You have no idea what an amazing and crazy adventure I’ve been on for the last few months. Of course you don’t, because I had to keep it a secret from you all. That means several months of torturous silence because for those who know me well, keeping secrets is not my particular forte in life.

Today I can finally lift the veil on the incredible project I was recruited to be part of by a fan of this here blog (yes, it’s true!)

So ladies and gents, I’m pleased to introduce you to my new baby —— Yelp France!

Yelp is a website that connects people to great local businesses. Its purpose in life is to give people a platform to share their favorite (and not so favorite) addresses with those in their community. That means straight talking, no-nonsense, authentic reviews of everything from dentists and designer shops to bakeries, nursery schools, public parks and cocktail bars.

For years, this incredibly tool has been limited to cities in English-speaking languages only. But today marks a huge turning point in Yelp’s fabulous little life, because it’s the day that Yelp arrives in Paris!! This is a big deal, not only because it’s the first time that Yelp has entered a non-English city, but because it will be a fabulous tool not only for Parisians, but for visitors looking to have an insider experience in the City of Light.

For someone devoted to sharing my special Parisian experiences and little-known treasures with you all, you can’t imagine what an honor and treat it is to be part of such a cool and groundbreaking project as this.

I will continue to update my blog with by appointment discoveries as often as possible, but you can find me every day on Yelp Paris as the site’s Community Manager. Can’t wait to see you there!**

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**Don’t forget to follow YelpParis on twitter too!

Photos by Nicolas Calcott for Paris By Appointment Only™

If you asked Parisians ten years ago what Pilates (pronounced “Pilottes”) was, they would have answered you with their habitual I-have-no-idea-what-you’re-talking-about-you-may-as-well-come-from-Mars shoulder shrug and dismissive lip fart.

But oh how the times have changed. Now, almost every sports club and well-being center is offering some kind of Pilates class, just like every grocery store these days has some kakamayme organic product line that they’re pushing. The point is that finding a fabulous, authentic, personalized Pilates studio in Paris can be as costly as it is exhausting. But now you can save your Euros and your breath because I have the Pilates pro for you!

Long, lean, strong and supple, American-raised, Paris-based Annie Venier is a walking and talking advertisement for Pilates.  As well she should be, she’s been doing it now for close to fifteen years. Venier fell into the discipline quite literally by accident. After a running injury knocked her off her feet, she found herself in search of a deep, therapeutic strength-building alternative. She got hooked immediately, and before long quit her job to pursue a new career as a Pilates professional.

Certified by The Pilates Center of Boulder Colorado, Venier moved to Paris in 2003 and opened up her one-woman Pilates studio two years ago. Located on the second floor of a residential building near the Jardin du Luxembourg, her word-of-mouth studio is as discreet and private as it gets. The two-room studio has a sun-filled space with a Reformer machine and lots of accessories, while the Fame-like dance room next door is used for group mat classes.

Venier is a fun, straight-talking professor whose prior-life as a painter has a tendency to creep into her descriptive vocabulary. She may asked you to hug Pavorotti, walk in goo, slide like a piece of ham between two slices of bread, or grow giant feet while you’re doing one of the various exercises she has incorporated into your personalized Pilates routine.

So what is Venier’s unique approach to this method invented by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s? Here’s Venier’s list of the top 5 benefits to pursuing Pilates.

1. Healing the body and preventing injuries: “I didn’t go into Pilates with a perfect healthy body so when I look at someone who has a fear of movement due to pain, I can relate to that. For me, Pilates is therapeutic. With each client I try to create a program that will not only make their body look great, but help them feel better in that body too. Pilates creates a structure that will keep you pain-free and teaches you habits that will prevent you from twisting, pulling your back or moving carelessly.”

2. Breaking routines and building a healthy system: “We ordinarily use our large muscle groups when we work out. Pilates is about creating a total-body healthy system, which means that all of the little pieces that link together with the big muscles also have to be strong and healthy. There are all sorts of little muscles that we never use because we do the same thing over an over again. Pilates gets you out of your routine, and helps you discover all of these tiny balancing and deep core muscles.”

3. Feeling and seeing the results of improved balance: “Pilates gives you balance between your muscles and your bones and your relationship to gravity. You feel centered, and your body becomes more symmetrical. When the joints are aligned and everything is falling into place, it’s attractive. You have long, lean, sculpted muscles. A balanced body is a beautiful body.”

