 
A few years ago, Fashionlines featured L'Eclaireur in the Palais Royal. It was one of our most popular shopping articles ever and resounded with our readers who understood what this store was doing. Mixing prêt-a-porter with beautiful contemporary jewelry, and home accessories from artists such as Piero Fornasetti, Sylvie Saint Andre Perrin and Scarpa, L'Eclaireur became a destination spot for the most discriminating fashionistas. This location closed down but several others were opened in the first, fourth and eighth arrondissements. Now L'Eclaireur has a new location at 10, rue Boissy d'Anglas, and includes a new watering hole for the chic and the restless. Cocktails with names such as Monkey Cane and Old Teenager are served on barstools designed by Barnaba Fornasetti with women's lips and black and white derrières from the Theme and Variation Series that Piero created for plates in the fifties. Mouth-watering ceviches, salads, sandwiches and fresh fish are served in a room whose decor was also created by the firm of Fornasetti. Inspired by the surrealist, metaphysical landscape of 20th century Italian art, we can see gold leaf Chinoisierie screens featuring birds, postcards and garlands, also created by Piero, and a playing card table where a trompe d'oeil balustrade of marble columns simulates a window looking out onto the landscape of playing cards. Owners Armand and Martine Hadida have thought of everything for this restaurant-bar, even an area known as the "cheeky" corner, at which hangs Piero's erotic drawings.  Downstairs, at the boutique, the latest and the best from such diverse designers as Dries Van Noten, Oscar de la Renta, Versace, Anne Valerie Hash and Biba co-exist side by side and are swooped up at great speed by the very well-informed and well-heeled international clientele. Oscar de la Renta recently had an in-store fashion show. The silver rings of Lebanese artist Maria Rosa call to me, as do the black and white Fornasetti plates and colorful Saint Andre Perrin bowls. This new location, in the neighborhood the French call the Carré d'Or because of the amount of quality shopping is a great success and a new Paris pleasure. L'Eclaireur Bar-Restaurant and store |
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