L’Atelier – Octobre Éditions
The brother brand of French womenswear fashion sensation Sézane, Octobre Éditions has created a phenomenal reputation with its limited-edition monthly capsule collections. Headed up by Arthur Person, formerly of Berluti and Louis Vuitton, their flagship store in the old garment district of Sentier is a fabulous, natural-light infused space which houses a beautifully curated collection of menswear staples, many of which draw inspiration from cinema – hence the proliferation of framed film posters and products named after famous movie titles. ‘From the beginning, we were guided by a desire to create a Parisian-inspired wardrobe containing pieces that can be revisited season after season, transcend time and tell a unique story,’ says Person. The majority – 79 per cent – of the brand’s clothing is made in Europe, predominantly Portugal. Their goal is to make sustainable, timeless pieces that respect the planet and its people. Much like Drapeau Noir, they obsess over sourcing high-quality, durable materials and delivering the finest craftsmanship at the fairest possible price. You can walk out the door with a whole outfit for under €500, which is rare nowadays. And the staff are absolutely top notch at providing advice.
12, rue Saint-Fiacre, 75002 Paris; octobre-editions.com
Drapeau Noir
One of the coolest kids on the Parisian menswear block – and among the most affordable – Drapeau Noir was founded back in 2014 by former lawyer Nicolas Barbier, who yearned for a more creative career. His debut collection saw him source fabrics from Japan and have them subsequently pieced together in Portugal. It leaned heavily on an elegant, minimalist aesthetic, which still holds true to this very day. The clothes were so good they flew off the shelves in a matter of days, exceeding Barbier’s wildest expectations: ‘The idea behind the brand was to create a wardrobe a man could add to from one season to the next, where each item has its own role to play but also makes the whole collection coherent.’ Barbier fuses 1970s American counterculture with Parisian street-style and by doing away with its reseller network, Drapeau Noir is able to keep an attractive quality-price ratio. Blazers coming in at €350, shaggy-dog Shetland jumpers at €185 and jeans for €150 a pop are cases in point. Hunt down its flagship Rue Charlot store, located between Place de la République and Rue de Bretagne or its sister store in the 10th, close to Canal Saint-Martin and Rue de Marseille.
75, rue Charlot, 75003 Paris; 38 Rue des Vinaigriers, 75010 Paris; drapeau-noir.fr
Husbands Paris – Rive Droite
Brainchild of Nicolas Gabard, Husbands, who hit big-time tailoring back in 2012, is revered for its fully canvassed strong-shouldered jackets, bootcut selvedge denim and, in particular, its trademark Cuban-heeled boots. It’s a silhouette that draws reference from the sartorial shenanigans of the ’70s, a zeitgeist best personified by the louche getups of rock stars such as Jagger, Ferry and Gainsbourg, who would think nothing of rocking up to after parties in the aforementioned boots worn effortlessly with grey flannel suits. Jarvis Cocker is a fan, and you can see why. Its store on Rue Richelieu exudes minimalist chic with a colour scheme that evokes a touch of the Accidentally Wes Anderson. By majoring on premium cuts and limited-edition fabrics (including some from the vaults of vintage fabric mecca Lafayette Saltiel Drapiers) and with an eagle-eye for sartorial detailing, Husbands does more than simply pay tribute to the past, it breathes new life into classic wardrobe staples.
57, rue de Richelieu, 75002 Paris; husbands-paris.com
Jacques Solovière
Jacques Solovière is a Parisian footwear brand that captures the élan of the creative thinker. Favoured by performers, architects, cinematographers and theatre directors, it celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Named after the grandfather of owner and shoe designer Alexia Aubert, who set up the brand initially online in 2014. Aubert did a shoemaking apprenticeship in Belleville in the east of Paris, subsequently working for Christian Louboutin before heading to New York. Initially deterred by escalating rental fees in central Paris, she happened upon this chic and unassuming little street, between Montparnasse and Vaneau, opening her first bricks-and-mortar store in 2022 to considerable acclaim. Fashionistas are drawn to her shoes’ unique style, which Aubert says is ‘wearable always and everywhere: our footwear is timeless and seasonless, impervious to trends that quickly feel inessential’. Her signature seamless Derbies, loafers and sneakers, manufactured in Portugal, fuse minimalist design with comfort – an essential component for Aubert – resulting in an ultra-light shoe.
108, rue du Cherche Midi, 75006 Paris; jacquessoloviereparis.com
Swann
Swann’s enviable address on rue de l’Arcade, close to the city’s crème de la crème of tailoring houses, which populate La Madeleine, was home in the early days of 2008 to a business largely majoring in made-to-measure shirts – including its to-die-for Japanese denim, swallow-collared chambrays. On the back of its subsequent shirting success, the brand has spread its wings and is now regarded as a fully-fledged, predominantly Ivy League-inspired menswear brand of the same ilk as a scaled-down Drake’s. They’ve expanded their MTM offering across the board to incorporate not only suits and jacketing (think brown shepherd’s-check jackets); made-in-Italy denim (if you’re of the elusive straight-cut, high-waisted persuasion then look no further), fine-gauge knitwear and topcoats. They’ve recently collaborated with Parisian shoe brand Septième Largeur, whose two-tone penny loafers are, quite simply, summer Pitti footwear in waiting.
1, rue de l’Arcade, 75008 Paris; swann-paris.com
SuperStitch
The unmistakable figure of the Parisian menswear scene, Arthur Leclercq, cuts quite a dash with his flowing blond mane as steps off his scooter and unlocks the door of his atelier. He’s head honcho of SuperStitch, one of the coolest denim brands in existence, which began life as a humble denim alterations place. His atelier, close to the Sorbonne, is where he hones a denim obsession that’s been with him since his teenage years. It’s here, on vintage sewing machines he’s tirelessly acquired himself, that he’s gone about crafting his finest model: the LR-01. In no uncertain terms, they are the high-waisted denim of dreams. He now has them crafted in Japan – part of the reason he spends almost half his time in the Land of the Rising Sun – inspired by vintage American icons from the ’70s. He’s since added the LR-11 denim jacket (Type II Levi’s fit), as well as his own line of SuperStitch streetwear, featuring hoodies and screen-printed tees, as well as a remake of the US Navy WWII chambray shirt. The LR-01s in particular, while in demand with a lengthy waiting list, are probably the best €295 you will ever shell out.
13, rue Racine, 75006 Paris; superstitchmfg.com
Lee Osborne is a men’s style consultant and creative director of Secret Trips