4. Increasing your strength: “Pilates teaches you how to recruit core strength, which for an athlete, or anyone who wants to be stronger in what they’re doing, is fantastic.  Be it golfing, or swimming, or tennis or just hauling shopping bags up stars, it gives you a much more performant body. Because you’ve learned how to connect your hands and your feet with your core, this additional powerhouse now fuels any activity you do.”

5. Breathing, centering and self-awareness: “We get more of our energy from breathing than anything else. Pilates helps you use your breath, its rhythm and the rhythm of the body to calm down and to listen to what your body needs.”

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Schedule: private and group classes with Annie Venier are by appointment only.
Prices: From 65€ for a private class to 25€ for group class when you purchase a 10-session card.
Contact:  lepetitstudiobis@yahoo.fr, tel: + 33 6 98 12 64 18

Photos by Fabrice Fortin for Paris by Appointment Only™

Even though they live in the capital of couture, most Parisians can’t sew a stitch. Like most countries, France kicked home economics to the curb decades ago. Since hardly any one knows how to shorten a hem, fix a button, or take in a seam, you can find a retoucheur on practically every Parisian corner. But all that is about to change thanks to Sweat Shop, a new creative collective in the residential 10^th whose mission is to teach Parisians how to make and customize their own clothes.

Filled with revamped 60s school desks, a large central worktable, vintage sewing patterns, pools of colorful yarn, top-of-the-line Singer sewing machines and an adorable chill-out corner with sweet treats, Sweat Shop is a fun communal space where work equals wardrobe.

“The idea is to encourage people to buy less, make things for themselves and recycle what they already own,” explains fashion designer Sissi Holleis, who came up with the out-of-the-box concept with makeup artist Martena Duss.

Sweat Shop functions like a cyber café; only instead of computers you have sewing machines at your disposal. You can rent a machine by the hour and stop by anytime during the week and work on that little design of yours if you know what you’re doing. Or you can sign-up for one of the five thematic workshops that are available each week, and have one of the experts on hand teach you the ropes.

While I’ve never as much as sewn a hem, I’m already obsessing about the 70s YSL jumpsuit that I’m going to make using one of the vintage Vogue patters available for rent.

What to expect at Sweat Shop:

Atelier Ouvert (2H): From beginners to the highly advanced, anyone is welcome. All you need to do is bring your supplies to fix that winter coat lining, make a dress, or copy a pair of your favorite slacks, and your professor will guide you through your project.

Atelier Enfants (2H): Put that kid to work! This introduction course teaches children how to knit, crochet and sew by hand as well as by machine. Think of how much money and time you’ll save when your little tike knows how to hem his own pants or sew back buttons that have fallen off.

Atelier Tricot (2H): Every Tuesday night Sweat Shop turns into a knitting circle during this two hour all-level class.

Atelier Custom (4H): Ripped jeans, cut-off Ts, studded leather jackets, it all sounds so easy, but think again. Customization is the subtle art of glamorous destruction. So let the Queen of customization, Vava Dudu, guide you through the death and rebirth of your favorite frocks.

Atelier Mlle Kou (7H): Mlle Kou, aka Céline Dupuy, swings by the shop once a week to give this all-day couture workshop which starts with an original pattern, is punctuated with tea and snacks prepared by Bob’s Juice Bar next door and ends with you walking away with a fabulous handmade design.

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Prices: Click here for a list of prices.

Text by Lindsay Wolf*

Inspired by the arm candy that Spartacus sported back in the day, the leather cuff is making a sexy, sophisticated comeback thanks to Owen & Savary, an independent leather accessories brand based in Paris and London.

Painters with a passion for perfect accessories, Kira Owen and Valerie Savary started the company together back in late 2008. “We’re both very much inspired by our travels,” says Owen. “We love to discover new lands, new customs, new people.” This may explain the designers love for exotic animal skins, but why the cuff?

A classic accessory for centuries, the challenge was to create an original, versatile design that leaps off the wrist while blending in with any wardrobe.

“The cuff has been around since the age of gladiators,” Owen explains. With their adjustable clasps, luxurious materials, trademark royal blue linings and artisanal fabrication, Owen and Savary have succeeded in giving the simple strap a thoroughly modern makeover.

