STYLE DETAILS:
THE PARIS BULLETIN
It’s Paris Fashion Week: from the reopened Ritz hotel to a beatnik exhibition, we round up where to go and what to wear in the City of Light.
This article was originally published on MATCHESFASHION.COM.
THREE OF THE BEST: MONOCHROME KICKS
Summer’s schedule of festivals, city escapes and alfresco markets call for a fresh pair of sneakers – choose yours in black and white for the slickest take. Lucas Ossendrijver knows how to elevate the humble skate shoe and Lanvin’s slip-ons are a fine example, while Givenchy’s Urban Street lace-ups walk the line between smart and casual when worn with slim-fit trousers and a leather jacket. Finally, Alexander McQueen will raise your shoe game – literally – with these high-soled kicks. A sneaker-head’s dream, they’ll add edge to dark-wash denim.
THE HOT 5
1. WEAR A TIE-DYE KNIT
Valentino’s cashmere-blend knit nods to the nomadic mood of the AW16 collection. Choose sharply pressed trousers as an unexpectedly smart base.
2. LISTEN TO CHOPIN
Relax in Paris’s 16th arrondissement at the Parc de Bagatelle – the setting for this year’s Chopin festival. Enjoy the Romantic pianist’s most iconic compositions performed by musicians from around the world. Until July 14; frederic-chopin.com
3. VISIT HOLIDAY CAFÉ
Stop for an aperitif at the utterly Instagrammable Holiday Café in the 16th arrondissement– its owners run the magazine of the same name and it was co-designed by artistic director Franck Durand. Tryry the croque-demoiselle for a twist on a French classic. holiday-magazine.com
4. DOWNLOAD IBIFORNIA BY CASSIUS
Ibifornia, the latest album by French electronic duo Cassius, drops this week. Filled with impressive guest spots from the likes of Pharrell Williams and Cat Power, it blends influences from breezy Californian pop to hypnotic dubs found in Ibiza’s underground clubs. Out 24 June; cassiusofficial.com
5. TOP IT OFF
Re-invest in a 1990s staple – the baseball cap. A.P.C.’s version is rendered in denim and finished with a slick leather strap. It works well with crisp tees and bomber jackets, and remedies bad-hair days instantly.
WHAT TO WEAR TO: THE RITZ, PARIS
The Paris Ritz is finally back in business. The 118-year-old hotel closed its doors nearly four years ago for refurbishment but reopens this month with some opulent updates, including The Ritz Club – home to a neoclassical swimming pool and Chanel spa. L’Espadon restaurant has also returned, now helmed by four Michelin-starred chef Nicolas Sale. Dress for the occasion in Gucci’s seeksucker silk suit, together with Valentino’s classic button-up and a pair of Lanvin lace-ups. ritzparis.com
CULTURE SPOT: BEAT GENERATION AT CENTRE POMPIDOU
Take a virtual stroll through mid-century New York at Paris’s Centre Pompidou, where an exhibition dedicated to the beatnik movement has just opened. Beat Generation combines projected images, films, photographs and texts to offer a glimpse into the hallucinatory universe of iconic Beat poets Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and more. Visitors can expect photos by Harold Chapman, who chronicled the Beat Hotel in Paris, as well as vinyl turntables playing spoken poetry by the movement’s renowned poets. A Breton top is practically mandatory – Gucci’s black-and-white sweater works well – as are skinny black trousers. Until 3 October; centrepompidou.fr