Chic Shopping Paris (Paperback)

~ Rebecca Perry Magniant (Author), Alison Harris (Photographer)
Key Phrases: Etienne Marcel Monday, Saint-Paul Tuesday, Rue du Bac Monday (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Well designed, lavishly illustrated, and conveniently pocket-size, Chic Shopping Paris skips the heavy hitters of the Avenue Montaigne in favor of following in the footsteps of real Parisian shoppers, who mix L’Eclaireur and Louboutin with Le Comptoir des Cotonniers and insider addresses like Dante & Maria, Philippe Roucou, and Louison—and she throws in a host of addresses for finding very French cadeaux, perfumes and objects for the home." --Style.com

"Chic Shopping Paris will guide you to some of the best stores in the City of Light. Don't expect to read only about department stores; there are lots of boutiques here. If you don't have a personal shopper, the book serves as a good substitute. And it's small enough to stash in your purse." --BonjourParis

"These cute little square books published on sturdy paper with rounded corners will fit effortlessly into your designer handbags. This is a book that will withstand numerous shopping excursions...Author Rebecca Perry Magniant is the quintessential 'American in Paris.' Married to a Parisian, she has made it her business to ferret out the boutiques of the well-heeled and the well-coiffed. Rather than guard these addresses as a 'top secret survival kit' for living in Paris, Magniant has put her legwork to good use...So, now it's time to slip on your comfortable Prada sandals for a trek through the various neighborhoods for a 'look-see' at Chic Shopping's preferred shops...Chic Shopping Paris will prove a useful jump-off point for serious shoppers. The addresses listed here will get you headed to the right neighborhoods and out of the tourist trap alleys i.e. Rue de Rivoli and Champs Elysees. It's especially useful if you're looking for specialty item such as gloves or handcrafted watchband straps, just to give two examples." --Parislogue


Praise for Rebecca Magniant:

"Sign up with Chic Shopping Paris to smoothly navigate the city's shopping scene." --Fodors.com

[Chic Shopping Paris] “...provides even the most seasoned shopper with interesting shopping itineraries, valuable product knowledge and in-store assistance to better enjoy the Paris shopping experience–whether you’re buying or just looking.” --Paris Notes

“...the guides at Chic Shopping Paris can help visitors find the finest table linens and most decadent chocolate in one afternoon.” --House & Garden

“Discover the secrets only Parisians know with the help of Chic Shopping Paris.” --Vogue Entertaining

“At 30-something, Rebecca Magniant——a bouncy 'American expat wife' and self-confessed 'shopaholic'——has turned her knack for unearthing 'fabulous boutiques and insider tips'...Chic Shopping Paris has been treating visitors to the City of Light to thematic tours, covering a variety of topics ranging from couture and antiques bargain hunting to epicurean expeditions." --Paris Voice

Product Description

The secret of dressing like a Parisian starts with les bonnes adresses: the coveted, seldom-shared addresses of the best shops. When author Rebecca Magniant moved to Paris five years ago, she made it her mission to find the best boutiques in the city–and that she did. When some of her finds impressed her impossibly chic belle mere (mother-in-law), she knew she was on to something. She went on to found Paris’s premiere shopping service, Chic Shopping Paris, and now reveals her prized list of boutiques whose offerings embody quintessential Parisian style.
 
Even as the world seems to be getting smaller, with everything imaginable available on the Internet, there remain some things that can only be found where they are designed and made–in France. Chic Shopping Paris contains the best, offering clothing, jewelry, lingerie, makeup, shoes, hats, art supplies, toys, stationery, and more–more than eighty venues in all. So let the contents of Magniant’s little black book inspire you to bring back a piece of Paris in your bag.

