Depot-vente (consignment stores) in Paris

I've promised a few readers that I'd compile a list of consignment stores, otherwise known as depot-vente in Paris. I've got to disclose a caveat though. I haven't been to a number of them for at least than 7 years. That said, I also took the opportunity to check out a few more 2 years ago.


Here's my take on the depot-vente of Paris. On the whole, I do find the prices rather high. I started out rather optimistic and tried to hit all the consignment stores on my list. I've seen torn rags which were once Hermes scarves with a hefty price tag of 150€. Most Chanel bags and clothes that I'd seen were expensive. In general, I find the condition of secondhand goods to be nowhere near as pristine as what's considered acceptable in Hong Kong. A word of caution, if you're interested in purchasing a secondhand bag or scarf, I'd advise you to give it a thorough inspection. On a more positive note, there are many depot-vente spread out throughout Paris that it'll be a rather daunting task to visit them all but you'll have a better chance of finding a good bargain if you look hard enough. Don't be afraid to negotiate the price with a lot of grace and a smile. You'll be surprised to find that you may get a better price after all. Readers, please feel free to chime in if you want to share your favorite depot-vente in Paris.




Réciproque
88-101 rue de la Pompe
Paris 75016. 
Tel: 01-47-04-30-28. 
Metro Stop: Rue de la Pompe. 


This is the big kahuna of all Paris consignment shops. It's located in the posh 16th arrondissement. They have different stores for menswear, accessories and womenswear. The shop is literally jam-packed with designer goodies so do take your time. There's also another resale shop on the opposite side of the street from Réciproque that only sells secondhand bags. The prices are reasonable but unfortunately, I can't, for the life of me, remember the name of the shop.




Anna Lowe
104 rue du Faubourg St Honore
Tel: +33 1 40 06 0242


Anna Lowe boutique isn't exactly a consignment store but sells discounted designer clothes and accessories from all the major designer houses. It's located a mere skip and hop from the flagship Hermes store.




Voyages
82 rue Saint-Louis en l'Ile
75004 Paris
Tel/Fax : +331 53 10 01 09
Mobile : +336 07 49 68 10


Voyages has two different locations, one of them is based at the Marché Serpette, Paris' biggest flea market. The address above is their second shop. They specialize in Hermes and Louis Vuitton. It was here when I first fell in love with vintage Kellys. Prices are negotiable.






Didier Ludot
20-24 Galerie Montpensier, Jardins du Palais Royal
75001
Tel: 01 42 96 06 56,


Didier Ludot is located near Place Vendome and is no stranger to many celebrities, editors and models alike. They have an amazing inventory packed into a small space but prices are high. There's another depot-vente a few doors down but I've had such an awful experience with the obnoxious shop-owner.




Catherine B
3 Rue Guisarde
75006
Tel: +33 1 43 25 64 92


Although I've yet have the pleasure of visiting her store, I've read a number of favorable reviews about Catherine B. She also sells online via her website. She tends to specialize in Hermes and Chanel.

   

 

Closet favorites

Some of you have asked if I could feature designer pieces from my closet. I thought I'd pick out some of my favorites, most of which I've had for years. You've probably seen quite a few of them before too.

I purchased this Hermes clic clac bracelet more than 5 years ago from a consignment store in Auckland for a song. It's hung on a handmade coffee cup and saucer set from Cappadocia, Turkey. I bought the set from a tiny store right by the Uchisar castle which sold antique knick-knacks. The silver exterior holds a ceramic cup which keeps the coffee hot. I was informed by the old man who was also the shop owner that it took his friend 2 weeks to make this. The brass coffee pot came from an incredible coffee shop in Crete roast and grind their own coffee beans. I was thrilled to find this Hermes Kelly Dog bracelet at Hermes sale in Paris. I've worn it quite a bit. Hopefully, one day I might be brave enough to wear a Collier de Chien bracelet.

