The Sights of Paris (and London!)
The trip has been flying by in a blur of trips—museum excursions, walking tours, and even a weekend trip to London. I fall into bed each night feeling like my legs will fall off by the morning. But hey, it’s a good excuse to eat more croissants!
Paris is a unique city in that every available building has been utilized to its fullest potential. Even the former royal palace now hosts shops, elegant high-end boutiques for which you need an appointment just to enter. One of our walking tours took us through this super chic area: through the glass-ceilinged passages that predate the modern shopping mall; past restaurants where a single meal can cost upwards of 200 euros; past the Christian Louboutin flagship store where the classic red-bottomed shoes were displayed proudly in a neon-wreathed window. Walking through Paris is like flitting between worlds, and this was the world where only kings could walk with confidence.
Still, the most incredible display of haute couture would have to be Dior. A limited-run installation at the Musée des Artes Decoratifs, the exhibit was comprised of a dozen rooms laying out the history, inspiration, and future of the company, dress by dazzling dress. The museum expertly sculpted each room to reflect the garments and accessories within. A secret garden of paper flowers and violet lights accompanied the perfumes and floral prints; a sparkly fairytale of a ballroom showcased the red carpet looks. All in all, it was an exhibit that took my breath away. Each museum visit after was preceded by the professor stating “I know this isn’t Dior, but…” Truly, this trip should have been saved for the end, for I doubt much can compare (though we haven’t gone to the Louvre yet).
Finally, I would like to talk a little bit about London, as this is where we spent a significant portion of last week. We went to two museums on this trip: an exhibit featuring the works of designer Anna Sui, and the fashion history gallery at the Victoria and Albert (which included a temporary exhibit honoring Christobol Balenciaga). While these were both great, the highlight of the weekend was the tour we took of East London street art. Every available corner was covered in gorgeous art, some legal, some illegal. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and gave us both a rundown of the area’s history and details about the personal history of the various artists. We even saw a Banksy, though I definitely prefer Mr Cenz, who creates beautiful murals of women painted in all the colors of the galaxy.
Next up: The Musée D’Orsay, the Louvre, and countless more walking tours. Here’s hoping I make it through this trip with my legs still attached!
