Paris: Fashion and the French connection in the city that dresses to impress

THE THREE-STOREY mansion on the corner of Avenue Marceau, a stone’s throw from the Champs-Elysées, is everything I wanted it to be.

Typically Parisian, with its panelled limestone walls and ornate railings, it’s hard not to imagine Catherine Deneuve skipping down the stone steps in her trench coat and heels as she so famously did in the film Belle de Jour.

But this is an address that’s special in many ways. It was here in the heart of the French capital many years ago that one of fashion’s most fabled names moved in with dreams as high as the ceilings.

Twelve years into his already thriving business, Yves Saint Laurent, along with his business (and life) partner Pierre Bergé, relocated his couture house here.

Now, 30 years later, this historic property is once again playing host to the legendary designer in its new incarnation as the newly-opened Musée Yves Saint Laurent (museeyslparis.com).

The ground floor was where he would receive his clients for fittings for the latest tuxedo, or a dress inspired by the geometric colour blocks of painter Mondrian after his shows (which took place there for the first four years) while his private design studio is up on the first floor.

As we visit, the exhibition is new yet there’s already quite a crowd gathered outside in the sun, a mix of trendy tourists and fashion-forward students which brought back memories of my early visits to the city that inspired me to become a fashion journalist.

Inside though, it’s surprisingly calm thanks to the handiwork of set designer Nathalie Crinière and decorator Jacques Grange.

It has the original atmosphere of the haute couture house: the soft carpet, gilt statues and chandeliers in these intimate l getting there Small Luxury Hotels (0800 048 2314/slh.com) offers doubles at the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal from £331, room only.

Eurostar (0343 218 6186/eurostar.com) offers return rail travel from London to Paris from £58. Paris tourism: parisinfo.com yet decadent rooms keep it very much an up-close-and-personal experience.

We study original sketches, with fabric swatches, dressed mannequins and screens of video footage, and hearing Saint Laurent’s voice keeps his presence felt throughout.

My favourite room included his typically Parisian style: androgynous, monochrome pieces – including, of course, the infamous tuxedo suit and the jumpsuit (that he championed) – moving to the pieces from his Moroccan-influenced collections.

A particularly vivid orange cape stood out for me. The colour and the delicate craftsmanship to create a 3D effect of petals had such a contemporary impact. He seemed to have the art of turning the traditional into modern.

Upstairs, his studio is more or less as it was with a desk full of sketches, half-made toiles and fabrics all on display to the sound of his favourite opera.

There are also lovely touches to remind us of the man behind the name, such as his specs on his desk and his pet bulldog Moujik’s bowl on the floor. More fashion fun awaited elsewhere.

Yves Saint Laurent began his career as an apprentice at Dior, who also has an exhibition in Paris, running until January 7 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (lesartsdecoratifs.fr). Titled, Dior: Designer of Dreams, it’s a real showstopper, cleverly taking timeless collections from the past to the present, displaying them in a way that takes us into the future.

It was fascinating to see the documentation of his early days; private letters, sketches and newspaper clippings starting from when he began his career setting up an art gallery. Who knew Dior exhibited the works of many artists, helping propel the careers of Salvador Dali, Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso, to name but a few?

There are 23 rooms exhibiting outfits from his first show in 1947, continuing into collections from his successors: Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, the latest recruit Maria Grazia Chiuri and, of course, Saint Laurent.

One hotel that wins in the style stakes is the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal, located just a short walk from The Louvre and the shops of Rue Saint-Honoré in a neighbourhood home to lots of up-and-coming designers.

The property oozes style with its black modern foyer set off with white orchids that leads to Lulli’s, a chic cocktail bar. It has 68 rooms, two of which are roof-terrace suites with balconies and views over Paris. 

It’s had a complete redesign by Pierre-Yves Rochon and the clean lines and monochromatic colour palette continue to the rooms.

It’s also softened with botanical prints in lovely shades of apple green, fabric cream headboards and tonal leaf print curtains. A short stroll away is Spoons, a restaurant from renowned chef Alain Ducasse that opened barely a month ago.

Occupying the city’s original stockmarket building, its modern but quirky interior is dark and minimal with strange touches such as poems hanging from mobiles above our heads.

The fusion taster dishes were mouthfuls of worldly flavours: shrimp ravioli, tandoori chicken, matcha tea cake and salted caramel ice cream. Taste is a powerful sense, but so too is smell.

And sweet aromas abound in Paris. If you want to discover a little more about what goes into making the perfume you spray on yourself every morning, or just fancy visiting the ultimate concept perfume store, then the Grand Musée du Parfum (grandmuseeduparfum.fr) is the place to go.

Set in a 17th-century mansion, which once housed the fashion house of Christian Lacroix, with glass French doors overlooking a quaint courtyard, the ground floor is an all-white store, clinical yet opulent, stocking high-end fragrances (from Calvin Klein to Tom Ford).

There are also natural products such as Voga soaps in the prettiest printed paper packaging, making them the perfect stocking present. Things get serious upstairs where there are interactive displays designed to increase your knowledge of the origins of different scents.

We went one stage further and ventured into the lab to make our own, mixing our favourite scents together. It’s quite a thrill to come away with your very own perfume.

My personal favourite was Neroli, as it reminded me of honey and orange blossom and bergamot for a rich spicyness with floral and citrus undertones. I combined the two with a little jasmine to add a relaxing effect.

Smelling fabulous, it was time for a quick bite in the 1st Arrondissement at Le So, a bohemian bustling spot for brunch with bold blue walls and big round tables filled with Parisian families eating before a strenuous afternoon hitting the shops.

Shopping in Paris needn’t break the bank. Head to the Marais district, a pleasant 15-minute walk from Hotel du Palais du Jardin, and browse the vintage stores and small boutiques selling a mix of designers at just above high-street prices alongside some great interiors and vintage shops.

Fleux is a must-visit for those who want to add a little eccentric style to their homes. Think animal-shaped lamps and pineapple-print cushions.

Nearby Rue Vieille du Temple was also particularly good for retail therapy followed by a pick-me-up crêpe at Breizh (breizhcafe.com).

It was a sweet end to my Parisian adventure.

Rather shamefully, it had been five long years since my last visit but coming back and experiencing the city’s regeneration whilst still paying homage to its stylish roots reminded me why I fell in love with fashion in the first place.