This might just be the nicest store in Paris

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen that I miraculously managed to wear two different ballerinas when I went to Paris. Something about doubting which shoe to wear, moving on with the thousand things that needed to be done before departure, and realizing at the station that I was wearing a beige and a black-and-white shoe.
That called for a shopping session, so I headed to Repetto on Rue de la Paix in Paris. They have beautiful ballerinas (not cheap, but top quality), so I had to be there. I fell in love with this store again; it’s almost like visiting a gallery, you feel so enlightened when you walk out.

A bit about Rose Repetto

She is the woman who came up with this brand. Great story. Born in Milan (by the way, these are my favorite restaurants in Milan) she moved to Paris at a young age where she got married and had a son who danced. Every time he came home from his lessons, he complained about his sore feet. That made her decide to start making ballet shoes and one thing led to another. Eventually, she designed ballerinas that Brigitte Bardot wore in Et Dieu Créa la Femme. She named them ‘Cendrillon’ which is French for Cinderella. If you buy something, you are in good company. Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov (you know; ; Alexandr Petrovsky from Sex and the City) and the entire Kirov Ballet also bought them.

The interior

Lacquered wooden floors on which—how simple can a brilliant idea be—are painted with paint the five positions on the ground. Just the silhouette of a ballet shoe in the right shape. You immediately feel like you are in another world: the world of ballet. As you trip up the grand staircase and walk past the mirror-covered wall, it almost feels like you’ve landed in a barre studio. What I also found so nice is that they had covered a square cube with old pointe shoes, and there was also a color table that I almost wanted to sit at. They had mounted two pointe shoes on a wooden block, making them stand upright and they now served as a pencil holder. Furthermore, you only see the most beautiful tutus, but also very current outfits. I left the building with a boxy sweater (with sleeves trimmed with pointe shoe ribbon) and really a very cool T-shirt.

The music

Only classical classics are played at Repetto. Think of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. Delightful.

The enormous quality

You can immediately feel it in the material. If you try on a wool ballet suit here, there is a suit underneath that corrects things a bit. I bought a top that also has a bra attached. Everything has been thought through, it is made by people who understand what you want to do in a ballet outfit. You can also go there for delicious loungewear and basic shorts. Think Lululemon idea.

And then the service

You are helped exceptionally well and calmly. You feel like you are in pause mode for a moment. Everything is preferably wrapped in a little foil and you get such a lovely paper bag that, of course, is also tied shut with a ballet ribbon. Look, when everything is being packed, also take a look at the counter where those cute ballerina keychains are displayed. Of course, also neatly in the right positions. A theme must be carried through.