Designed to spruce up your jeans by day while adding a kick to your evening attire, they blend with just about anything. Whether you’re wearing the classic Julia (narrower), the Salome (wider), or the Maximilien (for men), the cuff gently molds to your wrist without feeling restrictive thanks to its impeccable design and artisanal fabrication.

Each cuff is made in an atelier in Besançon where leather craftsmen build each piece to order out of an unusual range of colorful exotic skins, from metallic copper lambskin and camel ostrich to midnight blue stingray

The cuff’s genius lies in the clasp’s adjustability. Outfitted with a magnetic center, it’s a cinch to slip on and off. The original design is made from a laser machine to create the sharply cut look of the edges. While this process is more expensive than using a mold, the self-proclaimed perfectionists wouldn’t have it any other way.

In addition to their ready-to-wear collection that can be found at JNSQ and Galerie Kara in Paris, you can order a bespoke cuff by contacting the designers directly through their site. From there, they will work with you to configure the perfect piece to suit your style. The moment the order is submitted, it takes about 3 weeks to produce and receive your cuff.

What’s on the cusp of the cuff? Owen and Savary are busy working on a small series of handbags, chokers, ankle cuffs, key chains and watches.

Prices: 200-1200EUR, depending on choice of material.

Guest writer Lindsay Wolf divides her time between NYC and Paris. For commissions, feel free to contact her at lindsayawolf@gmail.com

Check out my review of artisan umbrella maker Michel Heurtault in the current spring issue of T Magazine.

I heard from Michel earlier today that he’s already been flooded with calls from all over the USA, including Texas curiously enough. I can’t think of anyone who deserves the attention more.

Congratulations Michel! In case you missed it, you can read the full interview with Michel here.

The mission was something out of Alice in Wonderland: take a train to a hamlet in the south of the city, walk along cobblestone streets past tempting little shops, turn left on a street called “hope,” look for a window filled with fine linens and warm light and if the adjacent door is propped open, come on in.

My destination was just as dreamlike and quaint as the journey it took to get there. Located in La Butte aux Calles, an adorable, totally remote neighborhood dense with lovely little treasures, La Clarière is a wonderland of hand-printed linens produced in limited series on site.

But if you’re looking for precious chichi motifs with elaborate affect you’ve got the wrong address, La Clarière’s linens are clean compositions of color, shape and weave that blend romance and rusticity. Be they elegant arabesques on rough-hewn army linen, or austere silver moons on buttery-soft cotton, unexpected juxtapositions of material and motif give a light, modern freshness to the designs. Would you expect any less from an interior designer mentored by Andrée Putman?

“The overall effect is unmannered because of the contrast between the patterns and fabric,” says Canadian-born owner Sharon Macdonald who worked for twenty years creating interiors for big-name architecture agencies in Paris before launching La Clarière in 1997. “When I do my work, I cut the fabric into individual pieces and then stamp it as a composition. It’s like its own little world,” says Sharon.

“The idea is to create an atmosphere that if you framed and magnified would becomes like a work of architecture.”

From bed lines and children’s bibs to tote bags and nightgowns, Sharon prints everything on site using a special supply of hand-made stamps crafted out of un-precious materials such as corks and potatoes. It’s a technique she first discovered as a precocious and crafty kid that she’s perfected over the years.

Since most of the fabric Sharon uses is found at the nearby flea market at Vanves, all of her designs are either unique, or available in limited edition. So if you fall in love with that hand-dyed pillow with the green cloverleaf print, or the A-frame nightgown with the rustic red pattern, you should probably pick it up on the spot. Sharon retires colors and patterns until she finds that right support for it again.

But if that’s not special enough, Sharon also does bespoke creations on demand.

Atelier/shop: 8 rue de L’Epérance, 75013, open Wed & Sat from 2:30pm-7pm, or by appointment
Prices: From 12E sachets to 250E duvet covers

Text by Alison Culliford*, illustration & photos by Fabrice Fortin

In a world of crashing bottle-banks and traffic noise, where we cocoon ourselves in our i-Pod bubbles, the revelation of superior sound can be a doors-of-perception experience.

When a stereo-buff friend took me to La Maison du Haut Parleur promising an extra-sensory treat, a visit to an opium den would not have had a more profound effect. We sat in the sweet spot on two directors’ chairs, and Monsieur Gest delicately placed the needle on a record. An oboe began its plaintive song; a cello answered and as the orchestra swelled the music resonated in our very bones.

