Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Haute couture aside, clothes are, in general, expensive in
France, although prices remain relative to their quality: a man's
suit may cost over US$100 more than in the United States but
hundreds of thousands of yen less than a comparable suit in
Japan. Tax on clothes (included in the price) may be above 20
per cent. Until recently there were few outlets for imported
inexpensive labels, thus Parisians traditionally purchased
fewer items but of high quality, especially classic items that
would not quickly go out of style. This is why style has always
been more important than fashion and why Parisian women
so often seem so carefully put together, with a scarf tossed
over the shoulders of a classic white blouse or a pin at the
collar of a tailored dress.
Today, however, the revitalisation of Paris, the inclination
of tourists to spend money on clothes and the new welcome
extended to foreign business mean increased imports at
all levels of quality and price. The presence of international
chains such as Gap, Zara and Levi's is offering new options
for inexpensive yet durable clothing, especially for young
people. Shopping in Paris is becoming much like shopping in
any other city, but you can still find areas of Parisian character
if you try.
Where to Shop
This section does not pretend to be exhaustive in terms of
clothing stores—there are so many individual boutiques that
it would take a telephone book to list them all. Tourist guides
have sections on shopping, and there are several dedicated
to shopping in Paris. However, while these guides include a
range of shops—both in category and price—and they often
offer some unique, offbeat ideas, they are often geared toward
the tourist who has discretionary funds to spend in a limited
amount of time.
Most of the inner
arrondissements
have their own shopping
areas, in keeping with the character and economic level of the
neighbourhood. In addition to the fashionable streets noted
above, Place des Victoires on the Right Bank is a designer
nucleus, as is the area around Place des Vosges. At the top
of the 16
e
is avenue Victor-Hugo, leading down toward the
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