Balenciaga Boutique (Cannes, France)

Considering Cannes used to be a small fishing village, it's quite remarkable that it's become the ultimate destination for the rich and famous. But as mentioned in this post, it's actually still very laid back and down-to-earth, with plenty of cute affordable cafes and regular boutiques. Nevertheless, the first things you'll probably end up seeing when you take a stroll through the area will be the chic waterfront boulevard 'La Croisette', which is lined with luxury hotels and designer flagships.

Additional view of the wave-shaped Balenciaga boutique from the outside.

There isn't really a single boutique along this street that can't be found elsewhere, since most of the designers are big-name luxury labels. I am featuring Balenciaga, not because Cannes holds any special meaning to the brand, but I'm doing it for slightly more selfish reasons: it's my favorite designer label - along with Alexander McQueen. I do however find this boutique to be blog-worthy, because unlike other creative directors, Nicolas Ghesquière is probably one of the few who's very involved in the store design and he also dislikes having each flagship look identical. If like me, you get annoyed by the fact that much like Starbucks or Borders, labels like Louis Vuitton or Dior tend to have the exact same look regardless of whether their boutiques are in London or L.A. (despite the fact that their creative directors are incredibly innovative), it's quite refreshing to realize that Balenciaga has created a different world for each of its stores.

FW09 campaign featuring Jennifer Connelly (images: Balenciaga).

Balenciaga, which has been around since 1918, was one of those names (along with Chanel, Dior and Givenchy) that kept popping up when I browsed the vintage Vogue Paris covers a while ago - a testament of its importance in fashion history and an indication of how far it has come. What I've always loved about this brand, aside from the clothes and motorcycle bags, is the fact that unlike many of its historic designer peers, Balenciaga never felt the need to plaster a logo on every bag or accessory. I doubt most people will even be familiar with the intertwined 'B's. I've also always admired the choice spokesperson, whether it's Jennifer Connelly for the current ad campaign or Ghesquière's muse Charlotte Gainsbourg who will be promoting next year's perfume release.

Overview of the store design right after construction (top image: Balenciaga) and stocked with clothes (lower images). Loved the carpet and the old-fashioned sofa.

As expected, the Cannes store was unlike any of the others I had visited before. Despite shared futuristic and graphic elements, such as the 'asteroid' cash desk, or the 'iceberg' accessories displays, each boutique has an official theme, given by Ghesquière and French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster who have worked on all store interiors as a team and derive a concept based on the location and building. While the NYC flagship is more industrial, the Paris one more sculptural and spacey or the London one an art-deco haven, the Cannes store has a luxurious gothic vibe, thanks mainly to the dark floral carpet (which was also used during the SS08 runway show), black lacquered shelves and dark old-fashioned couches. While the stark white interior of some Balenciaga stores (Paris and NYC in particular) can be very intimidating, this one had an almost cosy feel, despite the industrial lights.

The only clothing on this floor could be found on the far left wall (left), while accessories - and one fur coat- took up the rest of the boutique.

Accessories in the black 'iceberg' displays. The orchids added a nice touch, especially as the color matched the cuff and wallet on the right.

The ground floor had what most people probably desire when it comes to this brand: an extensive range of the motorcycle bags in various colors and hardware, along with jewelry, shoes and smaller accessories. The two SAs who were very friendly and helpful, eagerly showed me the newest Winter range, which consisted of bags and shoes that looked like they were designed to match a child's Lego set or Fisher Price toy. Hmmm... not really my style. The same goes for the strange smocked bag, which unfortunately looked like a purse with a serious skin disease. I think I'll stick to the classics for now...

Bags in their little nooks: emerald green and sapphire purple motorcycle bags (right).

Not feeling these... although I can tolerate the shoes. Multi-colored bags and shoes and a red smocked version of the City (lower right) which looks like it needs a dermatologist...

What I did love (besides the classic bags), were the matching cuffs/bracelets that just came out and I really liked this season's runway shoes... even the motorcycle ballerinas have grown on me. A rack towards a wall had a very small selection of clothes in mainly pink and black shades - from what I could tell, they belonged to one of the capsule collections. But for more, the basement was the place to be.

The space-age stairwell leading to the lower level (left image: Balenciaga).

Overview of the lower level right after construction (top image: Balenciaga) and only slightly less empty when stocked. The changing rooms were a little cosier (lower right).

