Pop-up store: Laforet HARAJUKU in Paris

Last Saturday was the opening of the Laforet HARAJUKU pop-up shop in Paris! From September 23rd to October 3rd, several brands are featured at L'Exception, a French select shop: Angelic Pretty, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Jane Marple, E Hypen, Nile Perch, Ciara and more. A large selection of brands that would please any Harajuku and Japanese fashion lover~

Many girls, including myself, have been waiting for this day with excitement. Early birds gathered around 9AM, one hour before the official opening time of the store in order to be the first ones in line and make sure to grab the best items! By 10AM, around thirty girls were queuing and before anyone else I was lucky enough to take some pictures of the store to share with you. 

The selection of items was quite recent and large : there was a total of four racks, four mannequins and some shelves holding the accessories that were all from 2017 autumn-winter collection! Since the staff of L'Exception knew about the Harajuku fashion fans coming on the very first day, they did put the most iconic brands on display for the occasion: Angelic Pretty, Baby the Stars Shine Bright, Jane Marple, ... And this was definitely a good move! First half of the pop-up store was popular brands among Harajuku lovers and the other half was more designer/higher end brands such as FURFUR or Honey Salon. 

L'Exception is quite big and Laforet HARAJUKU pop-up store took about one quarter of the room. Which was already amazing: I think the pop-up store itself had a nice size, one of the only things I would regret is that not all of the featured brands were displayed at the opening: some brands as E Hypen weren't for seen until the beginning of the afternoon, which mean several girls, myself included, left before being able to see all of the stock. I could easily go back to L'Exception since I'm living in Paris but some other girls can't or won't and therefore maybe missed one or several amazing items they would have wished for. But at least, the Harajuku fashion fans that couldn't be there on the very first day will also be able to find some really great items!

The second thing I would find regrettable is selection of items itself: I'm not exactly sure what were the conditions under each brands were presented. Was it a matter of number of items? Total worth of the stock? I really don't know, but the thing I do know is that the pop-up store was definitely lacking of accessories. Not counting the brands that only do accessories or smaller items such as Ciara (phone cases and covers) or feast (underwears), only Baby, the Stars Shine Bright and Alice and the Pirates brought accessories to match their stock : few legwears and headwears as long as an endless count of Usakumya and Kumakumya bags. 

This lead to many girls leaving the store empty handed: since the brands featured in the pop-up are on the more expensive side, it was incredibly hard to find something under 50€ or even 100€. However, regarding the prices, on a happier note, all the items are priced quite closed to current the euro-yen exchange. There was no taxes or hidden fees which means it was basically like shopping directly in Japan! What a great surprise! 

In my opinion, the overall experience was really nice: Laforet and L'Exception staff were lovely and professional, many amazing brands were featured, the prices were really nice compared to the original ones in yen. Apart from the lack of accessories and the fact that not all brands were presented at the same time, I would say this definitely was a really good first time pop-up store for Laforet! I hope it will encounters the success it deserves and that they will soon come back with even more brands (and more accessories) ♡ 

Thank you for reading! See you soon for more endless writings about Japanese fashion~ 

I'll leave you here with some street snaps (I wish I could have taken more!!)
and pictures of my own purchase ♡

Pop-up store Laforet HARAJUKU

L'EXCEPTION

Forum des Halles,

24 rue Berger, 75001, Paris

Du 23 septembre au 3 octobre 2017

Ouvert du lundi au  samedi de 10h à 20h

et le dimanche de 11h à 19h

Pop-up shop: Les Filles Frou Frou

       

Qu'est-ce que Les Filles Frou Frou ? Les Filles Frou Frou est le nom d'un pop-up shop ouvert à Paris du 24 février au 17 mars 2015 à la boutique Guiq' Chaq. Les Filles Frou Frou a réuni 6 designers et artistes européens afin de créer un pop-up shop lolita à l'univers "Kawaii et Glamour". 

J'aurais adoré pouvoir me rendre au vernissage ou bien aller à la boutique un des premiers jours d'ouverture mais cela n'a malheureusement pas été possible. Je vous offre donc un petit compte-rendu d'après la bataille, à quelques jours de la fermeture. Le pop-up shop devait fermer le 10 mars, mais il se trouve que la fermeture a finalement été repoussée de quelques jours.

Je connaissais Guiq' Chaq en tant que boutique fixe, avant l'ouverture du pop-up shop, mais sans jamais avoir pu réellement m'y rendre. En effet, Guiq' Chaq fait partie de ces boutiques que j'ai la malchance de voir fermer à chaque fois que je veux m'y rendre — pourtant aux heures d'ouverture (a croire que c'est un mal parisien...). Un peu sceptique sur le fait de trouver la boutique ouverte un dimanche, je me suis tout de même fiée aux horaires d'ouverture (je ne perds jamais foi) pour finalement trouver la lumière bien allumée et la porte grande ouverte: mes amis, je n'y croyais plus !

