From Modern Primitives to Living Fashion – A Week in Paris
Celebrating life in Paris, Paris Makers, and the strange, new, true and beautiful – forever!
🎪 Currently on view at the storied Left Bank Galerie Dina Vierny, Le Théâtre des Apparences presents 20 works from the 20s and 30s by French naïve painter Camille Bombois (1883–1970), a former circus strongman and railway labourer who transformed scenes from his own humble, rocambolesque life into bold, vividly coloured tableaux, in a style reminiscent of Rousseau. His canvases of figures, nudes and everyday scenes unfold with a theatrical stillness in which each element seems to command the stage. Until 13 March.
🧢 Creators of clever, covetable merch for iconic Parisian addresses – from institutions including Brasserie Lipp and Au Pied de Cochon to newer favourites like Folderol or Dandelion – GiftShop has just opened a first bricks-and-mortar boutique just behind the Palais-Royal. Before its most recent incarnation as Francesco Russo’s (much-missed) Paris outpost, the spot apparently housed legendary restaurant Le Bœuf à la Mode (1792–1950). Today you can browse GiftShop’s ever-growing collections of keyrings, ashtrays, totes, tableware and more, that turn the city’s most beloved venues into stylish souvenirs.
✌🏽 Paris Fashion Week opens today!, previewing the Autumn-Winter 2026 womenswear collections, through 10 March. Highlights include a debut at Balmain for Atlein founder Antonin Tron, a farewell at Alaïa as Pieter Mulier heads to Versace, following Prada’s acquisition last December, and a wave of second collections at major houses, from Dior to Chanel, Balenciaga to Jean Paul Gaultier – often the moment when a designer’s vision begins to settle. Check the full schedule here and watch out for all number of openings, launches and parties around town.
🧵 Paris Maker Olivier Saillard presents Musée Vivant de la Mode at the new Fondation Cartier, his manifesto for a ‘living museum of fashion’ that preserves, above all, movement and the intimate history of clothes. Daily performances at 5 pm reactivate calico toiles, clothes racks and other overlooked accessories alongside the centre’s inaugural Exposition Générale, and three special (sold-out) shows punctuate the season, spotlighting muses Tilda Swinton and Paloma Picasso. A poetic, public retelling of two decades of a singular œuvre. Starts Sun.
🥖 And finally, this year’s edition of the Best Baguette in Paris was awarded last week to Sri Lankan born baker Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan of Le Fournil Didot (75014). The competition drew 143 competitors, judged across five criteria – appearance, taste, baking, crumb and airiness – with the winner receiving a medal, 4,000€, and the prestigious role of official supplier to the Élysée for a year. The runners-up, making up the top ten for 2026, are: B&S Nation (75012); L’Ecrin Gourmand (75012); Maison Daguet (75015); Maison Bergeron (75007); Boulangerie Guyot Ferreira (75005); Maison Leparq (75015); Boulangerie Moderne Rabineau (75005); Aux Délices de Glacière (75013); Au Paradis du Gourmand (75014). Remember that in Paris, 93% of residents live within a five-minute walk of a bakery!
Thanks for reading
Kate x
Welcome to Paris, Puces. on Substack. Expect the best of : LIFE IN PARIS 🇫🇷 each week, plus expert intel and tips from the world’s most epic FLEA MARKET✨ Art, Fashion, Design !
On Mondays: Life in Paris postcards - a curated mix of sights, bites and delights, celebrating Paris Makers, and the strange, new, true, and beautiful, forever!
On Fridays: Flea market intel - in-depth guides, behind-the-scenes stories and practical tips (this content will eventually be paywalled, but Life in Paris will remain free).