End of an era: Why was Colette an important store
Text: Anya Aristova
12 JULY PARIS CONCEPT-STORE COLETTE ANNOUNCED about its closure in the twentieth year of the store. Collete was not just another fashionable place, but a whole community that existed around the identity of one person. “Everything good ends up once. Solette will close its doors on December 20 after twenty beautiful years of work. Colette Rousseau decided to take a break, and without it the store cannot exist,” the company said in an official statement. Representatives of the industry responded with sadness to the news: Vanity Fair editor Virginia Muzat noted with regret that "Colette had already become part of the DNA of the fashion world," and Jefferson Hack, the founder of Dazed magazine, called the event "an absolute shock." Karl Lagerfeld said that the concept store is the only place where he goes shopping. We decided to make a list of reasons why Colette will remain in the history of fashion.
Founders
Colette was founded in 1997 by Colette Rousseau and her daughter Sarah Andelman. They traveled frequently and liked to bring interesting things from their trips that were not in Paris. Over time, this passion turned into a business of their own, and they opened a store in which they could share their finds with Parisians. At first, visitors were incredulous about the neighborhood of expensive, status items and souvenirs, but gradually Rousseau and Andelman managed to turn Colette from a regular boutique into a place of attraction for people from all over the world who are passionate about fashion - moreover, other stores began to copy their concept. Sound director Michel Gobert, who for many years created music compilations for Colette, explained the success of their duet as “the perfect combination of minds”.
Selection
According to Colette founder Sarah Andelman, she and her mother wanted to create a space under the motto “Style, design, art, food”, uniting the store, gallery and restaurant under one roof. And so it happened - Colette has become a place where you can buy absolutely everything: Balenciaga and Maison Margiela items coexist with independent magazines, chocolates, perfumed candles and Apple Watch; According to Sarah, about 20 thousand products can be placed on one floor of Colette - and then look into the gallery and mark purchases at the Water Bar on the lower floor of the boutique. In addition, Andelman and Rousseau are always especially attentive to the design of their store: every week Colette changes the windows and makes installations.
Young designers
Colette has always been a pioneer of names in the fashion industry: at one time he believed in a promising Central Saint Martins graduate Mary Katranza, and also became a platform for launching the street brand Off-White, told Parisians about Proenza Schouler and Rodarte, and then opened for European market jeweler Pamela Love. Including thanks to Sarah Andelman, subsequently many designers began to purchase other concept stores and department stores.
activity
There is always something going on at Colette: he regularly invites famous fashion industry representatives — designers, photographers, writers, journalists, illustrators — to autograph sessions, and also announces new exhibitions and conducts master classes. The musical component is one of the most important for the store. The loudest parties (during Fashion Week and not) and the most popular mixtapes with soundtracks from the store are known even to people who are not interested in the fashion industry.
Collaborations
A well-known fan of collaborations, Colette constantly attracts new designers and creates joint collections with them. From the last and loud - work with Balenciaga, in which, until August 5, on the second floor of the store you can buy lighters, umbrellas, sleep dressings and other souvenirs by Demny Gvasalia. In honor of its anniversary, the store announced 20 collaborations with 20 brands: H & M Studio, Balenciaga, Converse, Birkenstock, Dr. Martens, Nike and others. Another collaboration with Lucien Pajes, the founder of the eponymous PR-agency, starts on August 7th.
Location
Colette is located on one of the central streets of Paris - Saint-Honore, adjacent to the Tuileries Garden and Dior, Balenciaga, Chanel and A.P.C boutiques. Every day, hundreds of visitors flock to Colette, from tourists to bloggers, from journalists to dealers and connoisseurs who hunt for artisanal things from Margiela. You can see anyone there - for example, you can safely browse the magazine Karl Lagerfeld or chat with Sarah Andelman Jürgen Teller - and not only during fashion weeks.