The London Lounge

My new employer has invited me to Strasbourg to visit the European Parliament (sic) in the first week of February. I would welcome any suggestions for sartorial or gastronomical visits. Please bear in mind that Sterling is almost at parity with the Euro so the budget may be limited.

I may be able to manage to a quick visit to Paris on the way home. Charvet and H&K (Paris) are top of my list but other suggestions are welcome. Does anyone know of sales on in Paris at that time? It's not my fault that the exchange rate is bad and interests rates are at an all time low!

By government order, the 2009 winter sales in Paris are held in the five weeks from 7 January to 10 February (the same dates seem to apply in Strasbourg). I don't know how much will be left when you are here, though.

Charvet give substantial discounts, and when I was there the selection of discounted goods (especially ties) was very good. Their discounted goods are all on the first floor.

As for eating well in Strasbourg , most MEP's or their assistants should be able to send you to the right places, if rumours are true...

Milo

Hello,

It might be my first post here.
Near Strasbourg, you can visit the Heschung Factory Shop (for the address : http://www.lesmagasinsdusine.com/est/he ... willer.php) . There is also a french bootmaker, Bruno Metzger ( http://www.bottiermetzger.fr)

In Paris, you should go and visit Carmina (boulevard de l'Opera) and, obviously, Corthay.

Charvet has very good discounts on (some) ties, on oxford shirts (v. limited choice), and knitwear, incl. some cashmere. They also have some dress shirts, though the discounts are not extraordinary.

Many thanks for the excellent suggestions.

Hallo Bishop,

If you have the time to tavel a few miles south of Strasbourg, you might like to try the Auberge de l'ill, in Illhausen near Colmar. If my memory is correct only Bocuse has held three Michelin stars longer. Although they cannot, or course be described as cheap, they are certainly reasonably priced. You will pay less there than you would for many inferior restaurants in London, despite the exchange rate.

Best regards

Rob

By the way, is there any difference in ready-made offerings in London and Paris H&K shops?

As far as I know, bespoke in Paris is (was?) different and better than in London. Is it still true?

Andrey

andreybokhanko wrote:By the way, is there any difference in ready-made offerings in London and Paris H&K shops?

As far as I know, bespoke in Paris is (was?) different and better than in London. Is it still true?

Andrey

The Paris bespoke is still different from London -- it's made in France, and if Karl Lagerfeld's shirts are any indication they seem more open to making all kinds of crazy stuff.

Who knows if it's better? I don't know anyone who's tried both; reviews of the London bespoke range from decent to not great.

The RTW shirts in Paris are pretty much the same. The ties are all handmade, unlike the London shop, but the merchandise may be a lot older and some of it shows wear due to handling. The Paris shop has gotten kind of tatty. And the welcome there is not warm. They have a few robes that are not bad, and the cashmeres are excellent. In addition, they sell the cashmere and silk printed scarves still, although they're a bit conspicuous to wear. At the sales some interesting socks are available.

Don't expect great things there, and you may be pleasantly surprised. If you do expect them, you will come away very depressed.

RJMan, thank you for the update.

By "better" I meant that Parisian bespoke reportedly feature hand-made buttonholes.

Of course, cut is the real king. And it is different to compare cutters without trying both places...

Andrey

andreybokhanko wrote:RJMan, thank you for the update.

By "better" I meant that Parisian bespoke reportedly feature hand-made buttonholes.

Of course, cut is the real king. And it is different to compare cutters without trying both places...

Andrey

I might have been the source of that report... As Pierre points out, there are good handmade buttonholes and less good ones. I have never knwoingly seen a HK Paris bespoke shirt, so I have no idea. They don't make a different shirt for the fitting; they fit you on the first shirt you order (as does HK London). Minimum order of 3, was around 300 euros a shirt; last time I talked to them the shirtmaker was only in on Wednesdays... I honestly think that when Lagerfeld stops ordering shirts they will have to close the Paris shop.

I found the H&K shop in Paris a constant source of disappoiontment; living in the City as an ex-pat I would always wander in if in the vicinity of Rue Rivoli but never found anything to entice me and always found the welcome half hearted. It always felt a bit like being in a remainderman bookstore.