COCO AND VERA

Fashionista, self-confessed impulse shopper, wife, and aspiring novelist who recently gave up her group benefits gig to pursue fashion full-time in the French capital, Paris, fashion blogger and girl-about-town Cee is all that and more. Being from Canada and living in Paris, Cee is a true global fashion trendsetter.

We had a chance to chat with Cee about the fashion scene in Paris, her favorite Parisian boutiques, who her style icons are, and more!

It sounds pretty exciting, does not it? Meet Cee.

You were born in Winnipeg, raised in Vancouver, and now live in Paris. How has your style been influenced by all of these cities?

I lived in Winnipeg until I was nineteen; it’s not a fashion city by any means, and there were very few shopping options for me growing up, but that really forced me to be creative and made me aspire to having great style. When I moved to Vancouver, a whole world of fashion possibilities opened up for me and allowed me to experiment with styles I had only dreamt of before, including amazing vintage. Now that I’m in Paris, I feel like I’m able to take all of my Winnipeg aspirations and Vancouver experiments and refine them to create a style that is truly my own – Parisian women know what they like, and they don’t settle, particularly when it comes to fashion. I think that’s rubbing off on me.

You blog about fashion in both English and French. Is there a difference in the way your English-speaking vs. French-speaking readers respond to your fashion posts?

The reactions to fashion posts tend to be similar from both English and French readers, but the way they are presented is a bit different; English readers have a tendency to be more effusive about the clothing itself, whereas comments from French readers are not as generally as chatty. I do think French readers feel more comfortable giving an honest opinion, even if it’s negative, than English readers – I’m including myself when I say that I think we’re all a bit guilty of being too polite at times!

You say you’re a self-confessed impulse shopper. What’s it like to shop in Paris?

Shopping in Paris is amazing… but can be overwhelming, because there are just so many options! I try to do my research before I go out, otherwise it’s very easy to find myself in Zara. There are so many amazing independent boutiques here, selling labels that would be impossible to find in North America, but you have to know where to find them!

What are your favorite Parisian boutiques?

I love Shine {15, rue de Poitou}, a le Marais fashion institution and Abou d’Abi Bazar {125, rue Vieille du Temple} for clothes ; Hod {104, rue Vieille du Temple} and Pierre Caron {52, rue des Archives} for jewelry ; Garrice for shoes {30, rue de Rivoli} and Le Bon Marche {24, rue de Sevres} for gifts – they have everything you could possibly want, and many things you had no idea you needed, but do!

Who are your style icons?

There are so many stylish women I admire, but top spot on the list goes to Leigh Lezark – she knows how to wear solid black without ever looking boring but also pulls off unusual and bright ensembles with aplomb. I also admire classic style icons like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O. and her sister Lee Radziwell, and Coco Chanel, as well as effortless, modern beauties like Marion Cotillard and Clemence Poesy.

Who are your favorite designers?

I’ll always love the classics, like Chanel, Dior and Yves Saint-Laurent. But I also love the opulence of Dolce & Gabbana; the quirkiness of Kate Spade and Orla Kiely; the absolute glamour of Marchesa and the graceful femininity of Rodarte. Since my budget is sadly not unlimited, I love to buy from independent labels like Les Composantes/Sezane, Just in Case and KTR Collection.

If you could save only one item in your closet from fire, what would that be?

Just one? That’s so tough – but I think in terms of saving something I love and would wear a lot, it would have to be my tulle skirt from Naf Naf; it’s the most versatile thing I own. I’ve restyled it at least eleven different ways since I bought it two years ago!

Where do you see the future of Coco and Vera?

Coco and Vera began as a simple creative outlet to counteract my lack of inspiration in my work, but it has become an integral part of my life and offered me more amazing opportunities than I can count… but mostly, it has made me realize that anything is possible if you’re willing to take risks and put yourself out there. Ultimately, I want my blog to continue to grow as a strong community of like-minded fashion lovers and perhaps even to be the launch pad for a creative endeavor such as my own clothing line.

Follow Cee on her fashion adventure on her blog, Facebook,Tumblr, Pinterest,and Instagram.

To shop unique fashion collections from Paris, Vancouver, and everywhere else in the world, go to shopUNIQUES.com!