I am proud to announce my very first guest post here on Life and Style Madrid. My fantastic friend Heather Evans and her lovely boyfriend Jesús Hellín found an amazing market of hand-made items, La Boutique Éphémére in Paris, and took some amazing photos and wrote up a summary of it below. I am so excited to be able to share this with you and a huge thanks to Heather and Jesús for their contribution! Enjoy!
Recently in Paris there have been pop up, indoor fashion markets in all the coolest neighborhoods. The most famous (and the most inspiring) is La Boutique Éphémére that assembles the newest & best fashion designers who all hand make their items. For a few days these talented designers get together to display their most recent work. You can find gorgeous, unique pieces from skirts to purses, belts to hair accessories , bowties to watches, each just as cool as the next… not to mention über chic.
Olivia Phélip is one of these designers. Her line, Jicqy Les Mirettes sells bowties, ties, jewelry and head pieces. How did she become such a talented designer? Olivia was a teacher who had lost her drive and two years ago she decided to take a year off to study and practice music, one of her passions. However, she got a little side tracked and started making jewelry. Next, because her boyfriend started wearing unique ties, she thought it would be cool to get into making them, too. She started with bowties, then ties six months after. For her first bowtie, she used her grandfather’s vintage Hermés bowtie as an example. She tore it apart, took measurements and, using her thigh as a ‘neck’, learned how to create beautifully handsome, impressive bowties. She also quickly included braided women’s head pieces in her repertoire – good thing!! They are ahhhmazing!
The chains used in some of the jewelry and head pieces are from a fantastic small store that sells pieces to make jewelry. Because her specialty is braided work, she incorporates these delicate chains into intricate braided pieces.
The fabrics she uses are truly unique. She sometimes takes fabrics from a fabric wholesaler in Paris that has the latest materials straight from the Parisian couture designers (Hermés, Dior, Chanel…) She also collects fabrics from her travels; silks from India, kimonos from Japan, … each of her pieces is powerful, has a history, depth and couldn’t be more special.
There are two very hip boutiques that currently sell her creations and of course sells online through her website. She sells at some of these indoor markets as well as doing custom work for weddings, special events, etc. (Imagine your groom & groomsmen with Jicqy Les Mirettes bowties!)
And check out this video of Oliva Phélip or follow her on Facebook as well!
Post by Heather Evans and Photos by Jesús Hellín
