DAY 1

PARIS — I am at the end of my first day shopping in Paris, lots of salides (sales) going on all over the city, which is typical in January. I’ve got a few little treasures to share with you that I found at the Galleries LaFayette, near the Opera House in the heart of Paris.

First I hit, the Galleries LaFayette Maison, the home décor section of the Mall. I found a really whimsical line of products called Pylones. My personal favorites are the cheese grater, the umbrellas, oh, and the jump ropes, the bike locks, tweezers and don’t forget the dust pan! Really fun stuff. You can check it all out at www.pylones.com.

While I’m working, I usually look for new techniques in quilting or stitch patterns, new embroideries, different trims: anything that’s new and different.

I also am looking for palettes of color that are consistent throughout the stores both in ready-to-wear and also in home fashion. Do I see the same color in bath as in bedding, or even in accessories like a lamp? Sometimes it can be ever-so-subtle, but there will definitely be a common thread throughout.

I am always out to spot new motifs: What is the new thing this year? Will the florals be bold and oversized, or will the damask pattern still be alive? Are stripes still strong and, if so, what do they look like? Irregular or even, multi-colored or monochromatic?

One trend I saw in the store that I have only seen a little of on apparel in the U.S. is a fabric-bead-covering technique. I saw it in the Dallas North Park Mall on the neckline of a blouse and have seen this now on some decorative pillows (see picture). Sometimes finding trends is just about connecting the dots between what’s happening here in Europe and how it’s being translated in the U.S. Usually, the trend starts in Europe and arrives in the states six months later. So tomorrow, when I’m at the trend show, I’ll have my eye out for that same fabric-covered button technique and see if anyone else is using it in unique ways.

All of these things run through my head as I walk through the shops in Paris. I am a human sponge, so at a later date, when I am designing a bedding line, I can pull these bits and pieces of trends together to make something fresh and new for the American market.

My other adventure today was to shop for fabrics in the quaint little Parisian streets below the Sacred Heart Basilica. Built from 1875-1914, this beautiful piece of architecture sits atop a hill overlooking Paris. Nestled below the church are several streets with incredible fabric stores where I come to find both inspiration and also to buy fabrics for collections I currently have in the works.

I do admit it’s pretty amazing I get paid to shop in Paris and London . . . c’est la vie.

I’ll be back tomorrow to give you details on the Maison & Objet show. We are starting bright and early so I am off to sleep and get over this jet lag.

Read About Day 2
Read About Day 3
Read About Day 4
Read About Day 5