The Best Paris Shops for All Your Holiday Gifting Needs
With the holiday season right around the corner, Whitewall recommends visiting these radiant Parisian shops to send your end of year style soaring.
DESTREE
Co-founded in 2016 by female visionaries Géraldine Guyot-Arnault and Laetitia Lumbroso, DESTREE unveiled its inaugural flagship boutique in Paris in 2022. Meticulously designed by New York-based sculptor Simone Bodmer-Turner, the divine and sensual space echoes the brand’s powerful female-forward mission. Situated on idyllic 29 du Juillet, a lively green facade and neon signage introduces visitors to chromatic, avant-garde ready-to-wear garments and accessories suspended within a pristine, cave-like sanctuary. Sculptural seating arrangements also serve as riveting display surfaces for goddess-like jewelry. A glorious range of hats arch across the wall like stars for the taking, while geometric handbags line the snow white shelves as coveted works of art.
Whitewaller recommends: Exploring the Fall/Winter 2023 collection’s range of lustrous velvet jackets in lithe silhouettes.
Best Paris Shops: La Samaritaine
Once a humble department store on rue du Pont-Neuf founded by Marie-Louise and Ernest Cognacq-Jaÿ in 1870, La Samaritaine debuted in 2021 as an unparalleled Parisian shopping mecca on rue de Rivoli, spearheaded by LVMH. Designed and operated by DFS, the global leader and pioneer of luxury retail, the majestic Art Nouveau building has been brought to stunning new life, offering over 600 legendary and cutting-edge brands to its visitors. With the spirited Art of French Living as its guide, La Samaritaine enchants Parisians and international travelers alike with bespoke beauty services and personal stylists, a symphony of innovative restaurants, and compelling art exhibitions.
Whitewaller recommends: Embarking on a lavish guided tour to discover the splendid heritage and secret, architectural treasures of the store.
Centre Commercial
A pure and energetic space, Centre Commercial fuses fashion and design with keen environmental awareness, culminating in a quintessentially modern shopping experience. Founded by lifelong friends François-Ghislain Morillion and Sébastien Kopp in 2010 (the inspired team behind sneaker brand VEJA), the pioneering store offers labels exclusively Made in France or produced using organic materials, in a refreshingly natural setting. Vintage furniture, contemporary books, and graphic lighting by Brazilian artist Kleber Matheus create a soulful design aesthetic and make way for fellow groundbreaking creatives like Norse Projects, Battenwear, Lady White, Porter Yoshida, and Coltesse.
Whitewaller recommends: Journeying through the store’s second location, Centre Commercial Kids, for a dynamic selection tailored to kids 10-years-old and under.
Best Paris Shops: Kith Paris
Rejoicing in the momentous sixth flagship of the KITH universe, Kith Paris was unveiled in 2021 as the largest store to date—spanning 16,000 square feet and expertly designed by Snarkitecture. Located in historic Pershing Hall, within the bustling Golden Triangle, the comprehensive space beckons guests with Kith Retail, Kith for Sadelle’s restaurant, and Kith Treats. Unfolding over three vibrant floors and a stately courtyard, a renewed Carrara marble staircase leads visitors to imaginative spaces offering women’s, men’s, and children’s apparel and footwear. A celebratory collaboration with Nike is visible in a bespoke chandelier of resin cast Air Max 1 sneakers, as well as in an exclusively sold Air Force 1 shoe featuring the flag of France on an embroidered swoosh, with blue embellishments on a velvet lining. The basement’s eclectic activation space is devoted to a must-see incubation gallery of current partnerships.
Whitewaller recommends: After an unforgettable shopping experience, find unmatched refreshment with New York-based Sadelle’s dreamlike Babka Swirl ice cream confection.