Closing your eyes, you are not just in the best concert hall in the world, but in the instrument itself.

Bruno Gest is a self-deprecating man, so much so that he would not be photographed for our feature. He has run La Maison du Haut Parleur for 34 years and is soon to retire, handing the business over to his associate Christian Robert and young employee Romain Aubry.

Inside the inconspicuous shop, a mass of boxes and electrical gubbins fills the front. At the back are examples of their speaker kits. Essentially they provide the boomers and tweeters, which they have sourced from the best manufacturers, and will put you in touch with a cabinet-maker who will construct the box around them. “Or if you’re into DIY you can construct it yourself,” says Gest. “Both options enable you to have a far better speaker for your budget that if you bought it from a major manufacturer.”

They also sell speakers from French specialist companies such as Focal and Atohm, and have a repair workshop recently patronized by a “very famous French actor,” though discretion prevents these gentlemen from divulging his name.

But it is the sound theater downstairs that makes this place unique and is where the Blakean moment can be had. With Monsieur Gest’s large desk on one side, it has a Doctor No’s lair feel about it. The secret weapon kept down here is the Aeria Système, two huge speakers with a monumental 1930s look, whose 85cm high bass block is topped by a hand-turned acacia wood horn reminiscent of a vintage gramophone.

“The form sweeps the sound outwards and the wood eliminates all resonance. It’s completely neutral,” explains Gest, who spent 18 years developing the system. This is true up to 120 dB, and led the tech-head critics of the review Prestige Audio Visuel to declare its rendition of a concert piano “belle à pleurer.” Its beauty is considerable, but it’s the sound that counts.

“Like everyone, we are just looking for the thing that pleases us. The MP3 generation has a different outlook, but there will always be people that appreciate this quality of sound.”

The problem is that once you’ve been transported by the Aeria System nothing else is good enough. It takes you to another world, conjuring dreams of a loft apartment with a single Le Corbusier chair from which angels will serenade you. If you have one, you can join the 1000 or so people in the world who have crossed the threshold into perfect sound.

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Prices: Kits (from 78€), Aeria Système (6,000€)
Delivery time: 1 month.
Contact: La Maison du Haut Parleur, 138 Avenue Parmentier, Paris 75011

*Alison Culliford is a freelance journalist based in Paris: alison.culliford@gmail.com

Quickened pulse, dilated eyes, a desperate desire to touch and try. The setting was cold and depressing but it happened nonetheless—I fell head over heels in love.

Wandering among Who’s Next, the stadium-sized fashion and accessories fair this week in Paris, my heart gave out in front of the colorful panoply of Swedish Hasbeens clogs. These were the shoes of my childhood fantasies brought (back) to life. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that the pair of sky-high lipstick red peep toe clogs on display were torn off of Olivia Newton John’s feet during the dance finale of Grease!

Based on a treasure trove of clogs found in the basement of an old Swedish factory, Swedish Hasbeens pick up where the 70s left off. In addition to the classic clogs and t-strap sandles are modern models like belted ankle boots, lovely lace-ups, sexy knee-highs, and sophisticated loafers available in a kaleidoscopic range of colors.

Handmade in Sweden, the chunky-heeled footware is made from sustainably-sourced wood and naturally-dyed grain leather to leave as small of a carbon print as possible. Gotta love those Swedes!

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Prices: $200-400
Availability: Click here to shop online, or here for an international shoplist.

Snugly stylish sweaters are the most wanted items in a wardrobe. Without them, you may as well spend the winter in bed. That’s why I dream not of sparkly jewels or wads of cash but of owning an army of grannies who send me a steady supply of gorgeous handmade knits from November through March (yes, it’s that cold in Paris).

Turns out my fantasy isn’t all my own. Sylvia Toth, a Columbian designer who moved to Paris eight years ago, dreamed up a way to battle the bitter winter months by hiring a gang of knitters from her homeland. Lucky for us, she shares the handcrafted gems through WARMI, her artisanal fashion label.

Launched in 2008, WARMI is a Franco-Columbian brand that blends contemporary style with indigenous craftsmanship. Each collection is designed by Toth in Paris then produced in a remote mountainous village in Northern Columbia by a cooperative of women weavers. Though you’d think the name was just a funky new diminutive for “warm,” WARMI means “woman” in Quechua, one of the last living indigenous languages of the Andean region.

