In 2005, Liliane Jossua set a precedent by opening the first multibrand retail shop on tony Avenue Montaigne
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Liliane Jossua
Avenue Montaigne, in the 8th arrondisement of Paris, is arguably the world’s most illustrious shopping street. A mecca for high-fashion devotees, it’s lined with grand facades bearing the names of prestige brands with a global following: Valentino, Gucci, Chanel and Dior, to name but a few. So sought after are the goods on Avenue Montaigne that in December, thieves stole diamond necklaces, gem-studded rings and luxury watches worth $108 million from the Harry Winston salon in one of the most ambitious — and successful — heists in history. Yet the street’s monobrand domination can feel a bit monotonous. This explains why the ultra-chic Montaigne Market, the street’s first multibrand emporium, has a distinct edge.
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Opened in 2005, the store boasts a high-low mix of designer merchandise that calls to mind the well-edited closet of a very stylish friend. This season’s new acquisitions include Elizabeth & James, the sophomore collection from Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen; retro-fabulous designs from Halston, the icon of 70s style; and the moody, phantasmagorical jewels of Fendi scion Delfina Delettrez. But these are merely the tip of the iceberg; co-founder Liliane Jossua has excellent and varied taste, which comes through in the store’s assorted collection of jewelry. Besides Delettrez, Aurélie Bidermann, Repossi, Garrard, and John Isaac, a vintage Rolex dealer, are among the collections on display. A Parisian who studied fashion at Esmod in Paris, Jossua moved to Saint Barth with her family 16 years ago. It was there that she cut her teeth at retail with her first store, Calypso.
“When my oldest daughter was 10 we decided to go back home to Paris and then it was time to open something here,” she recalls. “We thought Avenue Montaigne was an amazing place for its history and we could find there the same customer I was used to working with in Saint Barth.” Montaigne Market’s white wall, lacquer, and leather interior, designed by architect Johannes Zingerle, is the perfect showcase for Jossua’s myriad finds. Supported by her business partner, Alain Celhay, she makes all the buying decisions, gravitating to designers such as Alaia, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and Balmain. Ready-to-wear constitutes about 60 percent of the store’s inventory; the rest is made up with accessories, from Lanvin handbags to Gianvito Rossi heels.
“When you buy one of those it’s a clever choice,” she says. “You will keep the clothes and wear them again next season mixed with new ones. Time is not anymore to spend for eccentric and expensive things you’ll wear once.”
Fashion formula Liliane Jossua has perfected a buying strategy for Montaigne Market, the first multibrand boutique to open on Paris’s grand shopping street. Accessories, in the form of colorful Lanvin handbags, outrageous Brian Atwood platforms and très interesting jewels from the likes of Fendi scion Delfina Delettrez, make up 40 percent of the store’s merchandise.
