Friperie Saint Laurent

“I’ve always had a love for vintage clothing,”admits Didier Duran in a manner replete with swarthy charm as he thinks back to when he first started scouring vintage markets as a 15 year old in his native France. “I find there’s nothing new in fashion—everything that you may think is new was tried before, and probably tried better, with better materials, more purity, and more personalized flourishes.”

You can find Didier in his shop, which he founded in 1994, most days of the week—that is, when he’s not travelling and seeking out the best and most distinctive items, whethert they be a pure mink coat or cashmere sweater from the 1950s, or a singular waistcoat dated to the Napoleonic Wars. He has a ceaseless energy and humour to his work, which comes across whenever he speaks. “Sometimes you may find things that belong in a museum, but most often, if you can find something with effortless style, that’s enough.”