, cashmere travel wraps by Denis Colombe, and coated Saint Laurent skinny jeans. If time allows, their most recent project shouldn’t be missed, either: They’ve taken a space in Habitat 1964’s vintage village at…

There are very few boutiques that fully embody an aesthetic, but L’Eclaireur does this perfectly—no small feat, considering there are seven very distinct shops scattered around the city, as well as a bar/restaurant that doubles as a shrine to Piero Fornasetti. Armand and Martine Hadida’s original outpost in 1980 was incredibly important for a number of reasons, most notably because L’Eclaireur was the first to break brands like Prada, Helmut Lang, Dries van Noten, and Martin Margiela in France. While the Hadidas have had every opportunity to rest on their laurels, the pace has been relentless ever since as they’ve continued to ferret out the world’s best new talent, in fashion, in jewelry, and in home goods. While the mix at every spot varies, we like the moodily gothic Place des Victoires location best. Under the light cast by a strange and fantastic bird chandelier, you’ll find Fornasetti umbrella stands, chunky chain link bracelets from Mawi, cashmere travel wraps by Denis Colombe, and coated Saint Laurent skinny jeans. If time allows, their most recent project shouldn’t be missed, either: They’ve taken a space in Habitat 1964’s vintage village at…

Pierre Balmain's fashion house—which got its start in 1945—established itself as part of the Christian Dior "New Look," a label that prostrated itself at the feet of the female form. These days, it's put flared skirts and nipped in waistlines aside in favor of an edgier and tougher sensibility. It's still stunning.

Famous for his body-conscious dresses and sky-high stilettos, the Tunisian-born Azzedine Alaïa is pretty much synonyous with sex appeal. You can expect it in spades at his new brand-new three-story shop, which is housed in an 18th century mansion just steps from Avenue Montaigne. The main floor is devoted to accessories, while his ready-to-wear spans across the next two levels. It's all artfully arranged in the spare and graphic space, which never competes with the clothes: After all, when it comes to an Alaïa, you don't need much else. While the barely marked Rue de Marignan shop is our favorite, there's a stock shop around the corner from the location on Rue de Moussy, which sells pieces from the previous seasons at lower prices.

Sure, you’ll find Christian Louboutin’s full range of red-soled stilettos and studded loafers here, but you’ll also find unparalleled customer service. They maintain a strict 1:1 ratio of salespeople to clients, and while this might seem like it would result in helicopter-like hovering, it doesn’t. Instead, they swoop in only when you have a question or need a size. There are two other locations, including one in the 1st and one in the 7th.

Founded in the late 19th-century, Jeanne Lanvin’s fashion house is one of the world’s longest-lasting, thanks to a recent jolt back into the mainstream by designer Alber Elbaz. The perfumes have always been iconic, as are the columnar dresses in muted pastel tones (and now, of course, the elastic edged ballet flats).

Launched by Egyptian-born Gaby Aghion in the ’50s, Chloé skipped the formality of haute couture in favor of going straight to off-the-rack ready-to wear, a new concept at the time. Perennially feminine (a hallmark the brand has never deviated from), the brand became big under the watchful eye of Karl Lagerfeld in the ’60s and ’70s. 

Like many of its fashion-centric brethren, Céline launched in the '40s, though with a singular focus on bespoke leather shoes for children. And then it all changed: Céline branched into womenswear in the ’60s, rose to prominence under Michael Kors in the '90s, and is now an established staple, loved for its streamlined, modern shapes.