Paris for Free: Le Dressing de Rêve des Parisiens

Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens‘ is a free exhibition which is taking place in the store ‘Paris Rendez vous’ on the groundfloor of the Hôtel de Ville until 31st October on the occasion of the Fashion Week. You like fashion but are neither a journalist nor a rich or famous person and do not have the opportunity to attend a fashion show? Moreover you cannot afford to buy the expensive clothes designed by the most famous Parisian fashion houses? Go and see this exhibition: I am sure that you will love it!

‘Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens’ displays clothes, shoes, bags and jewels designed and made by talented Parisian fashion designers: thirty or so in total. They have in common to be representative of the Parisian style: sexy and natural in the same time, smart but also comfortable and using beautiful materials, fabrics and colours. Some of them have been existing for years (1992 or 1996 for the oldest houses) while others have just opened their workshop. All have settled in Paris and their works are designed in Paris and made in France or Europe (even sometimes in Paris!). I loved most of them and when I went out of the exhibition, I felt like going and seeing at least three or four fashion designers’ stores which I did not know before, especially: Ambrym and Miki Mialy, for their women’s fashion; Mi Mai and Philippe Zorzetto, for their lovely shoes!

In the last room of the exhibition there is a large map of Paris with the exact location of each shop. One can see that fashion designers are mainly gathered in a few areas in Paris. Among them THE place for fashion design in Paris is the Haut Marais, an area which covers the better part of 3rd arrondissement: Do not hesitate to stroll there.

Behind the exhibition there is also a book, which was written by two well-known figures of the Paris fashion world, Régis Pennel and Philippe Zorzetto:  ‘Les nouveaux créateurs à Paris’. This book has just been updated, made richer and republished under the same name as the exhibition: ‘Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens’. If you have loved the clothes diplayed and wish to remember them, to know more about their fashion designers and to visit their shops, you can buy this book on the spot in the store Paris Rendez-Vous (16,90€).

And to know more about the Fashion Week: Twice a year it brings all the top people of the fashion world to Paris, in early March for the presentation of the autumn/winter collections and in early October for the spring/summer collections. The second 2015 edition is taking place these days until 7 October. There is one fashion show after the other and one can admire the new fashion designs either in ‘haute couture’ or in ‘ready to wear’.

Christine Bokobza – Good Morning Paris B&B – www.goodmorningparis.fr

Practical information: Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens-Paris Rendez-vous-29 rue de Rivoli 75004-10am till 7pm except on Sundays-Until 31 October

Metro Station of the Month: Bastille (line 1)

My Metro Station of the Month is Bastille which is a very busy station as it is on three different metro lines: 1, 5 and 8. The remarkable platforms which I suggest that you should see are on line 1 in both directions: Château de Vincennes and La Défense. The easiest way to reach them if you are coming from the outside world and do not want to walk for a long time underground is to use the Metro entrance located on the Boulevard Bourdon. Indeed there are about ten exits in total, located on all sides of the Place de la Bastille and the underground corridors are very long!

The platforms of the Metro Bastille are worth seeing for several reasons. Firstly they are located below the road level but above the Bassin de l’Arsenal and the greater part of them is outside. The eastbound platform, direction Château de Vincennes, offers great views on the boats and quays of the Bassin de l’Arsenal: Not to be missed! Secondly the platforms are curved and even have the sharpest curve used by the subway trains in Paris.

And finally the walls, especially on the westbound platform in the direction of La Défense, are decorated with a beautiful colourful mural painting which represents the various steps of the storming of the Bastille. This work of art was designed and made by two painters of the ‘Ateliers des Carrelages de la Bussière’ in 1989 so as to celebrate the bicentenary of the French Revolution.

Back to earth: Have a look at the Place de la Bastille with its central column and the Paris Opera. From there there is much to do! You can walk westerly towards the Place des Vosges and Marais area, stroll along the Bassin de l’Arsenal in the south, easily reach the Promenade Plantée on the Viaduc des Arts easterly or enjoy the trendy cafés and fashion shops in the streets between the rue de la Roquette and the rue de Charonne in the north-east. The choice is yours!

Practical information : Website of the RATP

Christine Bokobza – Good Morning Paris B&B – www.goodmorningparis.fr

Osiris Exhibition in the IMA in Paris: A Must-See!

An exceptional exhibition dedicated to Osiris, the most fascinating God in Ancient Egypt, has just started in the IMA –Institut du Monde Arabe- in Paris. I had the opportunity to visit it with a guided tour by Franck Goddio in person, who is in the same time the French archeologist who conducted the submarine excavations in Egypt and the curator of the exhibition: really exciting!

The full name of the exhibition is: ‘Osiris, Egypt’s sunken mysteries’. It reveals the outstanding remains of the temples of Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus, two cities in Lower Egypt which had sunk in the Nile delta in the 8th century. Those remains have been discovered during the past twenty years thanks to impressive submarine excavations which started in 1996.

About 250 objects among the 500 found during the excavations are exhibited today in the IMA complemented with about fourty masterpieces lent by the Museums of Cairo and Alexandria. Most of them can be seen out of Egypt for the first time; if you have never been to Egypt, take advantage of this opportunity to admire them. And even if you have ever visited the Museum of Cairo, so rich in masterpieces but so dark and dusty, you will be delighted to see the same objects much better highlighted by a good display and lighting!

I am not a fan of Ancient Egypt. However I have been fascinated by the legend of Osiris and by the ritual of the mysteries. Those ceremonies commemorating the martyrdom of Osiris and glorifying its rescucitation were practised in temples throughout Egypt and lasted 18 days between the 12th and the 30th of the month of Khoiak. The recent submarine excavations have revealed many sites and objects relative to those mysteries: the remains of Amon Gereb temple in Thonis-Heracleion, of the sanctuary of Canopus… and even the vestiges of a boat some ten meters long used for the nautical procession of the God between both places.

It is this exciting history that is told us in the beautiful exhibition of the IMA. It has just started and should not be too crowded yet. One can make advanced bookings on the Osiris exhibition‘s website. I highly recommend it if one can afford. Indeed my only restriction is the admission price… rather high: 17,30€!

Christine Bokobza – Good Morning Paris B&B – www.goodmorningparis.fr

Practical information: Osiris exhibition – Institut du Monde Arabe – 1 rue des Fossés Saint Bernard 75005 Paris – Until 31st January 2016