Phrases, Sounds, Colors & Shapes – A surprisingly good retailer in Paris

Phrases, Sounds, Colors & Shapes is a foolish title for a store, not least as a result of you may by no means bear in mind it. I’ve been desirous about this text for a few weeks now, and I nonetheless by no means get all the appropriate phrases in the appropriate order. 

Nevertheless 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 identified for rebranding and launching the candlemaker Cire Trudon, then doing the identical with beauty model Buly 1803 (promoting it to LVMH seven years later). Every little thing he does is each lovely and eccentric. 

The genesis for Phrases, Sounds, Colors & Shapes (WSCS) lies in two earlier initiatives: A Younger Hiker, which encapsulated one of the best of hiking-associated manufacturers into somewhat store off the Palais Royale, and Die Drei Berge, a espresso store which itself took its title from the resort 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 area – mild, vibrant, busy – and it’s value moving 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 protecting to the outside theme.  

When Alex Natt and I went two weeks in the past, we ended up chatting to among the workers, a few whom used to work at 45R or work with Yuketen. They really useful 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 purposeful and wearable than a number of the Canadian originals – whereas Alex purchased some technical gloves. 

Probably the most attention-grabbing menswear, although, was in all probability the own-brand items – below the Die Drei Berge title. 

The Pull Marin, for instance, is modelled off a British commando jumper, with its powerful wool and strengthened elbows (under). However the high-twist yarn used right here is dry with out being scratchy, and the elbow reinforcement is finished utilizing a change within the knitting sample quite than a patch. 

The darkish inexperienced (under) is gorgeous, and the built-in collar works properly. 

Additionally uncommon however very wearable are the sweats – hoodies, crewnecks, bottoms. There are two varieties, one in all which makes use of an unusually positive cotton and one a cashmere yarn on the within, cotton on the skin. 

The cashmere model feels luxurious, and far hotter than an everyday cotton. This is usually a vital subject with sweats when the climate’s chilly, and having cashmere on the within is an effective answer. The drape and physique nonetheless isn’t fairly the identical as pure cotton, and I wouldn’t get it for that purpose, however I can see the attraction. 

The fine-cotton model is extra me, with the fineness including a barely luxurious contact with out some other apparent modifications. A few of them are closely washed and worn as properly, creating some lovely colors in shades like purple and pale blue. Nearly as good because the Actual McCoy’s variations or somebody like A.Presse. 

The make is superb – loopwheel in Japan – and the match somewhat 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 incredible 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 can put on it roughly fitted.

That’s not out there on the WSCS web site, but when something that’s symptomatic of WSCS as complete. Good as the web site is, it is a store I’d suggest as a spot to go to – a vacation spot retailer, the place half of the enchantment is the flexibility to wander barely aimlessly, and instantly get deep into specialist carabiners or forms of typography. 

We’ll embrace WSCS within the Paris purchasing information within the subsequent subject of the journal, because the information can be up to date then. We’re studying how beneficial it’s to plan forward with the magazine, even when it is just twice a 12 months. 

Oh and when you’re within the space, I’d suggest popping into Brut on the opposite facet of the sq.. It’s expanded significantly since we final coated the model for PS, with a formidable vary of own-brand merchandise and a classic retailer subsequent door (‘Common Surplus’). 

The Brut clothes isn’t fairly on the high quality stage we’d usually cowl on PS, however the pace 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 completed that, go have a soup and sandwich at Chez Elo. Nice folks watching. 

For extra on the philosophy behind WSCS, see the About on their website right here. The title, by the best way, comes from the jazz album of the identical title by Donald Byrd.