THE NICEST STORE IN PARIS IS DISAPPEARING…

And this is what you can learn from them

Colette is disappearing. After twenty years of success and fame, founder Colette Rousseaux thinks it's enough. She is getting a bit older (how old exactly I naturally dare not ask. You don't ask a lady about the number of shoes and not about her age, after all) and will close the door on December 20. So you can still plan your pilgrimage to Paris, no worries. Here you'll find the nicest things you can do in 36 hours in Paris.

But after twenty years, the Colette era comes to an end. Your favorite store, mine, Karl Lagerfeld's, Jay Z's, oh, whose isn't it really? My colleague Daniëlle (you know, the one with the bags) was once at Colette on a Tuesday morning at 11:00 AM. Just after the Chanel show. And who did she see there? Karl himself. A little shopping after the job was done. I once met Alek Wek there who sold her bag line (she had it then) first. I eagerly rummaged through the, quite affordable, bags and decided that I could buy two when she subtly informed me that these were the wholesale and not the retail prices. Ah, Okeeeeee. And I slink away.

Colette, in short, the most beautiful design collection in Paris is disappearing. And it's a good moment to summarize what you can learn from them.

1. Colette has nothing to do with the famous writer.

The founder of this store is simply named Colette. After her first name. The famous writer used Colette as her last name.

2. Mother-daughter businesses rock

What about & Sons, Colette's strength was the bond with her daughter. The way they complemented each other, strengthened each other. Without arguments because we women don't like that.

3. No marketing plan

Just do what you like and if it doesn't work, adjust. “Did we feel like painting the floor green? Then we painted the floor green. Within two minutes that was decided.”

4. Stay fresh

Every week Colette and her daughter Sarah changed the window display. The mannequins were redressed and the store got a new ‘color’. This kept you surprised.

5. Stay cool

Despite many tourists, Colette maintained her coolness. No commercial concessions, tapping someone on the shoulder when they take photos and especially not awkwardly closing the doors when a celeb is inside. The most normal thing in the world. In the most beautiful store in the world.