After building their chic children's clothing brand Bonpoint, Marie-France and Bernard Cohen decided to give back by opening on March 5th the aptly named Merci (Thank You)…
In Fashion family decides to say "merci" (IHT, March 6th), Jessica Michault informs us that "the shop, which opened March 5, gives luxury customers exactly what
they need right now – guilt-free shopping. All the profits, after
production costs are deducted, will go to a children's charity
in Madagascar."
Looking for relative bargains check the perfume bar, the author suggests as "the fragrances of Annick Goutal, who
was Cohen's sister, are pored into generic bottles or any bottle that a
costumer might bring to the store. Since the brand is not taking any
profit on sales, the scents cost 40 percent less at Merci than at the
brand's own boutique."
Upstairs she notes is "a home furnishing area where Baccarat crystal vases can be found mixed
in with inexpensive flatware. Down in the basement is an Ali Baba's
cave of knickknacks and home supplies, and a restaurant filled with
long tables designed to bring strangers together around a meal cooked
from seasonal produce and a well-stocked wine bar."
I wish I had a photo of the store to illustrate this piece.
In Merci do call again (FT, How to spend it, March 7, only in print right now) Lucia van der Post shows Marie France Cohen putting the finishing touches to the store and surrounded by home items such as an African clay-bead chandelier by Werner and Philippa du Toit going for a modest 4500 Euros.
A good splurge?
The store is located at
111 Boulevard Beaumarchais in the Marais (11th arrondissement).
Related: Menu for Hope 5