Accessing this involved going down a narrow metallic staircase bathed in gold light. An indication that the lower level was going to be more futuristic... and it was. It looked nothing like the ground floor. The interiors here were more in line with what is considered 'typical' Balenciaga: marbled floors, sculptural elements, geometric shapes and modular display structures, such as the vertical and horizontal poles which served as clothes racks. It looked similar to some of the other stores I'd been to, but had extra touches, such as the more luxurious carpeted changing rooms, decked out in floral arrangements. A large selection of the runway collection was available here, including the sculpted sequined shoulder tops and the drape-waisted skirts. The matching shoes could be found nearby to complete the look.

An extensive range of the RTW collection and more accessories, including sexy heels and a patchwork bag.

The Balenciaga capsule collections, which include 'Balenciaga Leather', 'Balenciaga Knits' and 'Balenciaga T's' to name a few were on display as well, the ultimate item being the leather jacket, which they stocked in navy and khaki. I also ended up finding a few metallic pieces from the current holiday range for those who need to spice up their outfit this season.

An entire cluster of bags and shoes (left) and the special edition metallic leather jacket (right).

More eye candy incl: ankle booties, metallic clutch, a crocodile skin City bag and knee-high boots.

No, I didn't buy anything, even though the staff was so friendly and the store so empty, I felt like doing them (ok, and me) a favor - but alas, I'm on a pre-holiday ban. I know SAs in Cannes and other luxury hotspots have a reputation of being incredibly snobby, but this thankfully wasn't the case here, so no worries about taking a browse if you're ever in town. The same building complex also houses a Bottega Veneta, Pucci, YSL and Paule Ka flagship if you need more shopping fixes. For a more unique range of luxury brands, I'd also recommend 'Le 55', which is a multi-brand boutique on 55 la Croisette that offers more Balenciaga and everything from Margiela to Lanvin. For additional Balenciaga shopping, their website stocks bags, jewelry, accessories and even their coveted leather jackets with deliveries to the US and UK, so head on over if you have some extra cash to spend... or feel like picking out an early Christmas present...

A selectino of the FW09 RTW collection (images: style.com).

Some pieces from the FW09 capsule collections including two looks each (starting left) from 'Balenciaga Leather', 'Balenciaga Denim' and 'Balenciaga Knits' (images: Balenciaga).

Address: 65 boulevard de la Croisette, 06400 Cannes
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:00
Balenciaga Homepage & Online Shop (US & UK only)

Shopping in Nice (France)

As expected, the French Riviera isn't a bad place to do a little shopping, but in my quest to find any local brands (or preferably local independent designers), I soon realized that the majority of the boutiques belonged either to the usual suspects in designer fashion (Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton etc.), the typical high street chains (Zara, Mango and a slew of French retailers you'll also find in any other city such as Paris) or multi-brand stores which offered a mix of the above brands. It's great if you're searching for a particular item from your favorite label which might be sold out elsewhere, but if you're hoping to find something typical of the French Riviera, a Dior scarf or a Zadig & Voltaire tee probably isn't going to cut it.

Cannes, Nice and Monaco offer basically the same mix of high street and designer stores. Luxury labels are more prominent in Cannes and Monaco... the latter is also a great place to get a Ferrari, Maserati or Aston Martin if you ever win too much money in a casino. Nice, being the biggest city of the three, offers a lot more affordable fashion and foodie fare. It's also the only area that has a distinctly unique cuisine and because it's a source of some of the best olive oils, checking out a few of the gourmet places is a a must.

Some local foods... starting top left: farcis, socca, pissaladière, beignets de fleurs de courgettes.

Cheap and good food that shouldn't be missed includes socca (a crepe made of chickpea flour), pissaladière (an onion tart with olives and sometimes anchovies), farcis (vegetables stuffed with breadcrumbs and/or meat), beignets de fleurs de courgettes and the more famous salad niçoise. All of this is available in the old part of Nice and can be found in cheaper cafes or kiosk-like eateries. Of course the entire Riviera area is also a great place to get some seafood.

Alziari

In prepping for my trip, I was told that no visit was complete without stopping by legendary olive oil makers Alziari, who opened shop in 1868. The small store located near the seafront promenade is quaint and filled with an incredible selection of different olives, old-fashioned canisters and jars, various oils as well as olive oil aromas (lemon, garlic, basil etc.), skincare products, countless nibbles ranging from honey to foie gras and an assortment of herbs. If like me, you only have a carry-on bag with you and can't check in liquids, no worries... they have an online shop that delivers worldwide! So guess what I'll be ordering in the near future...

