Everyone wants to look dynamic, young, he comments. When a name like Yves Saint Laurent uses electronic jazz in his TV commercials, or Prada says it is getting into active sportswear, you know a page has turned. Le Shop is almost a mini mall with 25 different collections individually showcased on two levels. What most of the labels have in common is a techno approach to fabrics, from oiled denim jeans for the biker crowd to a featherweight down coat lined in an anti-freeze material to waterproof jogging pants. Everything zips or snaps apart with velcro closings while jacket pockets are specifically designed for mobile phones.
Colors are dominants of grays and blacks.
Most of the customers arrive clutching motorcycle helmets. In the beginning, we were there to shock, says Barotin. Much of what Le Shop sells used to be defined as weekend clothes, commented a young menswear designer. That definition no longer exists. Quiksilver, which specializes in surf wear and snowboarding, just opened a 500 square meter boutique at the end of last year at 30 Avenue des Champs-Elysees.