Travelous

There can be no town which takes more seriously than trading in Paris, the birthplace of haute couture and a place where simple browsers, while welcome, may still feel snubbed in subtle ways. In fact, the French term for window shopping, go window shopping, directly translates as "to go lick the window." For more like a local store, it is useful to know the score at the cool stores in town. Here are four of them.

BACK TO HISTORY Opened in 1997 by Sarah Lerfel and her mother, Colette Roussaux, the store has prospered as an arbiter of cool in Paris with his eclectic mash-up of high-end fashion, designer collaborations, magazines, music and more stupid trinket imaginable.

Light environment and brash, Colette often feel like a souk. Indefatigable uncomfortable alongside tourists insider fashion hardcore on the narrow staircase that connects the ground floor - full of art books and a cage the size of a walk-in closet, stocked exclusively with T-shirts - to the serious stage clothes and coffee in the basement.

THE GOODS The thrill of Colette comes the unexpected, like finding strange young labels (Mary Katrantzou, Rodarte, Christopher Kane) appears next to the French masters (Lanvin, Hermes, Chanel). There is also a steady stream of exclusive limited edition shirts Lacoste reinvented with Snoopy and Woodstock replacement for logos crocodile bags, driver Emissaries and Jeremy Scott take on the Swatch. Then there is the reading material to browse or buy obscure. (". A magazine for boys with problems" A title on the screen is called Kaiserin, subtitled) For a fun memory, the store offers something called "Colette. Surprise" is a small blue bag which for 20 euros, could contain just about everything. A purchased recently held a flashlight, two pacifiers, two keychains novelty chewing Japanese, a Pez dispenser, birthday candles and a single, sad blue balloons.

EXPERTISE It is sometimes difficult to distinguish personal customers, since everyone around fails to disprove the stereotype of the French elegant and slim. To prove that you are worthy of their attention, try dressing unconventionally, perhaps by wearing a vest on a shabby old dress elegantly tailored with mismatched socks on your hands. The idea is to convey that you are in the joke. By the way, never ask about prices, unless you like blatant sarcastic. Besides, it's more fun to admire a dress Rodarte wood print when you do not know that it costs € 5410 ($ 7540's to 1.40 dollar per euro).

Thank you

111, boulevard Beaumarchais, third, thank you-merci.com

Thank BACK STORY is the latest candidate from the Paris store concept, opened two years ago by Marie-France and Bernard Cohen after selling their children to wear the label of luxury Bonpoint. Located on the eastern edge of the Marais, the store includes a mix of contemporary and vintage fashion with seasonal products created exclusively for thanks.

ENVIRONMENT The main entrance of thanks is nestled in the courtyard of a 18th century building, behind a pair of housing windows of a cafe and bookstore, both of which are connected to the bank. The calm, loftlike space covers two large floors and includes a restaurant and a few corners together around an atrium, lined with displays of linens, housewares shabby-chic and Annick Goutal perfumes.

The products most in fashion for men and women are displayed on the main floor, including a wide range of Isabel Marant and Comme des Garcons, sports lessons / Elliott jeans, clogs of Sweden and, to a recent collaboration, a group of recycled materials trenchcoats made by designers such as Charles Anastase and Marni. Thank you stocks are also interesting discoveries of the world, such as lampshades made from recycled plastic by South African artist Heath Nash (€ 1490). Many gift shops customers flock to the linen napkins and placemats (17.50 euros and more) made by MYdrap they are on a roll, perforated and necessities like paper towels.

EXPERTISE attitudes and mobile phones must be checked at the door. Thank you is one of the most inviting shops in Paris, where customers, mostly of the variety bohemian-chic prefer shopping at their leisure. Although the fact is not advertised anywhere in the store, it is useful to know that the Coen brothers have pledged to donate all their profits to a charity that helps women and children in Madagascar.

The Scout

Several sites, including two near the Marais - 12 rue Mahler, in the fourth, for men, and at 40, rue de Sevigne, in three for women - and one near the Louvre, at 10, rue Herold, Firstly, for the more adventurous; leclaireur.com

BACK STORY The Pathfinder is the destination for customers who prefer intellectual mind that their way of management and their creators underexposed. (The name translates as "The Scout.") In 1980, Armand Hadida has opened its first store on the Champs-Elysees, which has since been expanded to five locations, restaurant and event space, each adding more theatrical than the earlier. A sixth store is about to open in the Philippe Starck hotel Royal Monceau-redesigned Raffles.

ENVIRONMENT The style varies from store to store, but most of them are dark and mysterious, with raw wood furniture, exotic taxidermy, art installations and curious like a contradiction, a big bowl of nuts home. The idea is that the buyer is on a mission of discovery, an idea seen most visibly at the location Street Herold, who is unmarked except for name on a curb of a 18th century mansion. Press this button and the door opens to a fabulous dimly lit store built in what was once a stable.