PARIS FOR FASHION LOVERS

The tour starts at 4.30pm on Saturday 5 October, at the Hotel Royal Saint Honoré, Paris.

The tour ends at after breakfast on Wednesday 16 October, at the Hotel Royal Saint Honoré, Paris.

We meet tour leader Nicole Hayward in our hotel this afternoon, gathering for our inaugural talk on Paris as a fashion capital. The talk is followed by welcome drinks and dinner at a classic Parisian restaurant a short walk from our hotel. Overnight Paris (D)

After a leisurely start to the day, we make our way to the Musée Carnavalet, dedicated to the history of Paris and housed across two exceptional private mansions, built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Once home to writer Madame de Sévigné, the older mansion is a rare example of Renaissance architecture in Paris. Here we have a tour of the key pieces in the collection, creating an historical context for Parisian fashion. There is time to browse and have lunch before we meet our local guide for a walking tour of ‘Fashion in the Heart of Paris’, taking us on a fascinating adventure through the city’s famous and prestigious retail and design districts. Returning to the hotel the evening is at leisure. Overnight Paris (B)

Complementing yesterday’s walking tour, we make our way this morning to the workshops of a ready-to-wear brand who participates in the official Paris Fashion Week shows. In this special insider’s look at the design process, we learn from a working design team about the history of their brand, how they develop and implement new ideas and how they work as a collaborative team. Lunch follows at the famous Angelina Café, a Paris institution established on the fashionable Rue de Rivoli in 1903 where Coco Chanel would sit, sipping her daily chocolat chaud. This afternoon we stroll through the chic walkways of the Passages Couverts, beautiful shopping arcades dating from the Belle Epoque which are now home to a range of quirky and fascinating boutiques. Returning to the hotel the evening is at leisure. Overnight Paris (B, L)

For lovers of fashion and design there are few destinations as special as the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Founded in 1882 and one of Paris’ premier museums, MAD is dedicated to the exhibition and preservation of the decorative arts. This morning we tour the museum’s summer exhibition which examines the rise of the department store from 1852 to the present day, looking at the social and cultural importance of what was a totally new form of commercial interaction in the 19th century. There is time to explore the museum’s extensive collection at leisure and have a light lunch before we return to our hotel. This afternoon Nicole will give a talk on the House of Dior before a screening of the film Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, a lovely ode to fashion, to the people who create it and to those who fervently desire it. After the screening we’ll head out for a light dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Paris (B, D)

Following in the determined footsteps of Mrs Harris this morning, we visit the historic atelier of Maison Dior in the Avenue Montaigne, now a fabulous museum dedicated to the work of Monsieur Christian Dior and to the many talented designers who succeeded him at his couture house following his untimely death in 1957. The afternoon is free to explore the museum further or browse the adjacent Triangle d’Or – the confluence of the Avenues Montaigne, George V and the Champs Elysées where the finest haute couture establishments can be found. The nearby Petit Palais, an excellent but often overlooked museum built for the Universal Exhibition in 1900, is home to a superb collection of fine and decorative arts from the Classical World through to the 20th century and a recommended visit. This evening we make our way to the historic Palais Garnier for a ballet performance (schedule permitting). Overnight Paris (B)

Performance I
Venue: Palais Garnier
Program: To be announced
Performers: To be announced

Fashion is no fun without its buttons and bows so this morning we have a guided tour of the historic Sentier district, the traditional home of Parisian textiles and haberdashery. Our local guide will share stories of the wealthy and aristocratic customers who frequented the salons and the hard-working women who created their exquisite hats and gowns as we visit boutiques still selling the finest French threads, notions and fabric. Many of these businesses have been recognised as Enterprises du Patrimoine Vivant by the French Government in recognition of their ongoing contribution to French culture and heritage. After lunch together, we visit Musée du Parfum Fragonard, founded in 1926. Here we have the opportunity to create our own bespoke scent before our guided tour of the museum reveals the fascinating history of perfume. Returning to the hotel the evening is at leisure. Overnight Paris (B, L)

