Happy 15th colette!

I don't really remember my first time going into colette, not because the legendary concept store wasn't memorable but because there have been so many instances of entering colette and being bombarded by music, books, scents and "stuff" happening that one visit has blurred into the other, forming one huge chunk of time at colette spent browsing and soaking up its contents.  Fifteen years after Sarah Lerfel (now Andelman but most know her as Sarah Colette) and her mother set up shop on rue St Honore, fusing fashion, beauty, music, design and food, creating a place to not just shop but also hang out and absorb.  Fifteen years on, and colette still seems to be something of a benchmark for other boutiques to go up against.  I've visited a ton of cities where people frequently say "This is like the colette of xxx".

How fitting then that colette should celebrate its fifteen year anniversary with a huge carnival held at the Jardin des Tuileries that concludes today – in other words, an invitation to extend the public throng of people that permanently gravitate towards the store by about hundred fold.  I just got back from Paris and my extended stay introducing a friend to all the sights of Paris (you can promptly laugh at the idea of me playing tour guide in a city where I'm only familiar with fashion week venues) meant I could get a taste of all the action that Sarah had planned for the extravaganza.  The list of brands involved in the carnival were endless and if truth be told, there were a few random ones that didn't feel quite on brand with colette's "cool is what we do" ethos (Clarins?  Fiat?  Schweppes?) but by and large, it was a giant fest of fun, especially for those with kids.  I'm not entirely sure whether 75% of the people entering colette's carnival were colette customers per se but then again, that isn't the point as Sarah wanted to give an inclusive experience for all to enjoy.  The huge array of timed events including Fred Perry ping pong demos, a Cooklette demonstration with chef Julien Merceron, the appearance of Hello Kitty, dance classes with Repetto and a live painting session with Jean-Charles de Castelbajac were also geared towards kids and kidults alike.  Needless to say, there aren't that many concept stores/boutiques in the world that can celebrate their birthday with such pomp and display.

We tried our luck the most at the Carven stand where rubber balls going through the collared holes would win us a pin badge. 

This pretty collar sadly wasn't a prize up for grabs but it was a special edition made for the carnival, using Carven's S/S 12 brightly coloured map print. 

Bless invited us to punch and type with this impressive installation. 

Olympia Le-Tan, was on tip-top charming form with a petite nurse asking to take our temperature and promptly dispensed some Nerds sweets to us to cure us of whatever affliction we had.  Obviously in French, she sounds infinitely cuter.  We also got to touch up some of Le-Tan's S/S 12 medical-themed clutches. 

Other endearing accessories labels were on hand to up the cute factor as Yazbukey was doling out acrylic sweeties…

… and Tatty Devine were holding necklace making workshops. 

Tees label Edith A. Miller was giving out kisses for EUR2. 

I didn't do too many food porn shots but there was definitely a lot of sweet treats coming at us from every other stand.  These yum yums came courtesy of chez bogato. 

Biggie brands like Lacoste could have stood there handing out polo shirts but instead came up with a spinning wheel of fortune for punters to have a go at winning something. 

Darcel's love-in with colette continues as little Darcel became the official mascot of the carnival, gracing the souvenirs as well as the giant bean bags for people to chill out on. 

I was really happy to see Tokyo's Kita Kore building show up at the carnival with a few examples of the sort of DIY, mash-up fashion that can be found in this gem of a building. 

Kita Kore's fashion finds weren't the only thing to make it over to Paris…

A bowling lane, table football, a mini skate ramp and a cinema were just some of the diversions available at the carvnival. 

Uslu Airlines' nail bar…

A lot of the brands' carnival booths such as Thierry Lasry's basketball hoops and Julien David's cap throwing hook, involved a lot of hand-eye co-ordination, which unfortunately I don't possess and so I left empty handed.

You could just take away a photo memento as Jeremy Scott x adidas invited people to try on some of the duds and get your picture taken. 

Eastpak and Andrea Crews teamed up for a customisation session. 

A.P.C. invited you to be a part of their new ad campaign by posing through these cardboard cut-outs. 

Maison Michel set up a photo booth so that people can try on wigs, hats and of course their famous headbands and have their snaps taken. 

I think I'm going to label my bathroom the pipi room. 

My one physical souvenir of the event but it's the memories that count.  Here's to another fifteen years!