A.P.C. (Paris, France)

A.P.C. (short for 'Atelier de Production et de Création') is one of those labels that has been on people's radars for quite some time now. Unlike many of the other French retail brands it is also one of the few that has reached global recognition and a cult following, mainly due to the basic, simple yet chic clothes that would suit any guy or girl.

The company, founded in the late 80's by the Tunisian born designer Jean Touitou, wasn't always as accessible and 'mainstream'. Touitou, who's always had a somewhat rebellious mindset (and still does) purposefully designed the A.P.C. line to be more flattering to the body with clothes hugging women's curves ever so slightly. Even the menswear doesn't include your usual loose-fitting t-shirts and jeans. This came as a backlash to the slouchy baggy look the majority of French brands still favor. These days A.P.C. might seem a bit more conventional, as the current range includes Liberty prints which every brand from Cacharel to Topshop seems to be using, yet one look at the homepage will make you realize that Touitou still likes to provoke.

(images: APC)

The current 'I hate rock 'n' roll' collection on the website features his tirade on how the (rock) music scene has become a place for posers instead of true musicians, though he admits that this is thankfully changing. Four bands have collaborated to design four different t-shirts for A.P.C. which are available online and in-store.

(image: APC)

So is A.P.C. still an alternative brand or has it gotten bigger than Touitou ever wanted it to be? I guess just like rock musicians who have to fight to remain genuine and cool, but also strive to be successful in their market, there's a certain dichotomy when it comes to A.P.C. For one, the brand is now widely available in department stores all over the world, not to mention via online retailers like net-a-porter or their own website. Yet the company hardly has that many flagships, though they are expanding. There are only four in France and they're not exactly big. I frequently walk past the Marais store without going in, because it's so low-key I usually forget it's there.

It's because of this, I decided to head to the Left Bank to visit A.P.C.'s newer flagship on rue Madame. Some might deem the location to be a bit prestigious, but even though it's not that far from the YSL flagship, the actual store is located on a quiet one-way street in what resembles a fairly residential area, neighboring the company's headquarters and showrooms. The shop itself still looked very new and just like the clothes, the decor was modern and clean. This space isn't big either, but unlike the other stores, it comes with a few extras I'll get to later.

Because of the simple layout, finding your way around is fairly easy. Basically all women's clothing can be found on the right side of the room, while menswear occupies the left. Smaller accessories and t-shirts can be found on the middle table while shoes were placed under the racks of clothes.

As with previous collections, it's the simple basics that first draw you in: jeans, trench coats, blazers, t-shirts and dresses - all nicely cut, in neutral hues and made with the finest materials. But this time around I also found a surprisingly large amount of patterned pieces. Besides the aforementioned Liberty print line, the current Madras collection features bright tropical designs. I also found myself paying closer attention to the cute tote bags and chunky sandals, even though I rarely notice A.P.C. accessories.

House music was playing during my entire visit and across the shop area close to the counter I spotted a CD listening station. The selection ranged from dance to rock and don't be surprised if you find a number of CD's issued by A.P.C., such as 'The A.P.C. Experience' or 'A.P.C. Tracks'. Touitou is an avid music lover with his own record label. If that's not enough, why not pick up the A.P.C. Karaoke DVD which features tunes by contemporary artists? Towards the cash desk, several books were laid out together with the five-year agenda diary - all published by A.P.C. And a nearby shelf presented a range of scented A.P.C. candles.

(image: fashion-eye.net)

If the shop had been slightly bigger, I might have labeled this a concept store. But despite the large number of branded items I didn't even know existed, the range of clothing and accessories are as good as ever and deserve your undivided attention. Thankfully everything can also be ordered via their website, so if you get a chance you might want to pay it a visit.

(individual images: APC Homepage)

Address: 38 rue Madame, 75006 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:00
A.P.C. Homepage and Online-Shop