Free People in Paris: Collection Preview with Miss Pandora

This post comes from our UK PR Manager Lisa! Follow along with her on Instagram @freepeopleuk

We’re so excited to announce the opening of our first shopping spaces in France, within two of the capital city’s most iconic stores – Galeries Lafayette and Le BHV Marais. Just in time for spring, our French customers can now shop the Free People collections in two beautifully curated boutique spaces in the heart of Paris.

To celebrate the launch, I hopped on the Eurostar in London and headed to the city of love to spend the day with Parisian blogger Louise, of Miss Pandora blog, who showed me around some of her favorite streets to shoot a selection of outfits from the spring collection. A bohemian spirit at heart, Louise wore the outfits beautifully — like they were made for her! It was a gorgeous warm spring day and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, lining the park next to the Eiffel Tower. Paris in the sun… it really can’t get any better! At the end of the day we sat in a café, drank some coffee and I got to know Louise a little better…

Get the look: Star Chasing Slip

What area of Paris do you call home?

My real home is in the 12th district, a very quiet and peaceful area near a beautiful XIXth century park, with a lake, peacocks and willow trees. I live in a quiet area because I believe that you should live in one part of the city and party in another, so my second home in Paris is South Pigalle, that’s where I hang out a lot!

How long have you been blogging and how has blogging in France changed in that time?

I have been blogging for 7 years now, which is incredible! When I started my blog, I didn’t believe it would go on for so long, or that it would become my job. So it has changed a lot in my life, from an art history student I became a full time blogger, then a journalist for Japanese TV, and started to travel around the world, so I’m living the dream! I have to say, the best part about this is the ability to live from my passion, meeting amazing people, sharing so many things with my readers… I’m incredibly lucky!

Get the look: Meadows Embroidered Maxi

Describe your style in three words.

Since I have three different styles that I love equally (I can’t choose, it depends on the seasons and moods), here they are: ’60s Nouvelle Vague and French Pop, Gypsy/Groupie/Bohemian and XIXth century muse.

What do you love about Parisian style and why is it so different than any other city?

I’m actually not a big fan of Parisian style today. In the past ‘Parisiennes’ used to be so elegant and beautiful, and most foreigners think we’re still like that. It’s true that Parisians are somehow classy, but nowadays people are scared of being different here, so they tend to play it safe. A lot of the time people speak to me in English because they always mistake me for a foreigner. My idea of ‘Parisienne’ style is the one from the past, from the XVIIth century to the ’60s — so many inspiring women! Today it’s a vision that I see a lot abroad, like in Japan, in the US, but not much in Paris anymore.

Get the look: Skipping Stones Dress, Dreamweaver Crossbody

Has your style changed since you started blogging?

Not so much, I still love the same things! My inspiration will always be XIXth century, the ’60s and the ’70s, Parisian Nouvelle Vague mixed with ’60s and ’70s bohemia, and gypsy vibes. My style comes from my love for art and music, and since I still have the same tastes 7 years later, my style is pretty much the same. Except that over the years my collection of clothes has gotten bigger and bigger (I’m obsessed with finding the perfect piece, like a fringed jacket or over-the-knee boots, it can take years sometimes!), and now I’m blonde after having been a redhead for so many years.

What are your top three tips for someone wanting to start a blog?

My tips would be to always stay true to what you really love, your style, your inspiration, without caring for the trends and the blogging ‘do’s and don’ts’. Then, always care for your readers and stay 100% sincere, today there is too much hypocrisy in the blogging world and I think it’s important to stay honest. And last but not least, always blog for the passion, not for the advantages it can bring you.

Get the look: Smooth Talker Romper

What’s a typical day like for you?

My days are very busy because I’m often abroad so when I’m in Paris I have to be extremely efficient! On a shooting day, I usually wake up around 9am then answer my emails and respond to comments on the blog, then I prepare for the shoot — the inspiration, the hair and make-up, the styling, and sometimes going to the press offices for extra styling for special editorials. Then I do the pictures for several hours with a photographer, maybe have some meetings, and in the evening I love to party! I’ve always been a music lover so I go to a lot of gigs, I hang out in my favorite Pigalle dives, and dance like there’s no tomorrow with gorgeous musicians! On a non-shooting day I have a lot of meetings, and I write the texts and translations for the posts, plus my articles that I write as a freelance journalist for Japanese magazines or others. I’m always busy with something but that’s the life I chose and I love it!

Get the look: Sexy Back Nomad Slip

What are your favorite things to do in Paris on a day off?

I don’t really have days-off because my work has no schedule so it’s basically all day, everyday! I’m freelance, so I decide when I want to work, and usually it’s pretty much every day! I can’t help it, I don’t know how to stop! But sometimes, if the night before has been a bit too intense, I’ll go to a nice exhibition, there are so many great ones in Paris, I try to see one per week!

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

It’s not necessarily advice, but I always follow my instinct, and always stay true to myself, no matter what. I realized very young that I was a bit different, and was scared at first, but now that I’m older and more confident the advice I would give would be to never be afraid of being different, and never listen what people will say.

What three things can’t you live without?

Music – Love – Hedonism

What does being free mean to you?

To me being free is living the life I’m living right now, being able to work with no schedule, with no boss, with no limits. I don’t care if it’s a lot of work to do by myself or if takes all my days, I love this freedom, and I feel amazingly grateful of being able to live my passion. That’s freedom for me! Also, I’m lucky enough to travel a lot all around the world and I adore it, being on the road, always on the go, like a modern gypsy, it’s an incredible feeling.

Thank you Louise for a lovely day in Paris!

Paris Locations details:

Free People, 2^nd Floor, Galeries Lafayette, 40 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France

Free People, Ground Floor, Le BHV Marais, 36 Rue de la Verrerie, 75004 Paris, France

+All clothing worn is now available in Paris, at Galeries Lafayette Haussman and Le BHV Marais.

Check out Louise’s blog here and follow her on Instagram 

Photographs by Pauline Darley, follow her on Instagram