Street Style: Rue d'Orléans


We ran across these two fanshionistos today in le centre ville and couldn't get over their "French lycée meets american teenager" look. The Nike's track shoes add some whimsy to the seriousness of their coats, and skinny jeans make a smooth transition between the two. Plus, in all honesty, we simply can't resist a guy with a Longchamps man-bag. Seriously, Frenchies know how it's done.

Love,

Rebecca, Alec, Madeline and Maddy

Designer Aspirations: Part 1


Bonjour tout le monde! For my section, “Designer Aspirations” I’ll be keeping you guys updated with what I’m doing in Rennes to pursue my dream of being a fashion designer. Unlikely...well, yeah, but I'm still holding onto that 1/1,000,000 chance. So, until then, I’m designing out of a cardboard box and sewing with a rusted machine - I’m not giving up. In any case, my most recent endeavor was one of the best yet. I spent a week going around Rennes, harassing all the dressmakers and tailors in town with my presence and somehow I landed an apprenticeship with one of the best wedding dress designers and hat makers in France. Each day for a week I rang in, walked up to her studio, and sewed for 4 hours, all while attempting to make conversation in French (it got pretty ugly). She had me make a wedding veil and organza flowers, and after approving my workmanship, had me work on the dresses. It. Was. Ideal. In order to use her studio footage on the site, The Society agreed not to include her name (famous people can be so touchy!) but, nonetheless, we managed to sneak it in the video. See if you can pick it out. Until next time,

Live well, Dress Better,
Maddy

The Society Adores You.


courtesy of www.businessoffashion.com

And to prove our devotion, we're providing you with guilty…but fashionable, pleasures. We're giving out a free Fashion Society T-shirt to one of our lucky commentators who leaves their e-mail address in their comment before December 15th . We know what you're thinking, but it's sooo not like that. We wouldn't dare put our name on some baggy, oversized, cotton-like polyblend bag. Oh, no. Whoever is chosen at random will receive an American Apparel t-shirt in the size of their choice with our silkscreened logo. Trust us, you’re gonna look classy. So, if ready to be showered with gifts from your favorite fashion-obsessed American teenagers studying in France, then leave a comment on any post with your e-mail and just wait for our message to tell you that you've won.

Love, Your Editors
Madeline, Alec, Rebecca and Maddy

Rennes, The Birthplace of the Society


Picture courtesy of www.brittanyhouse.info

For goodness sakes, you don’t know where Rennes is? Dommage. Well, it fits right in between the Louvre during fashion week and the Marc Jacobs store as one of the most amazing places on Earth. It's a bit small, true, and hair straightening is out of the question considering the relentless rain, but it's all made up for by the incredible French shopping. After all, who really needs straight hair or dry shoes when you can just pop over to Texto for brand spankin' new leather boots and head down to the local Kaki Crazy Station and pick up a nice slouchy beanie to cover the frizz? So what exactly makes it so great? Well, you know how in Confessions of a Shopaholic the store windows just seduce Becky into the store? It's kind of like that. No JcPenny lighting here, K-mart flooring is a definite no, and obnoxious salespeople are all locked up away (hopefully in prison as they should be). It’s cultured shopping all the way.

So where to start? There's no where better than Crazy Republic, a superstore unique to only two locations in the world. Luckily, one of them is right here in our backyard.

Courtesy of www.archiliste.fr

This season, this three story shopping heaven if focused on rocker chic and western vintage, carrying everything from Diesel to Hells Bells to fufill this ideal. They certianly live up to their motto the "alternative store" with unique, funky pieces, lively music, and glammed-up warehouse decor.


Courtesy of www.archiliste.fr

Their runway show is something like a young Alexander McQueen production.The clothes are wild, the models eccentric and though a bit B rate,it's definately worth checking out.(head over to www.crazyrepublic.fr for a glimpse).
located at 9 rue D'antrain (Rennes, France), it's completely worth a shopping day or two, just be prepared to find yourself frantically scraping together money, wondering how soon you can get back, for days after you leave.

Live well, Dress better.

Maddy Maxey