On a recent visit to Paris, Marie Hennechart, our well-dressed photographer friend, tipped us off about her current favorite wardrobe haunt. La Blouse de Lyon in Paris’s 9ème is a decades-old uniform shop that new owners, Gwendoline Van Opstal and Nicolas Le Jeune, took over when its longstanding proprietor was ready to retire. The couple preserved the store and its mission, to provide everyday, hardwearing clothing and gear, while adding fresh style to the operation.
They source from heritage brands largely in France but also the world over. Here’s a look at some favorites ideal for la rentrée, the return to hunkering down to work.
Wardrobe Staples
Moleskin, as explained on the Blouse de Lyon website, is a material that “takes on a magnificent patina over the years, and can be worn on the construction site as well as in the city.” The available two colors correspond to France’s historic trade guilds: ecru for stonemasons and sculptors; black for carpenters and roofers.
La Blouse de Lyon’s accompanying description: “The balloon or half-balloon shape, narrowed at the ankles, was intended to be ample and easy to facilitate movement on roofs or in carpentry work.” There’s a strap for a hammer; a piped pocket for a folding ruler, gauge, and pencil; and a watch pocket (also good for holding chalk or garlic as a natural insect repellent).
Household Staples and Tools
La Blouse de Lyon is at 21 Rue Gérando in Paris’s 9th arrondisement.
More standout shops specializing in French design:
- Flotsam + Fork in Minneapolis
- Atelier Vime’s Emporium in a House in Provence
- Nomibis: A Vintage Shop in Reims, Shoppable on Instagram
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