Places: Marché Dauphine

Recently I trekked over to Les Puces de Saint-Ouen. My friends and I had heard that the giant flea market can be great for discovering antiques and vintage clothing, and that was enough for us to hop on the metro bright and early. Initially, the market was not at all what we expected. A few Parisians had warned me that the perimeter of Les Puces can be a bit seedy, cluttered with name-brand replica goods. Not exactly the vintage haven we’d had in mind. Even so, we got our bearings and realized that the area is composed of many smaller speciality markets. 

After a few hours of digging through bins of oversized sweaters and appraising countless shoes, we wandered into a smaller market called Marché Dauphine, an indoor area. (A major plus, as we were freezing.) Overall, the mini market is an ideal source for high end vintage shopping. Looking for Chanel, Chloé or Hermes? Lucky you, proceed straight to the dozens of boutiques inside Marché Dauphine. 

However, I was most captivated by this small shop, called Falbalas. Inside, you will find clothing organized by decade that has been curated under meticulous care. The shop’s museum-like organization remains approachable, making mixing and matching between time periods simple. Falbalas proves that there is an unfailing appeal in trying another time on for size.