Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler
For an admirer of the decorative arts, there is no city with more gravitational pull than Paris. As the birthplace of movements ranging from the Gothic to Neoclassicism, from Art Deco to French modernism, the city’s artists and artisans have shaped the rooms and buildings we inhabit for centuries. So perhaps it’s no surprise that Kelly Wearstler, the AD100 interior designer whose clients include Cameron Diaz and Gwen Stefani, finds herself visiting the City of Lights over and over again.
“Paris is such an important and inspirational city to me—so much of my work is connected to it and Europe,” she says. “It’s so fascinating to see how the different eras have shaped the city, and yet it’s always infused with new ideas and creativity.
This spring, she headed to the French capital for a month. Every other day, she’d visit at least one new gallery or museum via bike, explaining that it “helped me to gain a better understanding of the city plan and its landscape.” Some highlights? The Louis Vuitton Foundation, the Pinault Collection, as well as the Alessandro Mendini exhibit at Galerie Kreo.
Shopping, too, was very much on the agenda: in particular, Wearstler spent much of her time at the Paul Bert Serpette flea market. “It’s my go-to spot when curating for projects and I was able to get a lot of spectacular art and furniture for many of our projects in the studio,” she explains. Wearstler also notes she quickly became a regular at Ogata Paris. “It has a bar and a restaurant, but also a boutique with tea and stunning homeware goods,” she says.
Lastly, Wearstler dined at different restaurants as much as they could—as one should always do in Paris: “Le Duc, L’Emil, and Chez L’Ami Louis were some of my favorite places to eat.”
Below, find Kelly Wearstler’s design-focused travel diary from Paris.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler1/18Exploring the Paris flea market Paul Bert Serpette, which is the world’s largest antique market with 350 dealers.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler2/18At the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection. These works are by Anicka Yi.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler3/18The chic, intimate restaurant inside Château Voltaire called L’Emil.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler4/18Dining at Chez L’ami Louis, a legendary French restaurant.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler5/18Musée Picasso. This exhibit was curated by Paul Smith, so it felt super inventive and fresh.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler6/18Another highlight was my visit to Schiaparelli, where I met with Daniel [Roseberry] and was able to relish in the inspiring work he’s done for the brand. I’m such a fan. This is a private meeting space at the atelier.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler7/18This definitely goes without saying but Paris is a dangerous city for fashion. I ended up buying a lot of clothes… too much caught my eye!
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler8/18A bronze daybed, designed as a collaboration between Schiaparelli and F. Taylor Colantonio.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler9/18At the Alaïa flagship boutique, designed by Marc Newson.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler10/18A unique 1980s chair from the Paris flea market.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler11/18Admiring the street art on rue de Seine.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler12/18A tapestry by Pol Bury and sculpture at the Paris flea market.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler13/18The Centre Pompidou exterior designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler14/18This image was captured at the Louis Vuittion Foundation, designed by Frank Gehry, during the Basquiat and Andy Warhol exhibition, which features a vast collection of paintings created
by the artistic duo. Pictured here is Ten Punching Bags (Last Supper), 1985-1986.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler15/18A unique China set from the ’80s at the Paris flea market. It’s difficult to find a set this expansive.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler16/18While I was in Paris, I went to the flea market every weekend.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler17/18Browsing the shelves at 7L, the Left Bank bookshop founded by Karl Lagerfeld. It’s known for its art, architecture, and fashion books.
Courtesy of Kelly Wearstler18/18Galerie Kreo at a special exhibition on Alessandro Mendini, one of my heroes of the postmodern movement.
This article was originally published on Vogue.com
