Colette is the original concept store. Situated on the desirable Rue St. Honoré, Colette is a fashion mecca in the heart of Paris. SO imagine my disappointment/confusion when we arrived there this summer to see the store boarded up and closed but emblazoned with signs proclaiming, “We are still open.” This referred to their e-store and Colette Mini – a small boutique, found just around the corner, where you could sample a miniscule selection of the delights Colette usually has to offer. On the 24th of August, Colette reopened; refurbished, dazzling and offering me a very good excuse to return to Paris very soon. Visit Colette’s e-store and see the refurb on NYLON’s blog.

We began our trek in Milan, where we stumbled upon the famed 10 Corso Como. Concept store extraordinaire, this little enclave of calm also boasts a café, restaurant, adjoining 3 Rooms Hotel, gallery and book shop…phew! I could have spent the day there (or week!) As my Flickr set shows, 10 Corso Como is set in a unique space, with an outdoor terrace and rooms over multiple floors, surrounding the courtyard. Brainchild of former fashion editor Carla Sozzani, everything is sold there, from perfumes to ready-to-wear fashions, books and gadgets. The shop itself is a revelation – colour coded sections, matched with unique lighting, make for a sublime retail experience. Stand-out items are displayed strategically at the end of rows; seeing the Prada fairy dresses truly showed their magical, almost child-like appeal. What impressed me the most was that there was no air of snobbery or pretention. Anyone could shop there and not be bothered or made to feel intimidated by the high-end appeal of the store. If you have the opportunity to visit Milan, the Corso Como is a fashionable boulevard, with hidden delights lurking behind the entrance to number 10. (If you want a fuller view of 10 Corso Como this link, despite being in Korean, is more informative. The .com url is currently under construction.)