La boutique est petite mais bien agencée, les six marques se partagent un espace égal permettant ainsi d'avoir l'œil sur plusieurs types de vêtements et accessoires et plusieurs styles, le tout en même temps. Je ne dirais pas que j'ai tout aimé mais la sélection était assez large : robes, jupes, chapeaux, bonnets, accessoires et même chaussures. C'est agréable de voir des marques européennes mises à l'honneur dans une boutique (même éphémère). La qualité varie forcément d'une marque à l'autre, mais la gamme de prix aussi et finalement, il n'est pas difficile de repartir avec un petit (ou un gros) quelque chose. Du pop-up shop je retiendrai donc trois marques que je connaissais, certes, déjà, mais qui m'ont réellement séduite (une nouvelle fois). 

Cloudberry Lady proposait de nombreuses robes, bonnets et chaussures à l'achat. J'ai eu un véritable coup de coeur pour les bonnets et la robe en vitrine (que Lunie portait lors de LVER !). Feutre, soie, cuir, belles dentelles, le travail de Tuulia est vraiment à couper le souffle. Le travail de la jeune finlandaise est non seulement exposé en France mais également au Japon ! La célèbre marque et boutique Atelier Pierrot vend désormais du Cloudberry Lady à nos consoeurs japonaises, définitivement un grand pas pour Cloudberry Lady et toutes les marques indies ! 

    

Ergi by Piratessan est une marque suédoise créée en 2007. Je crois que je connais la marque depuis mon arrivée dans le lolita, pour la simple et bonne raison que j'ai toujours eu envie d'avoir un (voir même plusieurs) de leurs bonnets lapins. Ne sont-ils pas mignons ? J'ai du me faire violence pour ne pas acheter le dernier qui restait — et qui allait pourtant à ravir avec ma tenue. Malheureusement, cela n'aurait pas été raisonnable ! Leur travail autour de la (fausse) fourrure, que ce soit pour leurs bonnets animaux ou leurs cols vaut vraiment le détour. 

La dernière marque à avoir attiré mon attention est Medusa Couture. J'ai appris à mieux connaitre la marque lorsque sa créatrice a généreusement offert un bonnet chauve-souris pour chaque Tea Time French Café organisées lors des Halloween Fashion Walks en Belgique, en Suisse et en France. Medusa Couture proposer tout un ensemble chauve-souris : le bonnet, le col et le sac qui ravirait les fans du genre ! Toutes les pièces sont disponibles en bordeaux, en noir (et même en blanc à quelques occasion exceptionnelles me semble-t-il ?). D'ailleurs celles-ci allaient particulièrement avec les chaussures chauve-souris de Cloudberry Lady, n'est-ce pas ? Bien que j'adore cette collection, ce n'est pas un style que je porte couramment et si je devais choisir quelque chose à acheter chez Medusa Couture je me tournerais définitivement vers la JSK Victoire ! 50€ seulement pour une robe épaisse et parfaite pour l'hiver, disponible en crème et en marron~ 

Etant moins intéressée par les autres marques, je ne m'y suis pas trop penchée dessus, mais vous pouviez également retrouver aux Filles Frou Frou : Li-Paro (Allemagne), Shinkurose (Royaume-Uni) et l'artiste Sirkku Tuomela (Finland). 

Pour conclure, moi qui avait toujours été un peu réticente à l'idée de trouver perpétuellement Guiq'Chaq fermé, je me dis que ce pop-up shop pourra peut-être créer une nouvelle dynamique pour le magasin ! La propriétaire ne parle pas le Français (uniquement le Japonais et l'Anglais) mais cette dernière est extrêmement aimable et accueillante, ma visite m'a laissée un très bon souvenir contrairement à ce que j'aurais pu imaginer au départ. J'espère donc pouvoir trouver très bientôt à Guiq'chaq de nouvelles expositions ou pop-up shops~ Pourquoi pas cet idée lors des événements lolita de juillet ? 

Les Filles Frou Frou

du 24 février au 17 mars 2015

Guiq'chaq
3 rue Mazet 75006, Paris
Métro : Odéon et St Michel

Du mardi au samedi de 11h à 20h 

Le dimanche de 14h à 20h

(fermé le lundi)

A bientôt, pour un nouvel article autour d'un second pop-up shop japonais à Paris ! 

(Nous sommes vernis !)