I fell in love with the teacup display rack on a visit to Kuala Lumpur more than 11 years ago. I was out shopping with my aunt when I walked into a teahouse selling the most glorious tea leaves and all the necessary accoutrements. The Chinese tea set was last year's purchase from Kuala Lumpur as well when I stopped over to visit a dear friend of mine. The hearts and arrow diamond tennis bracelet was a gift to myself after years of lusting for one. It's 5 years old and I've never taken it off except for this photoshoot. I've often forgotten it's there until a friend mentions how much the diamond glitters. A good friend of mine, S from NY had been hooked on these ever since she showed me hers. The Hermes Cape Cod automatic watch was a 10th wedding anniversary gift from hubby last year.

I was thrilled beyond words when a wonderful sales associate at the Hermes store in Hong Kong managed to hunt the buffalo horn Lena necklace for me. I've worn it so much in the last 4 years. The purple Hermes Lift GM pendant was a lucky purchase at the Hermes sale in Paris earlier this year. I was determined to find a hand-painted plate before leaving Cappadocia, Turkey. This colorful plate took approximately a month to paint and glaze.

It took me forever to locate a Chanel Timeless clutch in Caviar leather and silver hardware. Like everything else in my closet, the clutch has been used quite a bit. I've managed to stuff food....and just about everything into this clutch. The two pairs of glasses were gifts from hubby on my birthday. Hubby loves to collect Georg Jensen coffee pots. The pot on the left is called Quack because I presume it looks like a duck??!

My Kelly 28cm is probably one of my most used bag sitting on top of hubby's favorite Panton chair. It goes with absolutely everything in my closet and holds a lot of my junk which is rather surprising considering its size.

These are two of my favorite shawls which I wear all year round. As you can see, my Louis Vuitton leopard shawl has plenty of runs. I fell in love with the Hermes Ex Libris shawl when I first tried it on at Hermes store at Sloane St. The sales associate tried to dissuade me from buying it saying that the grey/white version made me look old. Guess, she was never taught diplomacy. Unfortunately, I decided to sleep on it and when I called the next day, it was gone. Thankfully, I managed to locate one at the Hermes sale. I found this wooden Dayak medicine bowl when I went back to Borneo to visit my grandmother many years ago.

My Hermes Story boots was a lucky find at a consignment store many years ago. I think I paid 1/3 of the retail price despite the fact that they looked barely worn. I resole them every year but boy, are these boots great investments or what. They're so comfortable and last forever. The Giuseppe Zanotti embellished flats have been featured so often in my blog that I'm sure many of you are bored with them. They're my best scores from the On Pedder sale in Hong Kong 4 years ago. My Jigsaw trilby is a lifesaver. No more headaches when I'm under hot blistering sun.

Now let me tell you the story of my Ikea chest of drawers. You're probably thinking, geez, it's just Ikea. You see, I coveted Ikea furniture. No, you didn't misread the previous sentence. I used to pore over the Ikea catalogue pilfered from God knows where. When I moved to the UK, I informed hubby that we're going to get ONLY Ikea furniture. Hubby who grew up in Australia and was used to seeing build-your-own-rubbish-but-cheap-and-appealing-furniture thought I'd gone barking mad. I built this chest of drawers with my bare hands. I mean, my dad could make furniture, renovate houses, resuscitate any dying plant surely he would've passed his DNA to me. Or so I thought. Within a month, it started falling apart. Now, it's holding up purely by prayers and a few screws that I'd knocked in place. Chanel RTW is waaaay beyond my budget so I'm concentrating on Isabel Marant clothes instead. This Isabel Marant Atiki arrived in time before the cold snap sets in. I can't remember when I bought my Hermes belt because it has been that long. I wear it practically everyday.

I hope you've enjoyed a glimpse into my closet!

Facebook

Friends, if you've noticed that your likes have disappeared, it's just me twiddling around with Facebook and managed to wipe everything off the face of the earth (excuse the pun!). I'm a little slow with these things but they're slowly coming together. So pretty please with sprinkles on top, can you please click on the LIKE button again?

