Paris September 29th-October 2nd
Paris September 29th-October 2nd
A recap of my last days in Paris, along with a complete list of all the places I visited during my stay!
Before diving into today’s letter, I have a few housekeeping notes:
You can shop my entire collection with At Present here, and learn more about the collection here and here.
As mentioned on Monday, Alex and I will be going live this Sunday afternoon to discuss the SS25 season in full with
. We’re still finalizing the time, but I’ll update everyone via Notes this weekend. If you have any questions about the season you’d like us to address, feel free to drop them in the chat or send me a DM!My recap of September 26th-28th is available here. I accidentally titled that letter “August,” so I apologize for any confusion.
At the bottom of this letter, I’ve included a full list of places I ate and shopped in Paris (including where I found new pajamas!). It’s behind the paywall, so consider becoming a paid subscriber to get access to all the links and recommendations.
Alright, that’s it for the logistics—on to today’s letter!
Sept 29th
On this particular day, I woke up to temperatures in the high 40s. Needless to say, I hadn’t exactly packed for such cold weather! Thankfully, I remembered to bring my Leset Margo dress (the perfect weight for transitional weather), my Lauren Manoogian alpaca poncho, and a few pairs of Merino wool socks from Brooks Brothers.
The first order of the day was a resee of the Hermès SS25 collection, which had a strong sporty vibe—a key theme this season. Sheer mesh appeared in side-zip track pants and dresses, paired with mesh crop tops or knitted bras, and always accented with some form of leather, whether a gilet or an asymmetrical bomber jacket. Birkens, which looked as though they had been turned inside out and appeared to be made from canvas or linen, were held close to the body—which is the gesture of late in terms of how one is “suppose” to hold a purse.
After the RTW resee, I headed over to the objet resee, where I spotted a stunning horse bracelet, one side encrusted with pavé diamonds—NEIGHHHH!
Alongside, there’s an assortment of bento boxes, beautifully decorated with a ribbon and adorned with a leather, food-themed charm—perfect for gifting. Each box will be customized based on the store's location. For example, at the New York store, you’ll find bento boxes with a hamburger attachment- YUM!
Next, I had an appointment to preview the latest collection from High Sport, which featured a striped section I absolutely went gaga for, and a new pant silhouette available in both high-waisted and low-waisted options. The best part? These pants come with belt loops, and ever since getting my belt from Charvet, all I want to wear are pants with belt loops!
As I was leaving the appointment, I took a moment to sit in the courtyard and admire a beautiful fountain. There's a unique beauty to Paris, one that I still can’t quite put into words. I’ve dreamed of visiting this city since I was a child, and having the chance to do so, in part thanks to all of your support, has been an incredible experience. I can’t express how truly grateful I am for everything.
From there, I visited the CFDA ‘Americans in Paris’ showroom, which showcased the work of Christopher John Rogers, Diotima, Zankov, Tanner Fletcher, House of Aama, Alejandro Alonso Rojas, Judy Turner, and Kim Shui. It was such a pleasure to see the designs of Henry and Rachel, whose shows were the highlights of NYFW, though I unfortunately couldn’t attend either due to my schedule. I also had the chance to view Alejandro Alonso Rojas’s collection in person, another show I sadly missed.
Christopher John Rogers's latest offerings were also on display, and his collections continue to evolve beautifully. I always tell him that his brand truly encapsulates the full spectrum of American fashion history, and this collection was no exception. There were 1940s-inspired shirt dresses with ric-rac trimming, and his signature body-con knit dresses—vibrant, sophisticated, and a must-have in any wardrobe—featured exciting new iterations, including a strapless version with a Studio 54 look and feel. The eveningwear options evoked the Hollywood glamour of Adrian. It was another collection that made you want to pack your bags and escape to a warm, remote holiday destination.
Next, I explored Nellie Partow’s latest collection for her brand, Partow, which also made me want to pack my bags—but instead of the tropics, her designs inspired thoughts of heading north to the Cape, or perhaps to the Hamptons (though I don’t typically go, haha). If I did, these would be the perfect pieces to bring. The suiting had a subtle sensuality, with jackets gently curving in to mimic the shape of a bar jacket, paired with louche, low-slung shorts that hit just at the knee, creating an understated yet alluring vibe. There were easy, effortless dresses that would solve all your summer wardrobe dilemmas, and a knit set that didn’t cling, but embraced the body softly—like wearing the whisper of a garment. And the trench coat? It was as exquisite on the inside as it was on the outside.