Alziari's charming interior (left) and barrels of olives (right).

Giant canisters filled with olive oils (left). Ceramic jugs and pots on display (right).

Address: 14 rue Saint François de Paule, 06300 Nice

A l'Olivier

Another olive oil expert, this company was founded in 1822, though the decor is a lot more modern and sophisticated. I don't actually know if they started out in Nice, but they have stores all over France and their products are easily available throughout the world (I believe even Amazon sells their items). They do have an online-shop as well. We stayed here for the longest time, because the selection was just huge. The girl working there let us try different olive oils, balsamic vinegars and mustards. The range pretty much covers what Alziari has, but they offered more flavors and also had a great range of sea salts, jams and other preserves, as well as an extensive selection of olive-based bath, skincare and beauty items (from various brands). I've never bothered checking out the Paris location, but something tells me I'll be heading there very soon.

Top: olive oils behind the counter. More olive oils in cans (left) and a range of other products, such as herbs and salts (right).

Overview of the store's sleek decor (left) and some of the bath products (right).

Address: 7 rue Saint François de Paule, 06300 Nice

So enough with the food... let's get to the fashion!

Aratto

I'm going to start of with the cheapest of the cheap. Someone told me this place is something of an institution in Nice and if you're ever in need of some trendy inexpensive bling, this is probably going to be your ultimate destination. What fascinated me the most though, was the deli-style concept of the store: you first choose what you want from the window displays, then take a number. Once it's your turn, you show the staff member the item you want and she'll pull it out from one of the many shelves behind her. Earrings start off at 1 EUR, cuffs around 3 EUR and necklace prices range between 5-13 EUR. The more elaborate pieces will go up to 35 EUR, but that's about as expensive as it will get. They also sell bags (10-35 EUR), wallets and umbrellas. The products aren't necessarily well-made or meant to last, but for that price you'll probably end up buying more than one piece anyway.

Top: Aratto storefront where items are displayed. Once you've found what you want, take a ticket (left) and proceed to the counter (right).

Some of the jewelry on display ranging from overly bling and borderline tacky, to somewhat more toned down.

Address: 18 rue Masséna, 06300 Nice

Façonnable

The only local brand I could find in Nice, was Façonnable, the classic sportswear chic brand with items suitable for any member of a country club or anyone who needs an outfit for a polo match (i.e. it's a more conservative Ralph Lauren). The store opened it's doors in Nice, back in 1950 and gained popularity among Hollywood stars visiting the Cannes Film Festival. The label now has two additional boutiques in the same street catering to women's wear and more formal looks. I can't say that I've ever been drawn to their range which I deemed a little too preppy, but considering how many well-made basics they stock, I can imagine the classic coats or argyle sweaters to be something you could pair with edgier pieces to create a cool country look. Their items are stocked throughout the world and US residents can also order online via their homepage.

One of the storefronts in Nice (above) and some of the current season looks (images: Façonnable).

Address: 7-9 rue Paradis, 06300 Nice

Espace Harroch

Finally, I also browsed this four-storey multi-brand boutique, which some claimed was a concept store (it isn't) and stocks designer brands that don't happen to have their own boutique in the city. I found a decent selection of Balenciaga, Marni, Chloé, Miu Miu and Yohji Yamamoto to name a few, while the menswear section was dominated by Paul Smith, Missoni and Helmut Lang. The top floor had a great range of beauty and skincare products from the Provence, home decor items, as well as linen, towels and bedsheets. There was also a perfume counter and a small range of Diptyque candles. For other luxury designer fixes, you'll of course have a range of flagship boutiques to choose from and Galeries Lafayette has a branch in Nice as well.

Part of the women's wear (left) and menswear (right) section.

A selection of the beautifully displayed beauty and skincare products. For some relaxation, head to the outdoor terrace (right).

Addres: 7 rue Paradis, 06300 Nice

Lastly, I would definitely urge anyone to check out the many markets in this area. I forgot to take pictures of them, but Nice has a lovely flower market, while Forville in Cannes is a great covered market which sells everything from flowers, herbs and seafood to wild mushrooms and (of course) olives. Provence specialities, such as lavender can easily be found in these areas as well.

Lavender and other dried flowers on display at a crafts market in Cannes (top) and more dried petals at Forville (bottom).

