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Dozens of Vogue staffers decamped to Paris to coordinate the third installment of Vogue World this June, held on Place Vendôme in the heart of the 1st arrondissement. Operation headquarters throughout: The Westin Paris – Vendôme on Rue de Castiglione, whose south-facing rooms give out onto the Tuileries and the Seine beyond.
Opened as The Hotel Continental in 1878 to coincide with the third World Fair, it quickly earned a reputation as one of the most luxurious addresses in Paris during the Second Empire. It’s here that sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi dreamt up the Statue of Liberty with members of the Franco-American Union in 1880, with Empress Eugenie checking into the same 2nd-floor suite every year from 1889 to 1919. As for Victor Hugo? He frequently held banquets in the Imperial Salon, the same ballroom where Yves Saint Laurent would later stage some of his most revered collections, starting with his fall 1976 haute couture proposition inspired by the Ballets Russes.
It’s the Concorde Salon that Vogue took over for the Vogue World fittings, filling the cavernous space with 683 looks curated by stylists Carine Roitfeld and Ib Kamara. Harry Lambert, meanwhile, turned a suite into a makeshift atelier for dressing red-carpet guests: Cara Delevingne in a Simone Rocha x Jean Paul Gaultier corset, Symone in Robert Wun, Alexa Chung in vintage Viktor Rolf…
Elsewhere in the hotel, the rest of the Vogue team was busy mapping out 37,673 square feet of backstage space, orchestrating dress rehearsals with Parris Goebel’s muses, and reviewing livestream plans with Sam Wrench’s team. And while much of their days (and nights) were spent reviewing seating charts and mapping out coverage while ordering room service (Caesar salad, frites, and a Diet Coke with lemon, please), editors made a point of fitting in visits to their favorite museums, restaurants, and pharmacies within a 20-minute walk of Colonne Vendôme post-event. Below, the team shares some of their favorite haunts in and around the 1st.
Pharmacie Saint Honoré
“I’ve been known to make a beeline for Pharmacie Saint Honoré straight from Gare du Nord; founded in 1715, it’s the oldest pharmacy in Paris, and the loveliest place imaginable to stock up on Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse and Caudalie Beauty Elixir.” Jessica Diner, global beauty and wellness director
Musée des Arts Décoratifs
“Home to more than 500,000 objects ranging from Sèvres porcelain to Eileen Gray’s designs for Villa E-1027, no one should skip Musée des Arts Décoratifs.” Radhika Seth, film and culture editor
The Hemingway Bar
“It’s a cliché, I know, but there’s no better place for a cocktail in Paris than Bar Hemingway at The Ritz; order one of the house martinis garnished with a fresh stem rose.” Laura Ingham, deputy director, Global Fashion Network
Hotel Costes
“After dark during Couture Week, you can find the great and the good of the industry on the terrace at this late-night hangout.” Julia Hobbs, fashion features director
Jeu de Paume
“From Richard Avedon to Diane Arbus, this arts center in the Tuileries has an incredible photography collection.” Jamie Spence, European visuals director
Sébastien Gaudard
“I’m someone who takes breakfast seriously; when in Paris, that means a pilgrimage to Sébastien Gaudard for pastries and desserts: Le Mont Blanc, Le Paris-Brest, Le Framboisier…” Nina Joyce, vice president, communications UK, Condé Nast
Astier de Villatte
“Astier de Villatte’s flagship on Rue Saint Honoré is a trove of 18th-century-inspired terracotta ceramics and gold-rimmed notebooks.” Kerry McDermott, digital director
Kinugawa
“I always pop into this izakaya between back-to-back shows for sake, seaweed salad and sashimi.” Laura Hawkins, fashion features editor
Hôtel de la Marine
“A visit to Hôtel de la Marine, the erstwhile Royal Garde Meuble on Place de la Concorde, feels like stepping back into the 18th century.” Hannah Coates, beauty and wellness editor
Charvet
“It’s hard to resist popping into Charvet on Place Vendôme; opened in 1838, it makes the best pajamas (tied with Rome’s Schostal).” Romy van den Broeke, acting director of programming, development, and creative production, digital video
Musée de l’Orangerie
“Trying to visit the Louvre on a lunch break is a fool’s mission, but an hour is the perfect length of time to spend in front of Monet’s Water Lilies cycle in Musée de l’Orangerie.” Daniel Rodgers, fashion writer
Poulette
“This gorgeous Belle Epoque café in Les Halles has floor-to-ceiling Art Nouveau tiles. Order the steak frites with a glass of Beaujolais, then wander through the Tuileries at dusk—even more gorgeous at this time of year when the entire jardin is perfumed with the scent of lime blossom. Other restaurant tips: Margús for steak tartare; Au Petit Bar for an omelette; Le Soufflé for… le soufflé; and Chez Georges for the crème caramel.” Hayley Maitland, news and features editor
