Retrospectives, couture collections & the Christmas countdown… A Week in Paris
My newsletter has a new home and a new name. Now on Substack, Paris, Puces. merges my longstanding 'Life in Paris' round-up with insider intel from the Puces de Saint-Ouen flea market, my new crush.
🎥 Currently underway at the Cinémathèque Française, My Name is Orson Welles is a monumental retrospective - the most exhaustive ever assembled apparently - celebrating the wild, larger-than-life brilliance of Orson Welles, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. From masterpieces like Citizen Kane to later works such as The Other Side of the Wind, completed posthumously, as well as unfinished projects, radio work, magic shows and films in which he shines as an actor, it offers a deep dive into one of cinema’s most influential figures.
📷 A retrospective developed in collaboration with pioneering street photographer Joel Meyerowitz opened last week during Paris Photo at Galerie Polka. Part retrospective, part studio visit, Immersion guides visitors through his work – from the streets of New York to intimate portraits and still lifes in the studios of Morandi and Cézanne, and even his work documenting the aftermath of 9/11. At 87, Meyerowitz still wanders the city like a child at play, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary images – proof that, as he says, “an ordinary life isn’t ordinary when you put a frame around a moment”.
And if Paris Photo wrapped up yesterday, PhotoSaintGermain and Photo Days continue through the end of the month, offering plenty more to explore.
🍤 Le Pompon is the latest playground for the beautiful people from Laurent de Gourcuff (Paris Society), a new Parisian institution channelling Hemingway and Fitzgerald as much as Serge and Jane inside the opulent Palais Brongniart. Its decor mashes up leather banquettes, velvet curtains, candlelit tables and leopard-print carpet. Nibble on Instagrammable dishes like Spicy Lobster Linguini and a giant Pavlova before pushing the table aside for the dancefloor, where until 2am a DJ spins anthems the jetset love.
✨ The Christmas countdown has begun, it seems. Astier de Villatte’s annual Christmas pop-up wonderland has just opened, offering a magical mix of decorations – from classic motifs to modern festive icons like booze, cigarettes, and even Donatella Versace. Meanwhile, Debeaulieu unveils its 2025 collection of original Christmas creations, each an exquisite organic sculpture, far from traditional holly-and-pine wreaths, made to order and ready for delivery or in-store pickup within 48 hours.
👗 Couture legend Azzedine Alaïa carried a secret, lifelong passion for Dior. Briefly working there in 1956, he was struck by the discipline and artistry of the Avenue Montaigne ateliers, and over the years, he amassed hundreds of Dior haute couture garments for his private collection. Some of these exceptional pieces will be presented for the first time at the Galerie Dior in its new display, Dior by Alaïa: The Collection of a Secret Admirer, opening Thursday!
(Part Two, Alaïa & Dior: A Dialogue, opens 15 Dec at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation.)
🗝️And finally, the autumn edition of the Rue de Bretagne brocante starts Friday. Spanning Rue de Bretagne, Rue Perrée, Rue Eugène-Spuller, Rue Caffarelli, Rue du Petit-Thouars and Rue de Picardie, this iconic flea market brings together thousands of visitors hunting for everything from vintage design to workwear and other overlooked gems. See you there.
Thanks for reading
Kate
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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).