Impressions of the French Riviera / Côte d'Azur

I've been spending the last few days on the French Riviera, hence the brief hiatus from this blog, and was hoping to share something sooner, but being the forgetful person I am, I somehow managed to misplace my camera cable (this is why one shouldn't pack after midnight). In any case, I hope you're prepared for the ridiculous amount of photos I'm about to present here, because this was my first visit to the region and I couldn't help but snap away like a maniac.

Sunset view of the Cannes beach.

Most of the time was spent in Cannes, Nice, as well as a short trip to Monaco, to get a feel for the Côte d'Azur.

Cannes

Best known for the annual Film Festival and a popular getaway for the wealthy jetset, I was actually expecting this former fishing village to be a bit of a pretentious tourist destination. In fact, it is a very charming little town and despite the fact that the waterfront boulevard 'La Croisette' is lined with luxury hotels and expensive designer boutiques, you'll find a lot of decent-priced eateries and regular high street stores one street along. Of course I still saw a fair share of designer-clad ladies, usually accompanied by a small toy dog and too much collagen/botox in their faces, but I also saw plenty of hipsters, students and local residents who pretty much sported the 'effortless chic' look. For a bit of the fishing village charm, the old part of town is lovely to stroll along. Just be careful when you head past the old port filled with luxury yachts... it took a lot of physical effort on my part to pry my significant other away from these sailboats.

View of Cannes from above, with the old port towards the front.

Most of the yachts along the marina were pretty amazing.... many of them were 4 storeys high and bigger than the villas in the area.

View of Le Suquet (Old Town) and the old defensive walls near Musée de la Castre.

The old Cannes castle now housing the Musée de la Castre and the Chapelle Ste-Anne.

The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès where the annual Cannes Film Festival takes place. The Allée des Stars with over 200 handprints of movie stars who attended the festival can be found in front of the building. Above, Spike Lee's handprint.

Luxury shopping along the waterfront at La Croisette (above) and the seaside promenade next to it (lower left). High street shopping on rue d'Antibes (lower right).

Nice

The capital of the French Riviera, Nice is much larger than Cannes, yet manages to retain a certain resort charm, mainly thanks to the Italian feel of the baroque architecture and a beautiful seaside boulevard. I found it to be slightly less relaxing compared to Cannes: there is more traffic and the shopping streets are less picturesque - in fact, shopping is something I wouldn't even recommend you do here, unless it's olive oil or other foodie fare you're looking for. My favorite spot was the area around the port, allowing a fantastic view of the open sea. The narrow streets in the old town are cute as well, although they're also filled with tacky tourist shops... but it's the best place to go, if you want to enjoy a bit of Niçoise cuisine.

Place Masséna.

One of the many smaller streets in old Nice.

The beautiful port of Nice.

Partial view of the coastline and the monument aux morts.

The waterfront boulevard of Quai des Etats-Unis leading to Promenade des Anglais.

The Russian Orthodox Cathedral, one of many structures built for the Russian aristocrats who settled in Nice in the 19th century.

Monaco

Before I went, the mere mention of Monaco and it's famous Monte Carlo district conjured up images of a prestigious resort, filled with yachts, large villas, big winding roads (that's the Formula 1 influence) and an ultra-chic population, along with a glamorous royal family (who didn't love Grace Kelly aka Princess Grace?). Some of it is true, but what I wasn't prepared for, was the fact that it's so densely populated. I have since learned, that Monaco is the most densely populated sovereign country (yes, it is its own country, the smallest in the world following the Vatican City), which is mainly so popular because its citizens enjoy no income tax, making it a tax haven for rich business people, celebrities and other notable figures - Karl Lagerfeld is a proud resident. Like many other areas along the coast, Monaco is quite hilly - in fact, navigating it can be very tricky. Because half the town is spread out on the mountainous range, they've actually installed various public elevators which will take you from one level to the next. I'm also guessing that a lot of the people living here are old or suffer from some type of heart condition... I spotted at least 8 public defibrillators during my journey and these were even prominently marked on my tourist map. Very suspicious... but then again, if I had seen Karl keel over somewhere, I would have been able to rescue him within a second.

View of Monaco-Ville and Monte Carlo from the top.

Just to give you an idea of how densely populated this place is...

Palais du Prince - home of the Grimaldi royal family, including Prince Albert and his sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stephanie. The back still shows part of the 13th century fortress.

The port and part of Monaco-Ville and La Condamine.

This is how steep some of the areas are and why you'd need to get an elevator to access the upper levels of town (by foot).

Avenue and promenade named after Princess Grace / Grace Kelly.