Friday, August 8, 2008

BUSTED: l'eclaireur, hermes, and the lure of paris retail -

oooooooooo k.


this does not look good.
but i can explain.


paris is a city where you can't resist.
whether you stumble into the doors of hermes or l'eclaireur,
it's a city that treats shopping almost like a visit to a gallery
as much as a retail transaction.


every window seems to not so much promise product,
as EXPERIENCE.

and that makes a world of difference.

every experience
treats you as a customer,
not a consumer.

and there is a difference.


their signage is viewed as an art form.
even when they are closed and under construction, they respect you:


of course,
the product is pretty divine.

and it's a city where you can use that word,
and not feel like an idiot.



you learn tricks though,
on how to multiply your purchasing impact.


cause once the gates open,
it's a little impossible to go home
empty handed.

there.
justification done.

go back about your business.

6 comments:

Jennifer said...

hmmmmm, your take is much more positive than lynn's.

Landis said...

yes. yes it is. but she sounds grumpy. which i would be as well if i wasted my time looking for paving stones. that just seems silly.

will all due respect for the goddess that she is . . . go buy a scarf.

The Spicers said...

It would be completely crazy NOT to shop in Paris. So what's in that Hermes bag?
And that crystal-encrusted jacket: WOW

Jennifer said...

a-HA!!!!!

(i was being soooooooooooooo respectful, not pushing it, not demanding full disclosure)

Landis said...

editor - vous etes sneaky. it was one of the "josephine baker" dot print scarves . . . in navy and white . . . i mean, it was a set-up.

Jennifer said...

yes, i have to agree. who can go to paris and b!tch that much?

i've seen that one. great colorway. i've made a... fairly consistent mistake re. their silks - i fall in love with a pattern and buy it for that, without regard to its appeal on me. and i've concluded (a bit late) that i prefer the smaller reissued vintage size. but i'm not b!tching about hermes. no sir. ;)