Les Petites... (Paris, France)

Sorry for posting somewhat sporadically lately. I blame it on the fact that we've finally had a sunny spell here (although temperatures are all over the place), which has kept me far away from any computer. That and perhaps a tiny bit of laziness when it comes to blogging. But who am I to withhold another lovely French brand I feel the world should know about? Especially as the stores of Les Petites are ones I pass on a daily basis and the chic clothes in the window displays usually provide a few minutes of welcome distraction. Of course the first few times I sighted the stores, the brand's name fooled me into thinking the pieces were designed for petite girls only, or perhaps for children. Thankfully you don't have to be tiny to wear anything stocked there and because the boutiques can be found throughout Paris, I'm sure the range will tempt anyone who takes a closer look.

SS10 campaign (images: Les Petites).

A selection from the SS10 lookbook (images: Les Petites).

With no prior design experience Isabelle Bénichou decided to launch Les Petites in 1992 when she was just 25. Inspired by her seamstress aunt, early knitting endeavours and numerous outings to flea markets when she finally moved to Paris, where she'd revamp thrift finds and sell them to her college classmates, the label's name references the fact that she was just one of seven siblings in her family and according to her: "everyone is someone's 'little one' - both by name and from an emotional standpoint". Her fashion muses are the everyday women she sees out on the streets and all clothes are designed to fit this woman's lifestyle. Looks can range from boho to rock, although 18 years on, the label is most famous for its beautiful silk dresses and fine cashmere pieces. As with most of the more premium French high street labels, good quality fabric was a priority for Bénichou who wants her line of clothing to be seen as staple items in a woman's wardrobe and which should preferably last beyond just a few seasons.

Overview of the first store from the front with a nice selection of cashmere items on center tables.

Blacks and greys in a corner near the entrance provide a more rock look, such as the chain biker boots and leather satchel bag.

The best place to peruse the Les Petites collection is in the Marais, as you'll find two boutiques situated side by side. From what I saw the collections didn't repeat themselves too much in these two stores, so it's worth looking in both just to make sure you're browsing the full range. Clothing includes everything from more glamorous evening wear (think floor-length silk gowns and sparkly one-shoulder pieces) to casual jeans, slouchy tops and boyfriend blazers. While there are seasonal themes - FW09 for instance was inspired by the 60s - you'll generally find most style categories represented, whether it's hippie, country, tribal or minimalist. The reason this concept works and isn't all over the place is because the tailoring and cuts are classic, feminine, comfortable and never too trendy but still modern. Younger girls flock to this label because everything has a hint of sophistication - a perfect blend of retro cool and timelessness.

View of the cash counter with FW09 campaign images as a backdrop (left). A view of the store from the back (right).

More clothing ranging from monochrome black and white to vivid colors (left). And don't forget the accessories such as the cowboy bootie or the zipper clutch (right).

The interiors aren't anything special, but clean and simple so as not to distract too much from the pieces which can range from all-black to bright florals. The only type of decor were the walls, some of which featured larger-than-life images of the season's campaign and the occasional black leather sofa (for the bored male partner of course). When these images were taken, some of the FW09 range was still out, which included rock-chic biker boots, chunky knits and classic tailored coats. The current season offers some great leather jackets, ombre print dresses and more boots (reminiscent of the cowboy style), but of course spring wouldn't be spring without the bold patterns, bright colors and the most popular look: soft neutrals.

The back of the store, which featured a collection of jeans on the shelves (left) and spacious changing rooms (right).

Entrance area of the second store and a few more goodies, such as the silk shorts and embroidered/fringed metallic tunic.

Dresses are definitely the brand's biggest sellers and I could immediately see why. If you need a sophisticated evening gown, floral maxi frock or a casual cotton t-shirt number, this is the place to come. Few high street retailers will bother covering all bases, which is why I've decided Les Petites will become my go-to place whenever I'm in search of a new dress, regardless of the occasion. But if you're more of a trousers girl, don't worry. I spied an entire collection of jeans (in collaboration with Blue Cult), silk shorts, embellished tops, funky playsuits and cool jackets.

Darker hues near the entrance area, such as the sequined tank dresses and the very chic silk dress with the leather jacket.

Brighter colors and evening gowns near the back (right) and some beautiful embroidered or beaded pieces (left).

As with all higher-end retail chains, this one has great accessories. For starters, there's their 'It bag', the 'Chanty' along with a number of other beautiful pieces. If that's not enough, you should probably feast your eyes on the boots, ballerinas and sandals out this season, as well as the great range of leather belts. True to Bénichou's inspiration of the everyday woman, there's currently also a streetstyle competition running on the official homepage, because as she herself has said: "Every woman loves fashion. What makes it special is the way each woman turns fashion into her own". Another hint as to why some of what you see here steers clear of the overly trendy and 'designer-inspired' looks. As far as Les Petites' mission statement goes, it's more about giving women a taste of 'daytime couture' or affordable luxury.

The back of the store (left) which included this classic winter coat (right).

Towards the front again, I sighted two more must-have dresses: the one-shouldered sequin piece and the studded black number.

Thankfully Les Petites has now branched out and can be found worldwide, with standalone stores in several European countries as well as stockists in the US and Asia. But the best news of all? The brand has a fantastic e-shop which can be accessed via the official homepage, so if you want to browse some of their chic items yourself, you should definitely head on over.

More SS10 styles from the lookbook (images: Les Petites).

Some of Les Petites' beautiful bags from SS10 available in the e-shop (images: Les Petites).

Address: 41/43 rue des Francs-Bourgeouis, 75004 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sun: 10:30-19:30
Les Petites Homepage & Online-Shop