A day in the life of a Work-from-Home mom

Life as a work-from-home mom is exciting. You'll never know when you'll be called to wipe bottoms and snot, clean pee off the floor, coerced into herding a group of 60 feral kids (shepherds, you ain't seen nothing yet until you've replaced your sheep with kids), dress your child in fluorescent tutus and leg warmers for her school's 1980s themed party etc. You know those things you promise yourself you'll never do when you have kids?

Me: Go and watch TV.
Lil L: No! I don't want to.
Me: Mommy needs to send an email to a customer. TURN ON THE TV!
Lil L: Noooooooo.
Me: Ok, let's cut a deal. If you watch TV for an hour, I'll buy you a bag of sweeties.
Lil L (going in for the kill): How about 2 bags of sweeties and I watch quietly?



06:50   Lil L woke me up wanting to discuss a dire issue with her girlfriends in school. I heard the first bit - "my friend gave me thumbs down and I was sooooo upset". I was sure I was listening but it sounded more like blah blah and then blah blah blah and she blah blah blah.....

07:15  Lil L declared that she's dying of starvation and would expire on the spot if food wasn't given immediately. Kicked hubby out of bed to tend to HIS child's needs.

07:45  Scrolled through my inbox and sent a few quick replies. Let's check out the blog. Oooooh.... more comments. I LOOOOVE comments! Yippeee.... 2 more likes on Facebook. I'm popular!!

08:15  ACKKK! I'm late! I'm late. I raced through the house screaming at Lil L to change into her 1980s costume. It's school's centennial celebration. What? Leg warmers? Where do these go? Egads, I've got to put on my sunglasses. Her outfit looks so ..... bright. My child looks like a reincarnation of the young Madonna (no, I'm not talking about Jesus' mother)! "Mom, who's Madonna?" "She's a singer". "Can you sing one of her songs?" "Like a viiirrgiiin, touched for the very first time". "Mom, what's a virgin?" "The way you'll be for a long time".

08:45  What??! Is it almost 9? I'm late. I'm sooo late. Crap! I don't have time to brush my hair. I hope I don't scare anyone looking like Frankenstein's bride. No! What am I doing? No negative thoughts. Ommm ommm.... Channel Cindy Crawford. She's got big hair. Grabbed Lil L's hand and dragged her half running down the street to her friend's house for a quick photo shoot.

09:00  Whew! That was a close call. Made it before the school bell went off. I felt instantly better seeing other frazzled moms.

10:20  Met a friend at a local cafe to catch up and exchange ideas. I've almost forgotten what it's like to socialize outside of children's activities.

12:00  Pounding away on the laptop checking my inbox.  No time to dillydally, got to get dinner sorted now and apartment tidied up. We've got guests tonight.

13:15  Raced back to school and feeling all sweaty in my Isabel Marant woolen Lexy jacket. Awww... all the kids and staff are dressed in their costumes. How cute is that? Hang on a minute, is that our local GP? I'd better stop gawping and find Lil L before the procession starts. Whaddaya know...the police are here to escort the kids too.

Just in case you're wondering, yes, he's a trained GP despite looking like he should belong to a commune. No, that's not his real hair.

Frances wearing a genuine vintage dress purchased from a vintage fair

A cheeky grin from Lil L before the procession began.

14:00  A quick wave goodbye to Lil L and her friends before running back home to work. I feel like I've ran a couple of marathons. I'm a woman. Hear me roar......AND.... multi-task.

15:15  Managed to ship a last minute order at the post office. Oh crap! I'm late! Here we go again, my third mad dash back to the school. I've got hair plastered all over my face. I do NOT look like Frankenstein's bride. No NO! That's not an affirmation. I look like Cindy Crawford. Oh whatever. I'm late.

15:30  What the hell happened to the kids?! They're hopping around like mad monkeys. A mom quickly explain that they were all given a slice of cake. I think that's what she said because the disco music in the background drowned out everything including my thoughts.

