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Didier Ludot first started collecting couture gowns back in the seventies and some say he actually started the vintage craze. Considered by many an icon in the fashion world, he not only sells beautifully crafted clothing from the 1920-1980 era, but has held various exhibitions, lent gowns to other galleries, promoted upcoming designers and started his own collection of elegant 'little black dresses' which he sells in a separate store appropriately named "La Petite Robe Noire".
Today, anyone who wants to invest in a little bit of vintage glam, will first head to one of the 3 boutiques situated around the Palais Royal. All items are carefully selected, so everything you see is in perfect condition. One shop features mainly haute couture gowns, all very stunning and of course very expensive. Shoppers seldom come here to save money - it's more about finding a unique gown you wouldn't be able to get anywhere else.
The next store a few minutes away houses accessories and ready-to-wear. This is the ultimate place for those who are in search of the perfect Hermès Kelly (around the 1000-2000 EUR mark for leather) or Chanel tweed jacket (1000 EUR and up). Other items I sighted were dresses by Courrèges and YSL, as well as Lanvin blouses. Don't forget to take a look at the shoes either. I saw quite a few Manolo Blahnik pumps and Chanel flats - all in great condition. Belts, jewelry and scarves were abundant - it's almost too overwhelming to take in!
Despite the vintage overdose I just experienced, I manged to make my way to the third boutique to peruse the little black dresses. Besides Ludot's own designs, starting at 450 EUR, the store also has a good selection of other black dresses by Givenchy, Balmain and Dior to name a few. If black isn't your color, there is the occasional red dress if you look closely. The decor is sumptuous with lots of red velvet, plush carpets and crystal chandeliers. For those who need to accessorize, there's a small collection of shoes to try on and a rack nearby has a fair amount of fur coats and stoles.
The staff is friendly (as are the two bulldogs) and Mr. Ludot is frequently in one of the store himself. Browsing is encouraged, so there's no pressure to buy. Definitely a great place to revisit amazing fashion from the past.
Address: 20-24 & 125 Galerie de Montpensier, Jardin du Palais Royal, 75001 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:30-19:00, La Robe Noire opens at 11:00
Didier Ludot Homepage
Wow! What a way to walk through the history of Paris fashion. This must be such an interesting experience to be able to look, touch and try on gowns from the eras of the past - and even take one home if the budget allows. What a wonderful idea to collect upscale clothing by cutting edge designers of their time. Thanks for posting this!
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