After that, I headed home to get ready for the Ralph Lauren x Holiday Magazine party at the Polo Bar, and let me tell you, Ralph really knows how to throw a party. I arrived early, and before long, the place was packed with beautiful people, impeccable style, and delicious veggie burgers (so good, I found myself literally chasing the waiter for more). To top it off, Rob Lowe made an unexpected appearance—not on my celebrity sighting bingo card, but he’s aging remarkably well! When he looked your way, you couldn’t help but melt a little. It was the perfect way to end the night.
Sept 30th
My first order of business was stopping by to see this new brand Jude, which is a brand I discovered via Thomas Christos when I say that he had put a few of his clients in these shoes.
The collection has a distinct vintage vibe that feels modernized by their signature toe cut-out design. The prices are also quite competitive, ranging from around 300 to 600 euros, making them comparable to brands like Toteme.
Next, I visited Hunting Season, the brand behind the minaudière that was my go-to evening bag throughout Paris. Lena Baranovsky is expanding more into home goods, and her pieces are truly beautiful. They make perfect gifts for the season, especially the napkin holders, which are a charming iteration of the bag charms featured on her handbags.
There were new iterations of straw bags, including a packable handle version that stood out.
Sharing the same showroom space was Giuliva Heritage, a brand I’d describe as offering modernized Italian classics. The first thing that caught my eye was a suit by Gerardo Cavalieri, who designs the collection alongside his wife Margherita Cardelli. The suit featured pronounced shoulders in a rich chocolate brown shade. This chocolate hue carried through the collection in silk polka dot separates and suiting (there were so many polka dots this season!), as well as sophisticated silk-linen blends that felt anything but ordinary. The collection also featured an array of white and cream pieces, perfect for wedding celebrations. Their accessories were equally impressive, including wallets adorned with a hand-engraved lava stone button and a match holder that quite literally blew my mind.
Between appointments, I managed to find time to go back to Charvet and play dress-up at Essentiel Antwerp. The brand is celebrating its 25th anniversary and has landed in New York, so if you are in the city, you can visit their store on Wooster Street. The brand is a hodgepodge of vibrant colors, prints, textures, and sparkles, and needless to say, you will get a certain dopamine rush from the clothes, which was much needed after experiencing a number of rainy and cloudy days in Paris. What I particularly find amusing about a brand like Essentiel Antwerp is that it pushes you out of your comfort zone, and following that theme, I decided to throw caution to the wind, mixing and clashing colors and prints, and within their world, it all made sense!
I left with the rhinestone necklace and the coziest sweater. After that brief shopping break, I headed to my final appointment of the day with Suzie Kondi, renowned for her exceptional knitwear.
The cashmere and colors were absolutely irresistible, and the showroom setting itself was stunning. Another exciting development for the brand is their expansion into new categories, including leather and denim, which pair perfectly with their signature knits. I also found the ultimate hosting outfit: a velour tracksuit! Heather joined me for this appointment, and afterward, we visited OFR, where I picked up a Robert Mapplethorpe book for Nick and a Helmut Newton book for myself to add to my growing collection of Helmut Newton coffee table books.
We then stopped by a vintage store that specialized in Americana. While it was enjoyable, as a seasoned secondhand shopper, I have to admit I wasn’t blown away by the vintage in Paris—mostly because I knew I could likely find many of these pieces on platforms like eBay or Etsy. That said, I understand the appeal for those who prefer to save time by shopping a curated selection or can’t easily find what they’re looking for on secondhand sites.
After bopping around with Heather, I had to rush back to the Airbnb to get ready for two events: a Christopher John Rogers cocktail party at Le Grand Mazarin and then a 007 themed party for the launch of Killian Perfumes latests fragrance Old Fashioned. After those two things I called it a night.
Oct. 1st
On the second-to-last day before returning to the States, Heather and I spent most of the day at La Vallée Village, a shopping center just outside Paris (and close to Disneyland Paris), featuring brands like Loewe, Prada, Repetto, Valentino, and Gucci, all offering past-season products at discounted prices. We spent hours trying on pieces, parading them in front of each other for a ‘yay’ or ‘nay.’ In the end, I walked away with a Loewe FW23 blur dress I’ve been eyeing since it debuted (here it is in red and there’s only one left!), along with a belly full of macarons and espresso. After our shopping adventure, we headed back to Paris for one of the best meals I had during my stay.
Oct. 2nd
It was finally time to bid à plus tard to Paris, though not without a few challenges along the way. First, there was the VAT tax refund process—fingers crossed I did that right, haha—followed by an overweight checked bag that forced me to unpack and layer on extra clothes just to bring the weight down (which resulted in me tying my scarf around my waist, which I think unlocked a new styling adventure). And somehow, I ended up choosing a middle seat for the 8-hour flight (note to self: always choose an aisle seat). Despite it all, I made it back home safe and sound.
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