This is what I saw when I got to the school. Kids + sugar = deranged kids.

Still high on sugar and danced all the way into the classroom to pick up her lunchbox and bag

16:30  Tiphaine and I successfully herd our kids out of the playground and into my apartment for dinner. The two mommies caught up while the kids are chucked into the bedroom so that we can have some peace and quiet.


17:00  Time to get dinner ready. The animals...I mean kids are starting to gnaw at the sofa and toys.


19:30  Hubby emerged from our front door looking bewildered by the noise and stampede.

20:00 A quick bath and bedtime for Lil L.

20:30  Hubby managed to snare a copy of the latest Narnia DVD from the library. Yay! For the life of me, I can't understand why hubby likes to watch scary movies. Why pay to scare yourself? Just spend the night at a cemetery or a haunted house.

23:00  Time to work on the blog..... oh wait, let's see if Downton Abbey is on ITV player. Crikey, X Factor.....

00:00  Maybe I should type something in my blog......

01:00  Maybe I should type something in my blog...... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

My hat's off to all the moms out there who are doing an amazing job! Motherhood is singularly the most rewarding AND frustrating journey.



(please contact me at [email protected] if you're considering consigning your bags and accessories. Shameless plug!).

Isabel Marant Dicker Boots Wannabe

Okay, I know the title is rather strange but I've run out of ideas. I need at least 2 cups of coffee in the morning before I'm coherent but I'm typing this out before I've even taken a sip. As you probably know by now, it has been a rather difficult journey locating a pair of beige colored ankle boots in my size. Shoe designers, if you're reading this, please make shoes for people with small feet. Yes, we are full sized adults with pixie sized feet but we love shoes too. And no, please don't ask us to shop at children's shoe store because we like to think we're more stylish than our kids.

Before I start writing an entire poem dedicated to ankle boots (just kidding!), let me bombard you with photos I've compiled of gorgeous women wearing this holy grail of mine.

Photo credit: Carolinesmode.com

Photo credit: martalicious.blogspot.com

Photo credit: http://metiersf.blogspot.com/

Photo credit: Daily Mail UK

Photo credit: Just Jared

Photo credit: Daily Mail UK

Photo credit; Daily Mail UK

Photo credit: Daily Mail UK

Photo credit: Daily Mail UK

Photo credit: Daily Mail UK

Now that all of you have been sufficiently hypnotized with photos of Isabel Marant Dicker boots, I'll get to the point of this post. I've discovered a website called Pretty Small Shoes selling shoes in various styles in teeny tiny sizes, thanks to a lovely Purse Forum member. I was thrilled to find out that they have a pair of ankle boots that look pretty darn similar to the Dickers. They're called Walk N Talk, presumably because one can walk and talk without falling flat on their face thanks to the low heel. The catch is it's all custom made from outside of the UK and can take up to a month. I duly ordered and after several emails back and forth as well as delays, I finally received them last week. I've decided to size up to a 34.5 knowing that I'll probably be wearing thick socks in winter.

The Verdict

The shoes are true to size. I've eyeballed the boots and inspected them with a fine toothed comb. They look impeccably made. I can't fault the tidy stitches, soft suede leather with excellent leather lining nor the perfectly made soles and heels. In short, the quality is truly remarkable despite the £139 plus shipping price tag. My only complaint is that I'd prefer that they use a single piece of leather to line the insole. Often I find that with continual wear, the edge of the half insole start to come loose fairly quickly. The solution is to buy a set of cushioned insole which I haven't done yet. For the past 2 days, I've worn them to the church, playground, school runs, grocery shopping and attended meetings. I've got flat feet and don't take to heels all that well but surprisingly enough, my feet do not hurt at all despite wearing them practically for hours. Hopefully these will hold up for several winters.

Summer Fare

Perhaps I'm holding on to the last vestiges of summer and remembering my wonderful week long break in Paris. We had a rather cold summer this year. What a disappointment. Apparently, the weather will hit the mid 20s (celcius) this week so perhaps, we might get to enjoy a bit more sunshine after all.