Some of the shops include
•Da Rosa, an épicerie that supplies luxury products to some of the biggest restaurateurs in town
•Blanc d’Ivorie, a shop specializing in gorgeous French linens and housewares that are all in white, gray, or beige tones
•Fabrice, a boutique selling over-the-top, chunky costume jewelry
•Karine Dupont, a young, fun designer of bags known primarily to insiders
•J. C. Martinez, whose amazing collection of antique prints is as good as anything at the famous Paris flea market
•Sabbia Rosa, a designer of gorgeous silk or satin lingerie who will make things to order

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Little Bookroom; illustrated edition edition (June 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189214557X
• ISBN-13: 978-1892145574
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #47,924 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #25 in	Books > Travel > Europe > France > Paris
  #54 in	Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Retailing
  #57 in	Books > Reference > Consumer Guides

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Need update, October 16, 2008

By	J. Wang (DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am in Paris now and before my trip I cannot help buying a couple of insiders' Paris books before coming here. The photos are nice and reviews are enticing, but I tried several shops in the 4th arr. and they are not working out well for me.
Carabosse (page 90) - the store is closed for good at this address.
Lobato (page 97) - shop is closed at 5pm. Display in the window showed very expensive (500-900 Euros)and not so unique shoes.
ba&sh - Simple and well-cut, but most are dark colors. I find a top selling over 3000 euros and don't think it worths the price tag.

It maybe a coincidence three of the four stores I went in the same neighborhood did not work out well, but I lost confidence in this after the experience.

If you want to find unique things without a big price tag, I don't think this book will help you very much. Just my two cents.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shopping is one of the joys of travel ..., July 8, 2008

By	Robert C. Ross (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

even if it's only window shopping.

My wife and I love travel and we have had the privilege in shopping in many of the great cities of the world: New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Rome, Milan, Houston, and many many others. Paris is without equal for shopping in a number of respects: elegance, beauty, quality, knowledge of staff and the pure joy of seeing fine products in a beautiful setting.

We both admit that we are sometimes a little intimidated, and frankly it's only in Paris we have that feeling. Partly it's the attitude of the sales people -- worldly, fashionable, speaking impeccable French. Partly it's our awe that the French seem to have discovered how to imbue even the simplest product with a level of sophistication.

Chic Shopping Paris is a passport to discovering the joys of shopping in that great city. The photographs by Alison Harris are beautiful -- the book is almost a postcard collection of beautiful products beautifully displayed. The text is descriptive, educated, loving even -- Rebecca Perry Magniant proves her learning not only in this sampling of her work, but also on her frequently updated website. If the following passage resonates with you to any degree, visit the website, and carefully consider buying this beautiful little book:

Nicole Lehmann
19, rue de Turenne, 4th arr.
01 42 77 57 21
Métro: Saint-Paul
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm, Sunday 2pm-7pm, closed Monday
nlparis.com

Nicole Lehmann's new shop just a block away from the Place des Vosges is small but elegant, the perfect setting for showing off her luxurious purses. Each of her bags is entirely handmade, with attention to fine details, in high-quality leathers and skins with metal accents. The bags come in three basic styles: the cabas (tote), the pochette (clutch), and the besace (messenger). Each comes with either long or short straps and in different finishes (grained or smooth leather, suede, alligator, ostrich). Some have unique details such as a long chain strap that can be removed and worn as a necklace; another style has a slim leather closure strap that is interchangeable with straps of other colors, and any of the straps can be worn as a bracelet. A small line of jewelry, cuff links, and belts rounds out the collection."

And if this book doesn't interest you, at least visit the publisher's website; The Little Bookroom publishes a number of delightful books that will enhance your travel experiences.

Robert C. Ross 2008

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What every Paris insider knows, and you NEED to know, May 5, 2009

By	Anne Garber "evalu8.org" (Paris, France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Rebecca Magniant was once a Paris neophyte just like you. Now, she has created a real insider's guide to shopping the City of Light. This is the first Paris shopping guide to earn a full five stars from evalu8.org's hard-to-please, resident shopping expert, Anne Garber!

Not until Rebecca Perry Magniant moved to Paris did she discover the concept of "les bonnes addresses," . . . the personal list of favourite shops meticulously compiled and jealously guarded by every stylish Frenchwoman.

When Magniant assembled her own, and some of her finds impressed the impossibly chic belle mère (mother-in-law), she knew she was on to something. She went on to found the premier Parisian shopping service and now, in Chic Shopping Paris, shares the crème de la crème -- those places that every discerning shopper should know -- including many boutiques that offer goods or services only available in Paris. She has also included websites to give a sneak peek and to help you plan an itinerary.

~ Anne Garber, evalu8.org