When a friend of mine told me she knows of a fabulous Vintage shop in Paris I was a bit skeptical. After all, ALL vintage shops in Paris are pretty fantastic. No, no, she says. This one is REALLY nice. And it has REALLY nice things. Turns out those “nice things” are vintage pieces like Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Um, yes I can honestly say this place is fabulous. Right away I get an idea to take some pictures of it for my personal blog, Laceoftime.com and then decide to take it a step further and tell you guys about it. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to get an interview with the genius who opened this place? I think to myself. So, a couple of days later I stop by and spot a man in a black suit that seems to act like he owns the place. Turns out he really does. The only problem is.. he speaks not a word of English. And my French.. well, it’s what I’d like to call, “minimal.” Somehow we make arrangements to meet the following day, this time with a friend of his to translate.
When I arrive the following day, I am greeted with a bottle of champagne on ice by one of the co-owners Aldo Dhaouadi. Ah, got to love Paris. With some help of Andrew, the said friend, I get to ask a couple of questions. With my glass of champagne in hand, of course…
Q: How did you decide to open up a vintage shop?
A: I love vintage clothes. They are one of a kind and can be very glamorous. I have always wanted to open a vintage shop and when my friend suggested we go into business together I jumped on the opportunity.
Q: How long has Vintage Bar been opened?
A: Two years
Q: Who is your clientele?
A: We get locals and tourists. Actually, the whole world is our clientele.
Q: What are you favorite pieces in the shop?
A: I love our Chanel bags. This seems to be what most people come in here for.
Q: What sets you apart from other vintage stores in Paris?
A: It’s definitely our selection. The things we have in here, you will not find any where else in the world. They are true designer vintage pieces.
A few days later I am invited to a fashion event where I get to meet the other co-owner, Jean-Baptiste Thévenot and pick his brain a bit as well. He tells me that the Bar was actually a bar before they bought it, aired it out and transformed it into a vintage fashion mecca. Today you can spend the whole day there. In fact, they want you to. There is even the most adorable tea room set up for you to take a break and chat with your friends while trying things on. Really, I can’t even attempt to describe how much I fell in love with this place…you will just have to make it out to Paris and check it out yourself. Just this shop alone is worth the trip across the Atlantic.
Vintage Bar
16 Rue de la Verrerie
75004 Paris 04, France
01 42 74 56 13
