The haute
couture shows may be well out-of-bounds, but there's nothing
to prevent you trying on fabulously expensive creations by
famous couturiers in rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré, avenue
François-1er and avenue Victor-Hugo - apart from the
intimidating air of the assistants and the awesome chill of
the marble portals. Likewise, you can treat the younger designers
round place des Victoires and in the Marais and St-Germain
areas as stops on your sightseeing itinerary. The long-time
darlings of the glitterati are Jean-Paul Gaultier and Azzedine
Alaïa, who, in 1991, were prevailed upon to design some
gear for the city's cheapest department store - Tati (whose
main branch is at 13 place de la République, 11e; Mº
République). Of the more recent star designers three
are British - John Galliano at Dior, Stella McCartney at Chloé
and the controversial Alexander McQueen at Givenchy. For smart
clothes without the fancy labels the best areas are rue St-Placide
and rue St-Dominique in the 6e and 7e. The department stores
Galeries Lafayette and Au Printemps have good selections of
designer prêt-à-porter; and the Forum des Halles
is choc-a-bloc with clothes shops at less competitive prices.
The sales take place in January and July, with reductions
of up to forty percent on designer clothes. Designer ends
of lines andold stock are sold year-round in discount shops
concentrated in rue d'Alésia in the 14e and rue St-Placide
in the 6e. For shoes , take a wander down rue Meslay in the
3e.
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