the fleas.

the last time i was in paris 7 years ago, it was all about the galleries, the patisseries and to put into practice the behaviour of a parisian flaneur that i’d spent the past year at uni year learning about. back then i wasn’t the secondhand treat lover that i am today, infact, i didn’t visit one secondhand shop or market during my 4 day jaunt. i was travelling alone so wandering the streets aimlessly into the night just wasn’t a sensible option. instead i spent my mornings wandering the arcades, afternoons at the louvre and my evenings watching bad french tv in my hotel room whilst devouring several (at least 3 at a time) pain du chocolat. this time however, my girls and i were dinnering late into the evening and rarely in bed before 1am. locals were still ordering dinner at 11pm and the nutella crepe stands were making a killing well into the early hours. i was falling more and more in love with paris the longer i spent walking her streets. my heart was put to the ultimate test when we decided to spend our saturday wandering one of the biggest flea markets in the world. les puces or ‘the fleas’ is an extensive array of vintage/pre-loved eye candy that only my dreams could have prepared me for. even though the majority of what i wanted (all of it, every single thing) was too big to come home with me, i fell in love, over and over and over again. i wasn’t disheartened, only inspired and delighted by what my eyes were uncovering. photo opportunity after photo opportunity had our creative juices flowing from the get go. i still look back at photos (most notably THIS chair) and fall in love. i’d be flicking through boxes of old postcards, love letters and family portraits whilst my girls were neck deep in vintage chanel, fashion magazines and lace. the variety of treasure was beyond incredible, i probably pinched myself about 20 times to prove i was really there. we were creating mental mood boards in our minds of future home displays and collections and eyeballing items that we’d mail home in a heartbeat if the budget permitted. there’s an incredible history and charm exuded by the treasure found at a french flea market that my local oppie can never compare to. covering a gigantic 7 hectares of land, this flea market requires patience, regular coffee stops and a camera. this time i learnt that paris is definitely a city for lovers…lovers of vintage treasure that is.

THE chair that all my dreams are made of.

market reflections.

more chair delights.

beautiful art.

retro colour.

german beauties.

elegant vintage chanel.

pretty tiles.

for the love of eames.

love letters.

pretty patterns.

suitcase rummaging.

perfect displays.

mirror love.

pick a number.

vintage dress heaven.