Lately, I've been having cravings (no, I'm not pregnant, just in case you're wondering) for omelette. This simple dish can be easily found at bistros and cafes in Paris, often served with a side salad and cut up slices of baguette. It's light but the protein fills one up without leaving you bloated. I've paid up to 10€ for this simple meal which is so darn easy to make and costs next to nothing. I don't like lots of filling in mine. I normally just toss in a handful of grated Emmental cheese while the omelette (you'll need 3 eggs in a 20cm or smaller sized frying pan) is cooked under low heat.

I like to serve it with a leafy salad and crunchy sun ripened cherry tomatoes, tossed in extra virgin olive oil and a dash of aged modena balsamic vinegar. The cost of this meal? £1.30. Cheaper than chips!





Omelette with Emmental cheese filling served with a leafy salad, crunchy sun ripened cherry tomatoes and a glass of beetroot/celery/apple/carrot juice.



When Lil L was born, life was incredibly hectic. I felt like a juggler trying to keep everything up in the air. I stopped looking after myself. I'd make something nutritious for Lil L and hubby but I'd snack or eat junk food on the go. Given my family history of hypertension, it was a matter of time before I too succumb to the same problem. After taking hypertension meds for the last couple of years, I've decided to attack the problem head on. Get back into proper exercise routine, cut down on my salt intake and drink plenty of home-made fruit and vegetable juice. I caved in and bought Matstone, a super duper juicer which also minces meat, makes Korean rice cakes (I'm addicted to these), jam and a million other things with all the different attachments that came with it after reading glowing reviews about it. Celery and beetroot are known for lowering blood pressure. I've tried juicing beets with celery, green apples and carrots and the result was absolutely delicious. Furthermore, I've noticed that if I drink at least a glass a day, my skin looks radiant. Not a bad side effect, eh?

Matstone 6 in 1 juicer

Hermes Le Monde

It has been an insanely busy day. I felt like I've ran a couple of marathons in my ballet flats so my apologies for the late post.  I've just picked up the latest Hermes Le Monde magazine and I'm in love. It offers a glimpse into the world of Hermes with photos of artisans making mouthwatering Birkins which I'm sure are snapshots taken from this incredible book titled La Maison. Koto Bolofo is the first ever photographer who has managed to gain permission from Hermes' chairman, Jean-Louis Dumas to access and document every minute step of the production and manufacturing of Hermes products. The book costs £134 and is by no means cheap but it contains the most incredible eye candies and information which will be invaluable to Hermes lovers everywhere.

I adore this belt but I'm sure the price tag would be fairly astronomical.

I'm not sure which item I like more, the Collier de Chien or Jumping Boots or perhaps the leather pants if I can manage to squeeze myself into them.

Winter Coats Under £170

First of all, I want to thank everyone for following my blog and the lovely comments that you've all posted over the past year. It never fails to touch me when I read engaging exchanges and encouraging words from all of you. I started this blog initially for my mother so that she can see photos of Lil L and find out what we've been up to. It didn't occur to me that anyone other than my family and friends would even want to read what I write. Although I may have been a technical engineer in my past life, trying to create a Facebook page for the blog was clearly out of my depth. It took me several hours to work out all the bits and bobs. I'd appreciate it if you could take a moment and click on the Facebok like button on your right if you've enjoyed my blog.  Secondly, what do you ladies like to see more of? I have the attention span of an insect. As you can see, I tend to flit from topic to topic depending on what's on my mind. You can either leave me a comment or send me an email. Thank you! **HUGS**

A friend of mine asked if I could help her find a coat for £150 or under. My take about winter coats is that it should be classy, warm and of a reasonably good quality. With the advent of resale shops and discount websites, it's easier than ever to purchase designer clothes at low prices. I've made plenty of mistakes where I'd settled for cheap High St coats only to find out that
1) there's an issue with the quality after wearing it after one season. i.e. the zip or buckles broke, the lining came undone  etc
2) it's too trendy and looked out of place by the time the second winter came around 
3) the coat is a poor insulator and I'm freezing to death due to the low wool content in the fabric

Having said that, there are a few tried and true High St stores that I rely on for good quality clothes at very affordable prices. One of which being Uniqlo. Often I'd splurge a little more on coats and jackets but I hesitate to spend more than £15 for a t-shirt. The winter months are long and can be pretty brutal. Nothing compared to the winters in parts of the US and northern Europe, of course.

