Wednesday, October 5, 2011

John Baillie - un grand tailleur depuis 1883


 

Facing Palais Garnier in a boutique first started in 1883, one can imagine the clientele of those early years.  The shop still thrives through the skills passed down many generations.
The window with its richly woven fabrics and simple tools of the trade caught my eye.  



John Baillie
Magasin de Vêtements
5, place de l'Opéra
75009 Paris

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Donc, si je comprends bien, Genie, lors de ton prochain voyage en France, tu seras habillée comme une vraie Parisienne!...

French Girl in Seattle said...

People were a lot stronger back then: You had to be if you wanted to lift that old iron and the gigantic pair of scissors. Imagine what Hitchcock could have done with said scissors in the famous Psycho shower scene! ;-) Great shot, Genie. Even better in black and white. Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

Anonymous said...

It is wonderful the see the skills and traditions are still being passed on. So much history in such a little boutique.

Kel x

Unknown said...

wow that s great, I like to see this, thank you, bon journee, bieses Kathrin

Joop Zand said...

Lovely shot....i like this picture.

warm greetings, Joop

Shell Sherree said...

Such rich history ~ lovely to see the old accoutrements of their craft on display.

Samantha Vérant said...

I'm imagining! I'm imagining!

brattcat said...

both of my grandfathers were tailors. love this shot.

M said...

I would love to see the dapper gentlemen that have been dressed by these tailors and the transition of the fashion through the years. Love this photo in B&W!

Janey and Co. said...

Oh wow I would have hated ironing all the yards of fabric in the clothing back then with that iron!

Neat shot!

My Castle in Spain said...

One of the last cool shops !
Hope you're having a sweet autumn Genie !
bisous
Lala

Unknown said...

Lovely display! The b&w was a clever option, Genie.

Malyss said...

I like the big cissors!

Kelley Carey MacDonald said...

Look how artistically it is all arranged! Looks like a fabulous 'still life'! I like the b&w in this one, too..

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Very clever window display Genie, just a few simple pieces says it all, classy and gorgeous in B&W.

Sylvia K said...

I love old shops like this and I agree with Perth, such a clever window display and it does say it all! Terrific capture, Genie, and one of those perfect B&W shots! Hope your week is going well, mon amie!

Hugs
Sylvia

Karen Xavier said...

That picture is so beautifully taken!

Paris Paul said...

Looks like the opening scene to a remastered 1950's movie. Great!

Starman said...

It's interesting to see tools from ancient times. Sometimes you have to wonder how they produced so many beautiful things using those tools.

Jean said...

I love this picture. It would fit right into my small studio. Black and white with those large shears and tape measure--such detail.

Lynne with an e said...

Couture for men. And not a sequin in sight. Hélas. I jest. Very nice in black and white, and an interesting sight and subject you came across.

Anonymous said...

WOW! Just look at the size of those scissors! You had better have extremely large hands to use those...And that iron! My m-i-l had one of those she used as a door stop.

Kris

Loree said...

what an amazing tradition that store must have

Erika said...

I remember that I saw a window like this one when I went, 2 years ago, to Nevers. Today it's difficult to find in my town a tailor's shop because it' s the age of prêt-à porter.
Very nice shot. You have been lucky!
Bises.
*-*

Alexa said...

Love the way they've dressed this window. And I really love that this shop has been around for 128 years!

Oakland Daily Photo said...

Love this still life waiting for you to capture it. (I guess the tailor did not rush out and say, "non, madame"). Don't want to imagine how many euros it would cost to have a suit made in this atelier.

Pat said...

Nice bw. There are still some old tailor shops like this in Belgrade.

Speedway said...

It's nice to see the tailor's tools on display. I've always dreamed of learning the skills of haute couture, as much an art/craft as fine jewelry. Another adventure suggestion - to go to Cadolle for a custom-made bra.

Virginia said...

John has been hard working since 1883? Remarkable! HA

Seriously, this is a lovely window display. I love the shops in Paris, such attention to detail and pride in passing down the craft through the generations.
V

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Speedway, what a great idea! That would be a wonderful, private memory of Paris...

In the same manner, with careful precision, a method passed down through generations, the craft is meticulously practiced, whether the making of pasteries or leather belts or bronze statues or fine clothing. From what I have seen, it is less about the "product" and all about the process, tradition, skill, and perfection. Certainly, the finished product is then the evidence of the steps taken.

I love this about the French and other Europeans who take pride in each little step along the way, and something we see little of in our everyday lives where I live.

On a more down-to-earth note... I sure am glad that we have lighter irons and smaller scissors - ouch!

Bises,
Genie

Speedway said...

Ooh, how nice! Check them on-line - there is a website. Articles, too NY Times for one. It's a dream I have and an expensive one, too, I gather.

Maybe the dressmakers could use some of our Fiskars! ;-D

Bergson said...

je ne crois pas que le fer à repasser serve encore

LaPouyette said...

I really do love this image!!! Will go to see it 'en nature' at my next visit to Paris.
Just simply wonderful!

Thank you very much for your message, and now commenting works. Don't know what was happen yesterday. Blogger system is getting worse by the day....maybe too many blogs or the cyber space is going crazy, or....

Best wishes for the rest of the week and greetings from the Périgord,
karin

Joe said...

Monsieur Gerard knew the meaning of the word "service". It was in the shine of his scissors, the accuracy of his measure and the quality of his fabric. But most of all it was in the smiles he shared with his clientele. Merci Monsieur Gerard.

Sharon Creech said...

I love to see the tools of a trade.

James said...

I can imagine. It's always fun to think about that kind of stuff in Paris. I like the big old scissors.

黄清华 Wong Ching Wah said...

Haven't seen these for sometime, especially that "iron" ...