What Colette Meant To The Creative Youth Of Paris

On Dec. 20, 2017, Colette closed its doors for good. In the days leading up to and following, industry insiders across both the world and the internet have been effusively sharing their fondest memories of the Parisian concept shop and its founder, Sarah Andelman. Seen as both a cultural mecca and an educational experience, the Rue Saint Honoré staple’s shuttering left the fashion industry (and beyond) disappointed, to say the least. That’s because the closure certainly doesn’t signify the decline of its relevance. In 2015, 18 years after it hit the retail scene, Forbes called Colette “the trendiest store in the world.” Make no mistake: Colette left while it was still at the top of its game. Founder Colette Rousseaux opened up shop in 1997; Andelman, her daughter, took on the roles of creative director and head buyer. Known for stocking anything and everything with an air of cool (clothing, telephones, jewelry, music, home decor, electronics, books…) and brands that ran the gamut from Disney to Off-White — few other retailers would ever put Puma next to Chanel in its window displays — the shop was heralded as a place for discovery. As such, Colette acted as a partner that offered many firsts to designers, artists, musicians and shoppers alike. It quickly became known for pushing the cultural needle — a distinction that so many brands desperately chase, but are rarely able to achieve. Rousseaux and Andelman were more than simply vendors: They built a brand on a foundation rooted in change, essentially accomplishing the impossible. Years before Colette blue became permanent, even the colors of the two dots on the exterior would rotate weekly; the merchandising would change weekly; the restaurant theme would change monthly, while the menu would change daily. Read more at Fashionista.