LVMH-owned PATOU is gearing up to launch a market in central Paris on July 4 with collaborations with friends of the house. According to Patou’s artistic director Guillaume Henry “We do not have a boutique in our own name yet and are a house that has always favored e-commerce and the distribution channel linked to department and multibrand stores,” he said.
Patou was presenting its new collection in a commercial showroom in Paris’ Saint Germain-des-Près neighborhood. “We said to ourselves: ‘Why not stay in this space a little longer and invite the people we love, with whom we are used to collaborating on projects that are not always commercial,’” he explained.
“It had been so long that we’d been a bit stuck in the studio that we wanted to express Patou differently and elsewhere,” he continued. “Patou Market is like a market — it’s not really a shop. It’s the meeting between our fashion offer and the people who inspire us and are artisans.”
On the ground floor, there’s bric-a-brac. Parisian florist Debeaulieu is creating two exclusive bouquets of dried flowers for the market. Dizonord will sell a selection of rare and vintage records, while Herbarium is to bring herbariums, one of which will be exclusive to the pop-up.
Also to be on this floor are OFR with rare and vintage magazines; Luce Monier with natural sculptures made of dried vegetation; Tombées du Camion with old-time erotic movie posters; Baserange with eco-responsible underwear, and Kure Bazaar with eco-friendly nail polish.
A nail artist will take reservations for a Patou-inspired manicure. La Soufflerie is to offer pieces made of wholly recycled glass, and Astier de Villatte will come with some small plates and dishes. Patou exclusives include hair squishies, totes and posters.
Up one flight will be the Patou fashion, and on the third floor, there’s going to be a mini haberdashery with the house’s stock of fabrics and supplies, such as grosgrain ribbons, for sale.
The market will host ateliers on the fourth floor. One will be: how to make onigiris with Alice in Food. Another slated, with Rose and Punani, focuses on how to walk and stand like a model. “We wanted to leave our homes and for people to meet and share moments,” said Henry. “We all missed that so much.”
Located at 165 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Patou Market — spread over about 4,300 square feet — will run through July 12. “We don’t want to settle there for too long,” said Henry. “We like it to be ephemeral, a little like a festival or market. Perhaps the Patou Market will become a traveling and evolving project.”