Paris Fashion Week
By: Melissa Henderson
Paris is a city I’ll never get tired of visiting because of its urban charm and alluring culture. Recently, I’ve felt disconnected from fashion so I made up my mind to attend more international shows and special events. One afternoon, while sitting through a mandatory company meeting, I browsed on over to Google Flights and discovered cheap tickets to Paris. Next thing I know, my middle finger pressed the “Purchase Now” button with no regrets. This was my chance to pull up on a few shows, drink my favorite French wine, and get lost in Le Marais. My first two times in Paris, I was spoiled by the French Government’s hospitality on press trips. This time around, I would be navigating the city of love with my own schedule. Here is what I did, who I met, and what I bought in Paris. HOTEL CHRONICLES Sometimes, when I travel to places, I don’t really care about my hotel accommodations. But this time, I wanted to stay at a nice hotel even if it was only for a few nights and I wasn’t planning to spend much time in the actual hotel. After many failed attempts of trying to find a hotel more central to the Eiffel Tower on Booking. com, I settled for the Niepce Hotel on the Left Bank. Mind you, I was also traveling with my cousins, who had a completely different agenda during the day as it was their first time in Paris. They wanted to stay at one of Hilton Hotel’s boutique properties, which ended up being one of the only things we agreed to do together. We planned to go to dinner and party together every night. When we arrived at Niepce Paris, it was raining like cats and dogs but once inside, it was an instant luxury and comfortable. From the fruit water to the small elevator, entering this perfectly lit fancy hotel made my feelings sink into the rain. We’re in Paris! Meanwhile, I kept telling myself I didn’t need a bigger suitcase, so I opted to carry a Chanel garment bag and duffle trying to be cute. Huge mistake! It was a struggle getting to and from the airport. Luckily, as soon as I arrived at that place, the bellhop staff came falling to my heels, ready to answer every one of my needs. We prepaid the hotel so they knew it was real. They did everything you’d want a hotel concierge to do, like escort you upstairs with a mini-tour and followed by your bags, brought by another staffer. They also did a good job receiving my fashion event correspondences and brought them directly to my room upon my arrival on the first day. I can’t tell you how special I felt to receive a fashion show invite in the mail addressed with Violet Summer Zine. This is the part I really enjoy about Paris. They still have time to send letters by physical mail. 20
