Phrases, Sounds, Colors & Shapes is a foolish title for a store, not least as a result of you possibly can by no means bear in mind it. I’ve been fascinated about this text for a few weeks now, and I nonetheless by no means get all the suitable phrases in the suitable order.
Nonetheless the store itself, which opened earlier this 12 months in Paris, is simply as cool because the title is foolish, and has some very nice, attention-grabbing menswear. The title can be par for the course for the founder, Ramdane Touhani.
Touhani is a serial entrepreneur higher recognized for rebranding and launching the candlemaker Cire Trudon, then doing the identical with beauty model Buly 1803 (promoting it to LVMH seven years later). All the pieces he does is each lovely and eccentric.
The genesis for Phrases, Sounds, Colors & Shapes (WSCS) lies in two earlier tasks: A Younger Hiker, which encapsulated the most effective of hiking-associated manufacturers into a bit store off the Palais Royale, and Die Drei Berge, a espresso store which itself took its title from the lodge Touhani owns within the Alps.
The 2 have now been mixed into this new, bigger retailer on the Sq. du Temple in Paris’s third arrondissement. With the addition – clearly – of an exhibition and bookshop countercultural media and graphic tradition.
WSCS is a good house – mild, vibrant, busy – and it’s value getting into simply to get a espresso and have a wander. The exhibition downstairs is genuinely good, and there’s even a well-curated classic part with issues like Eddie Bauer and Kapital, all conserving to the outside theme.
When Alex Natt and I went two weeks in the past, we ended up chatting to a number of the workers, a few whom used to work at 45R or work with Yuketen. They really helpful a couple of items, and I ended up shopping for a cowichan sweater from the Japanese model Nonnative – a considerable however not tough wool, extra useful and wearable than numerous the Canadian originals – whereas Alex purchased some technical gloves.
Probably the most attention-grabbing menswear, although, was most likely the own-brand items – below the Die Drei Berge title.
The Pull Marin, for instance, is modelled off a British commando jumper, with its robust wool and strengthened elbows (beneath). However the high-twist yarn used right here is dry with out being scratchy, and the elbow reinforcement is finished utilizing a swap within the knitting sample slightly than a patch.
The darkish inexperienced (beneath) is beautiful, and the built-in collar works effectively.
Additionally uncommon however very wearable are the sweats – hoodies, crewnecks, bottoms. There are two varieties, one in all which makes use of an unusually nice cotton and one a cashmere yarn on the within, cotton on the surface.
The cashmere model feels luxurious, and far hotter than a daily cotton. This could be a important problem with sweats when the climate’s chilly, and having cashmere on the within is an efficient resolution. The drape and physique nonetheless isn’t fairly the identical as pure cotton, and I wouldn’t get it for that motive, however I can see the attraction.
The fine-cotton model is extra me, with the fineness including a barely luxurious contact with out every other apparent modifications. A few of them are closely washed and worn as effectively, creating some lovely colors in shades like purple and pale blue. Pretty much as good because the Actual McCoy’s variations or somebody like A.Presse.
The make is excellent – loopwheel in Japan – and the match a bit tapered, slim within the waist.
There’s extra common outside gear from manufacturers like And Wander, knits from Batoner, and wellies from the Japanese maker Daiichi (very delicate and versatile – above).
I’d by no means heard of the model F/CE, and to be trustworthy wouldn’t have thought-about them if I solely noticed it on-line, however there was an excellent reversible gilet I used to be tempted by – heat gray on one facet, sunburst yellow on the opposite – with a double-snap system so you possibly can put on it kind of fitted.
That’s not accessible on the WSCS web site, but when something that’s symptomatic of WSCS as complete. Good as the web site is, this can be a store I’d advocate as a spot to go to – a vacation spot retailer, the place half of the enchantment is the flexibility to wander barely aimlessly, and immediately get deep into specialist carabiners or varieties of typography.
We’ll embody WSCS within the Paris procuring information within the subsequent problem of the journal, because the information might be up to date then. We’re studying how priceless it’s to plan forward with the magazine, even when it is just twice a 12 months.
Oh and whilst you’re within the space, I’d advocate popping into Brut on the opposite facet of the sq.. It’s expanded significantly since we final coated the model for PS, with a powerful vary of own-brand merchandise and a classic retailer subsequent door (‘Common Surplus’).
The Brut clothes isn’t fairly on the high quality degree we’d usually cowl on PS, however the velocity at which they’ve gone to a full assortment – with branded {hardware}, and each class from band tees to clip jackets – is de facto spectacular.
After you’ve finished that, go have a soup and sandwich at Chez Elo. Nice individuals watching.
For extra on the philosophy behind WSCS, see the About on their web site right here. The title, by the way in which, comes from the jazz album of the identical title by Donald Byrd.