“The artisanal traditions in Columbia are very rich,” says Toth who discovered her knitting dream team at a native crafts festival during one of her habitual trips home. “Working with these women brings me back to my roots and builds a link between the two cultures,” says Toth who travels to Tausa several times a years to knit with the women and soak up the local color and traditions in order to feed it back into her designs.

Her whimsical animals motifs, for example, pay homage to masks worn during the annual Carnaval de Barranquilla. Inspired by their wild colors and  graphics, she invents new species for her women to stitch, infusing her knits with a playful, folklore wonder.

In addition to her meticulously stitched graphics are sculptural works that blend art and fashion. “I think of the designs as objects, not clothes, because my background is in design, not fashion,” says Toth who layers organic forms, like leaves in her Eva Bolera, or waves in her Capeline Pauline, to build irregular shapes and volumes.

From complex stitching and embroidered detailing to intricate assemblage, each woman in the cooperative has her own particular strength. Toth not only designs with each woman in mind, she also encourages them to flaunt their personal style, resulting in a collection ripe with charming irregularities and individual quirks.

In additional to their subtle stylistic signatures, each baby angora, naturally-dyed design is tagged with the knitter’s name and the number of hours she spent making it. So when you get compliments on your one-of-a-kind, handmade knit you know exactly who to thank.

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Prices: €50-500
Stocklist: click here for list of boutiques where WARMI is sold
Special Orders/Bespoke: ParisBAO can organize a visit to the WARMI showroom in Paris to commission a bespoke creation. Contact me for more details.

I write about some pretty unusual talents on this blog, but couture umbrella maker just might be my rarest find yet. That’s why I’m letting Michel Heurtault, owner of the fabulous umbrella shop, Parasolerie Heurtault, tell the story behind his flabbergasting art.
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“I’ve been obsessed with umbrellas from the time I was three. I have no idea why, but I could spend hours breaking them apart and studying how they opened and closed. I collected all of the umbrellas I could find, and by the time I was eight I was repairing them for people in my neighborhood. Needless to say, my parents thought I was nuts.

I moved from Toulon to Paris when I was eighteen and began working as a costume designer. I eventually opened my own company, Art ‘Scene, where I made costumes and corsets for film shoots, theatre productions as well as fashion houses such as Dior. I poured the most luxurious elements into my costumes.

Throughout the same period, I devoted all of my free time to making umbrellas and parasols. I didn’t want to make them in polyester and plastic like everyone else, so I started researching ways to waterproof and UV-protect noble materials, like lace, cotton, silk and linen. Anyone can put fabric on an umbrella, but my signature is to use only the finest materials, experiment with the cut, and handcraft the finishes so that it become a striking object with a soul.

I use an 18th century machine to cut my fabric into eight panels and then bend and shape them to create the curves and silhouette of the umbrella. The fabric needs to be as taught as possible. The sound of the umbrella when it opens, the stretching and tightening until it springs into place is a sign of quality. The more the fabric flutters the more it catches the wind like a sail, causing the umbrella to shake and break.

I do all of the detail and finishing by hand. I pad the ribs and smock the runners with fabric for aesthetic and practical reasons. It unifies the color of the design, prevents rusting, and helps the umbrella open and close more easily

I consider the umbrella to be a fashion accessory. Not only is it a beautiful item to carry in your hand, it gives you instant attitude and allure. I’m always shocked by the number of people who spend a ton of time and energy on their ensemble, but then ruin it with a revolting umbrella.

Instead of a cigarette, you have an umbrella to play with. It’s the final touch to a chic silhouette.

So many women come to me and say that they’d love to carry a parasol, but that it’s not really fashionable. And I tell them, ‘it’s not just about fashion, it’s about personal comfort.’ When you’re under an parasol you don’t sweat as much, you’re makeup doesn’t drip off, you’re not oppressed by the sun, and of course it’s great for protecting your skin.

Umbrellas have been vulgarized as disposable objects. We throw away 10 million per year in France and 33 million in the USA. During your grandmother’s era an umbrella was a luxury object, you bought one every year and when it broke, you had it repaired. I’m not obsessed with the past, I’m just thinking about a future that’s ecologically chic.”

Shop and Atelier Address: 91 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012, Paris
Price: Starting at €300