When I first arrived in the UK 3 years ago, I brought along my winter coats from Auckland. The winter months back home tend to be relatively mild. My new English friends told me that the winters are no different to New Zealand seeing that this is the South of England after all. Weeeelllll, on our first winter, it snowed. A. LOT. Followed by blizzard. All I had was a cotton blend trench coat. We were snowed in and every public transportation ground to a halt. Apparently, it was the worst winter in 20 years or something like that. The second year, it was far worse. Everyone was stunned. The entire country shut down thanks to a low stockpile of salt. It was all over the headlines where it was declared the worst winter in 100 years. By the time my third winter came along, we took off to New Zealand to enjoy a nice balmy summer.

I also avoid looking like a Michelin man (or woman) by wearing a layer of Merino wool thermal tops from Icebreaker. My family and I have been wearing them for years. I support New Zealand products whenever I can. That said, the merino wool from New Zealand is amongst the best in the world. Okay, I'm biased. To date, I will buy ONLY New Zealand apples which thankfully, are readily available at Marks and Spencer. Ooops. Like I said I have the attention span of an insect. Sorry. I've compiled a list of winter coats, all of which have at least 50% wool content because I don't want anyone blaming me when they turn into an iceblock.

1. Paul & Joe Sister Triumph Wool Mix Coat £165 from The Dressing Room
2. Uniqlo Blanket Wool Duffle Coat £89.90
3. Great Plains Camel Coat £135
4. American Retro Holly Chained Embellished Wool Coat £143.50 from The Outnet
5. Uniqlo Single Breasted Coat £89.90
6. Uniqlo Wool Cashmere Trench Coat £129.90

Exploring London: Monmouth St

Monmouth St sits on the cusp of Chinatown (Leicester Square) and Covent Garden. It's also home to one of my favorite cafes, Monmouth Coffee. Their coffees are amongst the best I've ever tasted in the UK. From Monmouth St, I can easily nip across into Chinatown for a snack usually at nondescript Asian teahouses where one can get a roast pork bun or a bowl of tofu jelly for £1.20 - £2 and washed down with sweet but strong Hong Kong style milk tea.

Monmouth St is narrow but packed with interesting and quirky shops.  Though the shopping strips of London can be crowded and stressful to navigate around, this area is fairly sedate, almost a world away from the frantic pace of the busy city. I'd originally planned to take more photos of the shops that lined Monmouth St but the torrential downpour took everyone by surprise.

Favorite Thrift Shops in London

Every now and then I'd go into thrift shops and poke around to see if I was lucky enough to unearth bits of treasure buried amongst piles and piles of junk. More often than not, I've walked away empty handed. There were the odd occasion when I managed to dig out some Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Hermes and the likes discarded by wealthy donors. The trick is to go often, roll up your sleeves and be prepared to really take the time to sift through a lot of musty clothes.

Last week, as I walked past a thrift shop, the sales board taped on the glass window caught my eyes. I didn't know that thrift shops have sales! Well, I couldn't very well walk past a sale, could I? Lo and behold, I saw a pair of Ferragamo heels in size US 4.5 for £5. After spending weeks trawling through every online and brick and mortar stores for a pair of black or nude heels in my size, I was on the verge of giving up. Who cares if the Ferragamos have a few nicks here and there, they're in MY size! I whipped out my wallet in a nanosecond. I've added rubber soles which cost another £14 but they're still heck of a lot cheaper than the Stuart Weitzman heels I've been eyeing on. So.... one down, two more to go. I still need a pair of nude heels and comfortable wedges.