Opening : Anecdote — axes femme in Paris

Note : cet article est en Anglais, si vous souhaitez lire la version française:  cliquez ici （ゝ。∂）

Developed and designed throughout the year, the Parisian Axes Femme shop might not have been given as media coverage as a new lolita shop though it's still a very famous brand among young Japanese girls. The brand have been gaining in popularity since 2010 : chiffon fabrics, flower patterns, pastel and natural colors, between romantic and otome style. Axes Femme already pleases a large panel of clientele : lolita, mori, dolly, a lot of Japanese fashions' fans succumbed to Axes Femme's collections and it would not be surprising to see Parisian women do the same... 

Opening thursday 10th October 2013, Axes Femme Paris is really well situated : in the Marais' area, well-known for being the most-fashionable area in Paris ! Luckily, my university student's schedule let me be able to go there on the opening day~

The store is so roomy, way more roomy than I thought it would be : there is even a lower ground floor filled with amazing clothes ! Luminous place, beautiful floor, bouquets all over the place for the grand opening, Mucha tinted window glasses : the shop itself smells like Arts & Crafts and romantic style. It, for sure, does match well with the spirit of the brand. Thought I should say the "brands" since there not one but two brands within the shop ! How luck we are~

Axes Femme's collection were (and still will be) reinterpreted by a French stylist : the sizes and shapes are this way more adapted to European customers. It also feels like the spirit of this second brand, name "Anecdote" is more... Parisian (Japanese would love it ! haha~). Though, don't worry, we also have a large panel of Axes Femme's original collections : and I think it's still not easy to differentiate the two brands. 

Anecdote's knits and cardigans.

Mannequins showing both Anecdote and Axes femme's items

On the street level, you will find all the Anedocte's collection with some Axes Femmes' items, especially accessories, such as jewelries, bags, shoes, hats (but also some clothes). It's on the lower ground floor that you can see the all Axes Femme's collection : dresses, skirts, cardigans, sweaters and also — surprise ! — the Axes Femme Kids' collection ! I wouldn't have been thinking they would also bring the Kids' collection so I was happily surprised : you can now match your kid with your coordination, how great. The basement level is clearly more girly and cute but not to childish, that is perfect. And please, note cutest fitting room ever : there is a swing inside (though you shouldn't sit on it unless you're six years old... I tried.) !

The child sized swing : for an adventurous try-on

If you're worried about the prices : you shouldn't be ! There is not so much difference with the Japanese prices : from 10 to 25€ more, depending on how expensive the item already is. Prices are also the same for the Anecdote collection. Blouses, cardigans and light jackets between 49 and 150€, dresses, jumpsuits, shorts and skirts from 60 to 120€, less than 100€ for shoes and bags and less than 50€ for all accessories (jewelries, tights, collars, gloves, ...). Some coats and capes are already on the shelves, from 120 to 200€ if you're interested by one. I feel like the prices are pretty fair : a little more expensive, but with more originality, than Zara or casual European brands and clearly less expensive than Maje, Sandro or other usual Parisian brands of the Marais.

Let's now talk about the sizes, as I said before, they were readjusted for Europeans : this means we now have three sizes, S, M and L (unlikely the Japanese, that mainly have M size). Those sizes match perfectly the usual S, M and L size from the European fashion business : don't worry too much if the dress or the sweater seems pretty thin, a lot of items are smocked or stretchable. We also do have several sizes for children : from S to XL, that should roughly be from 6 to 10/12 years old.

Important note to know : the fur on cardigans and clothes are usually fake, but the accessories' fur is real (rabbit fur). Don't forget to check the composition before buying anything you wouldn't wear. 

Shoes are only available in M and L sizes (Japanese size), I think that might be the only neutral point of my review : we have, in Europe, so much more shoes size. Unfortunately I feel like the M size might be tight and the L size too big for a lot of girls. Though I hope this small problem will soon be rectified, this way every European girls will be able to put Axes Femme's shoes on ☆～（ゝ。∂）

Shop window's mannequins : my favorite one was on the left !

I hope you enjoyed that little walk all around the shop : I can only advice you to go as soon as possible in Anecdote — axes femme store ! Plus, I'm sure the shop girls will welcome you with pleasure, they are so welcoming and smilingヽ(*⌒∇⌒*)ﾉ 

To conclude, a small selection a my favorite items of the shop — there were so many that was pretty hard to choose !  

Axes femme's shorts, already sold out in Japan — I can understand why.

The tights are so cute too : I'm so fond of the wine x gold one !

The winter accessories' collection is so delicate.
Fur collar, earmuffs and gloves, all available in three colors. 

Practical informations :

Anecdote — axes femme
47 de la rue des Francs Bourgeois,
75 004, Paris.

Open : Monday to Sunday
from 10:30AM to 7PM.

Thanks for reading ! I hope my post will bring you to Axes Femme's shop — at least to have a glance on the beautiful collections.

Click here if you're interested to see my purchases
and the Axes Femme's catalogue's pictures ! ☆～（ゝ。∂）