In the year when Paris hosts the Olympic Games it’s no surprise that many of the major exhibitions have a sports focus and this morning we visit the city’s premier fashion museum, the Palais Galliera, for Fashion on the Move. While this is a chronological examination of fashion from the 18th century to the present day, the focus is on the body in movement. It’s easy to overlook how crucial changes in textiles, design and social mores have been to sporting achievement, especially for women, and how liberating some of those changes have been when incorporated into our everyday wardrobe. With the exhibition as the backdrop, our guided tour will look at both evolution and innovation in fashion. After a break for lunch the early afternoon is at leisure before we head to the Opéra Bastille for an ‘Arts and Crafts’ backstage tour which takes us into the “living city” behind the scenes, bringing together a team of skilled artisans to create the props, costumes, wigs and sets for each massive production. Our tour is followed by a night at the Opéra itself where we can appreciate both the music and the extraordinary amount of unseen work that goes into each performance. Overnight Paris (B)

Performance II
Venue: Opéra Bastille
Program: To be announced
Performers: To be announced

The creative talent of the great Paris fashion houses has often been sourced “offshore” and today we explore two of the brightest stars of haute couture, both drawn from colonial North Africa. The name of Yves Saint Laurent is synonymous with Paris fashion, but he was born in Algeria, only moving to Paris when he was 18. This morning we have a guided tour of the Musée Saint Laurent, the designer’s former work and showroom, which offers a fascinating glimpse into his design process and elegantly presents his extraordinary body of work. We then head to the Fondation Azzedine Alaia where we have lunch in the restaurant before visiting the museum itself, where our tour will showcase the Tunisian born designer’s own beautiful and innovative work as well as the extensive fashion archive he amassed before his death in 2017. The museum is located in the bohemian Marais district and the remainder of the day is free to explore this fascinating area, one of the few to retain its pre-Haussmann layout. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Paris (B, L)

Sunday in Paris is the perfect day for treasure hunting at the famous Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, but this vast second hand “flea” market can be daunting for the visitor so we begin under the instruction of a local guide, who will help reveal the fabulous treasure trove of antique fabric and vintage lingerie and clothing to be found. After a break for lunch there is free time to enjoy the markets at your own pace or continue your own explorations of Paris. In nearby Montmartre, historic haunt of the demi-monde of artists and cabaret performers, you may like to walk in the footsteps of Amélie Poulain, visit the famous Sacré Coeur Basilica, see Hector Guimard’s spectacular art-nouveau metro entrances, or simply sit at a café and imagine the days when the area was a lively village on the Paris outskirts. Evening at leisure. Overnight Paris (B)

Giving a contemporary context to the exhibition we viewed at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, this morning we have a private guided tour of one of the great department stores of Paris – the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. Founded as a small haberdashery shop in 1894 by cousins Théophile Bader and Alphonse Kahn, the company quickly grew and by 1912 their flagship store on the Boulevard Haussmann was complete – a beautiful temple of shopping complete with art nouveau staircases and a spectacular stained-glass cupola. After our tour there is time to explore this vast shopping mecca, enjoy morning tea in the restaurant under the dome, or take in the spectacular views across Paris from the panoramic terrace. After time for lunch we have a private tour of the Duvelleroy Fan Boutique in the smart 7th arrondissement. Founded in 1827, the boutique supplied exquisite fans to royalty across Europe in the 19th century and still produces fans to an haute couture standard. There is time to explore the neighbourhood, which includes the iconic Eiffel Tower and the tomb of Napoleon at Les Invalides. This evening we make our way to Montmartre for the spectacular Féerie revue at the famous Moulin Rouge. We’ll enjoy an excellent dinner of quintessential French dishes as we are immersed in the glamorous universe of the legendary cabaret. Overnight Paris (B, D)

Performance III
Venue: Moulin Rouge
Program: Féerie
Performers: To be announced

On our last day in Paris, we look to the future with a visit to the Invenio Flory Workshop. This innovative studio, founded by designer Flory Brisset in 2011, pushes the boundaries of materials and design. Working with many of the major fashion houses and luxury brands, they describe themselves as being “at the crossroads of art, design and craftsmanship”. After a break for lunch, we’ll take a stroll through an area the group would like to visit, or revisit – perhaps the sophisticated Place Vendôme, elegant Place des Vosges or the Rue Francs Bourgeois with its trendy boutiques. This evening we farewell Paris with dinner at a renowned local restaurant. Overnight Paris (B, D)

Our tour ends today after breakfast. Please check individual documents for onward travel plans. (B)