Walk along the temple of fashion and design: La Cité de la mode et du design

9 September 2012 / No Comments

I got back to Paris from a longish train ride and weekend in the South this afternoon and needed a walk. Or a skate. So Tom and I went to one of my favourite places in Paris for its architecture and sense of innovation. Plus I am an urban girl at heart, brought up in Le Corbusier’s Barbican in London, so tall innovative baron architecture pleases my eye.

Les Docks en Seine, otherwise known as La Cité de la Mode is situated in the 13th arrondissement_ of Paris, not far from the Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris where I go every week to write and, yes yes, to skate.

I had been waiting for les Docks-Cité (again, another name for it) to open for a couple of years now. The papers kept on saying “nearly ready” and then you walked past and on the announced opening day and deception would overwhelm you: it was always unfinished.

Until this Spring, when it actually OPENED!

The architects Jakob and Macfarlane designed this space age like building. It stages exhibitions in it’s massive halls, small boutiques of “jeunes createurs” (no fancy names, just unknown super talents), cafes, restaurants and many events dedicated to fashion and design (the place is massive, it spans over 14000m2). The front of these rehabilitated docks sparked controversy initially as it is now coated with what seems like a gigantic green worm like structure which lights up at night. This is actually the walkway above the Seine itself which provides beautiful views of up and down river.

The roof hosts the largest terrace in Paris upon which sit a couple of restaurants (the VIEWS the VIEWS!) and a night club too.

At the moment, there are a couple of exhibitions on that I quickly took in:

an hommage to the work of Spanish designer Baleciaga and another to the creator of Haute Couture name Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo. All this on until the 7th October.

A gorgeous sunny afternoon walking and skating around a baron but really inspiring structure, just like everything it contains!!!

Cité de la Mode et du Design

34, quai d’Austerlitz

75013 Paris