‘And God said, “Let there be fashion week,” and there were many of them….’

As the lords of fashion confer in Paris, discussing what color shirts we should want to buy next year, I decided this is a good time to talk about all those pieces that never go out of style.

No, I don’t mean the good pair of jeans / little black dress / white shirt kind of classics. I’m talking about the French version of timeless pieces. An all-wardrobe-must-haves any woman has or should aspire to have (in cases of limited budget).

First on the list: Les Ballerines….

Every good wardrobe starts at the bottom, with a good pair of basic, comfortable, day-to-night ballerina shoes. Many Parisians even carry around a pair in their bag for emergencies (when their feet are too sore from the heels).

And when I say Ballerina shoes, I actually mean Repetto.  Established in 1947 as a family dancing-shoes business, Repetto became a national obsession after 1956, when Brigitte Bardot wore a red pair in the film “And God Created Woman“.

Today, Repetto is still the reference label. Their flagship store is situated near the Opera Garnier , where you can purchase the latest collection (starting at 150 Euros) or order a custom-made pair in the color of you choice.

Personally, I don’t own a pair. YET.

That’s it for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with another item on my Fashion-Week classics special :)

Until then, enjoy the show!

Brigitte Bardot + shoes = History