This Chanel tweed jacket from 2006 Spring/Summer collection was a lucky find, thanks to an invitation to a VIP thrift shop event. I was flabbergasted when I saw the price tag. £110!! I doubt the previous owner ever wore it seeing that it was in a pristine condition. The last Chanel jacket I ogled at the boutique cost just under £4K.  On the whole, I've found most of the thrift shops these days are pricing their goods way too high. A used Comptoir des Cotonniers top - £40. It was on sale at the store for £30. I've seen dirty and torn Hermes scarves or should I say rags selling for well over £100. I've made my fair share of mistakes too. I found a stunning leopard print wide Azzedine Alaia belt for £70 which I had to have. It didn't matter it was just a tad too small. After numerous attempts to buckle the belt and holding my breath to the point of passing out, I sadly admitted defeat.

I'm going to share a few of my favorite thrift shops in London.  It's no surprise that most are centered around the most expensive parts of city. A manager at a local thrift shop confided that she got a lot of huge bags from wealthy donors who lived within walking distance. Another mentioned that the sons of an elderly lady who'd passed away dragged in boxes of designer goods including Hermes bags as they didn't know what to do with them.

British Red Cross
67-71 Old Church St
Chelsea
London SW3 5BS
They tend to price their stock fairly high but every now and then, you may be lucky to find a bargain. I've seen near new Chanel jackets going for £550. Still expensive but considerably less than a brand new one.

Oxfam
123a Shawfield St
Off King's Road
Chelsea
London SW3 4PL
This tiny shop is packed with unisex clothes and accessories. The last time I was there, I saw a Celine leather jacket in fab condition for £60. 



Octavia
211 Brompton Rd
Knightsbridge
London 
I was lucky enough to purchase a brand new Tod's moccasins here for £35. On my last visit, I saw 3 near new Hermes ties for £40 each.


So readers, what are your best deals from thrifting?

The World of Chanel

I decided to suck it up and brave the crowds at Harrods to see the Chanel exhibition which is otherwise known as The World of Chanel. If possible, I avoid Harrods at all costs. Where do I start? The crushing crowds mostly made up of tourists (I have nothing against them seeing I was one many many years ago) being barked at by overzealous security guards. The rules! My goodness, do they have rules. Hold your rucksack (backpack), don't carry them on your back. Don't stand there, keep moving! You're not allowed to stand there. Don't bring your suitcase in (albeit a tiny trolley). No eating inside Harrods (said to a mom who had a child in the stroller nibbling on a cookie). Despite having been inside a handful of times, I still get lost navigating through the maze *ahem* claustrophobic windowless rooms. Give me Selfridges any day. On the flip side, the sales associates there are a delight.

After asking for directions every 10 metres, I managed to arrive at Chanel's Une Promenade in one piece. The austere reception is manned by 4-5 representatives handing out brochures and sternly announced that no photography is allowed. The visually captivating exhibition filled with videos showcasing how a 2.55 handbag is made to magnificent dollhouses with exquisite details as as well as couture garments are a feast for the eyes. 

I was mesmerized by the TVs all showing different production stages of a 2.55 bag. Just then, a guide came through and explained to the visitors that the bag is 80% handmade and 20% machine-made.  Now correct me if I'm wrong, sir seeing that we're all watching the same thing. How odd. The entire bag was machine stitched other than when the atelier was lining up the different cuts of the leather and foam. Yes, a person had to turn the bag inside out and thread a strip of leather through the chain strap. Forgive my petty nit-picking. Nevertheless, I'm still in love with the taupe caviar 2.55 Maxi I saw at their pop up store at Harrods. On a side note, did you know that a lambskin Timeless clutch cost £825, its patent leather £805 and caviar version which in fact is the most durable and my favorite is the cheapest at £750?

 

For those who want a luxurious 2.55 bag, what about one made of crocodile skin at an eye-watering price tag of £15,662.