Fleux (Paris, France)

I'm always slightly wary of shops that are overly popular or have garnered enough media attention to make them relatively hyped in their hometown. They end up expanding, buying more stock of products no one really needs and upping the pricing. The store I'm going to write about today is relatively well-known in Paris, has been featured in numerous fashion magazines including Vogue and Elle but has luckily avoided straying from its original concept.

(image: Fleux)

It's perhaps easier to keep consumers happy if you're not selling clothes but focus on fashionable home decor, furnishings and gifts instead. Though I've visited stores that got even that wrong, Fleux is probably one of the most fun places you'll end up shopping in. Situated in Paris' lively gay area on the edge of the Marais district, the shop is a joint venture between an architect and a florist. The stuff you'll find here can border on kitsch but is at the same time very trendy, ultra-cool and quite unique. The first thing I saw when I entered the brightly lit store was a mechanical fireplace in the shape of an iPod. You'll soon notice that the items you discover here are the ones that make you want to empty your wallet, then redecorate your entire apartment based on what you just found.

As usual the store was pretty busy when I arrived, but because it's so spacious, browsing isn't really an issue. I spied a lot of Fornasetti cushions, chairs and plates as well as giant life-sized Japanese Moa dolls that could be found throughout the shop area. Anyone in need of a Paris souvenir should pick up one of the illustrated plates featuring the city's major attractions or the lamp with an Eiffel Tower base. If you're an animal lover, I'd go for one of the colorful poodle candles, the cushions featuring snapshots of dogs/cats or how about the plate with a printed ostrich head?

A lot of my favorite items can't be found on the shelves though - you'll have to take a good look at the walls as well to find some of the more interesting products. If you're one of those people who always forgets your keys, fear not... get the magnet shaped like the sole of a high-heel which can be conveniently placed on your wall. It even comes with the heel which can be used as a hanger. For a more personal touch, there was an entire wall adorned with plastic hands sticking out - they do have an actual function though: some could be used as vases, others were outstretched to gather smaller belongings and one of them held a candle.

And those who just can't get away from fashion are sure to love the Vogue mirrors made to look like the front page of the magazine (your reflection of course being the cover shot). A similar mirror is also available for the gents - but it's the Millionaire's magazine instead - ah, nothing like an ego-boost! The fashion-set might also want to pay attention to the displays in the middle of the store which house an arrangement of smaller accessories ranging from Vivienne Westwood jewelry to cute coin purses.

What I just listed is merely a fraction of what you can find in the store, but it's impossible to recall everything I saw - you'll just have to go and see for yourself! To get a better idea, there's a (highly reduced) catalogue on the official homepage. Just rest assured that this store's popularity is very much justified and you'll end up spending at least half-an-hour there, pondering whether or not you need that porcelain rabbit or the skull candleholder or the gothic cuckoo clock...

Address: 39 rue Sainte Croix de la Bretonnerie, 75004 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 11:30-20:00, Sun: 13:30-20:00
Fleux Homepage