Designer's Days - "10 ans!"

Paris is asserting its position on the international design circuit as it celebrates the 10th anniversary of Designer Day's, an annual event that gathers together a host of brands and design bodies to showcase their latest collaborations or concepts. At the prestigious Maison Baccarat, lighting designer Yann Kersalé has put together a lighting display around crystal wares, and at Belgium wall covering company Arte International, paper dress designs signed by Isabelle de Borchgrave are on show. Other events include a ‘liquid’ video installation produced by designer Philippe Di Méo for Boffi Bains and an illusionary interactive display, signed by Belgian designer Arne Quinze for L’Eclaireur.


Described as a "federative platform" for large-scale industry players and smaller designers alike, the aim of the event is to create a network "devoted to the promotion of design", says Designer's Days president Alain Larvet. A sister event in Milan, called Design-in-the-City was inaugurated last October and projects are underway to extend the event to the cities of Marseilles, Bordeaux and Nantes.


Designer’s Days, Paris June 9 to 14

Ralph’s - a design on dining

American designer brand Polo Ralph Lauren has opened its first restaurant in Europe along with its largest European flagship. Housed in a classical 17th century hotel particulière on the boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris’s chic left quarter, Ralph’s restaurant – the brand’s second in the world - fronts onto a leafy cobblestone courtyard for outdoor dining. The interior, which seats 50, including a private lounging room for eight, features timbered ceilings and parquet flooring and stone fireplace. The menu proffers traditional American cuisine with specialties including a Santa Barbara salad, Ralph’s Burger, and brownies and cheesecake comprising the desert listing. Ralph Lauren’s first restaurant, RL, opened in Chicago in 1999.

Meanwhile, the 2,150m² flagship with women’s and men’s collections and a separate 20m² Watch Salon is said to be the brand’s biggest flagship in Europe. Design features include vintage mercury glass mirrors, an antique green marble fireplace and Tiffany vitrines in the Watch Salon.
Ralph Lauren has two other stores in Paris at place de la Madeleine and Avenue Montaigne.

Opened : 26 April 2010
Address : 173 boulevard Saint-Germain