Tailored fashion tours to the world’s fashion capital
Paris fashion tours with an expert
Leah Van Loon - Fashion editor, stylist, writer, and your Paris guide
May 9 - 17, 2025
8 days and 7 Nights
€6500 pp Private accommodation
€5500 pp Shared accommodation
Couture, culture, and craftsmanship.
“The tour you organized was far from the typical fare one might find out there.”
~ Greg G. Photographer
Paris, mon réve.
Leaving the workshop of a master craftsman, you are stunned by the skill they demonstrate in their craft and the centuries of knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Out on the street, you and your group can’t stop talking about the experience and the shared surprise at the incredible display of savoir-faire you were lucky enough to witness. They made centuries of savoir-faire look so simple.
You feel like you understand a new language and why you have not stopped thinking about the stunning dress from your private tour of the YSL museum. You realize the vintage shops at the flea market are more like museums you can touch, and you are so glad you did. It feels as though Paris has revealed its secrets to you.
Tomorrow, you’ll visit the Galerie Dior , and you know your new appreciation will make visible the many unseen skilled hands each garment has passed through to create the designer’s perfect vision. This trip will stay with you, and Paris's unique artistry and beauty will inspire your dreams forever.
Trip highlights include:
Michelin star dinner cruise down the river Seine to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle
Champagne with a member of a private club in a 19th-century mansion on the Champs Élysées
A before-hours private guided tour of the Musée Yves Saint Laurent
Special visit to largest flea market in the world
A private guided tour of the Palais Galliera/Musée de La Mode
A curator-guided visit to the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation
A curator-guided visit to the Galerie Dior
Behind-the-scenes visit to the atelier of a Haute Couture feather artisan
Top reasons to visit Paris with Leah
Connections
My deep industry contacts give me special access to unforgettable activities. I have spent years creating relationships with shop owners, museum curators, specialty guides, and, most of all, my precious artisan partners. Because of my relationships, you get to do things no one else does, like drink champagne in the private club housed in the most stunning mansion from the 19th century or get a guided tour from a curator of a world-class fashion exhibition.
Simplicity
All you need to do is get yourself there, and I’ll take care of the rest. There’s still plenty of time to fit in your bucket list items, and I am just the person to help you work out the best time to go and how to get there. The hotel I have chosen is in the perfect location, close to everything you might want, including restaurants, museums, shopping, and gardens, as well as many Metro lines and taxi stands if you want to go further abroad. I am always good for an opinion!
Experience
It’s important to me that you feel confident navigating Paris, so I not only guide you each day but also give you the tools to find your way when I’m not there. It’s easy when you know how! You’ll have the added confidence knowing I’m there to answer your questions and offer assistance (including how to deal with Parisians!) Paris can be overwhelming, and my job is to ensure it’s in the best possible way. I want you to fall as deeply madly in love with Paris as I did.
Paris Fashion Tour Day by Day
Friday, May 9 - Friday, May 17, 2025
Day 1 - Orientation, Michelin Star dinner cruise, Eiffel Tower sparkle
Bienvenue á Paris! Enchanté!
Get ready for an extraordinary first day in the city. Arriving at your exceptional centrally-located hotel, you’ll be welcomed with a personalized gift before your orientation to discuss the fantastic adventures that await you during this beautiful week in Paris.
Then, we'll learn how to hop on the Metro for a learning experience as I guide you through how it works and how to use your passes for the trip. A quick ride and a walk across the river will take us to your fabulous Michelin Star dinner cruise on the Seine. Providing stunning views of the city's iconic monuments and the sparkling Eiffel Tower, you’ll enjoy an incredible multi-course meal while you create memories to cherish. Paris is eagerly waiting to welcome you!
Day 2 - YSL Museum, Palais Galliera, Street market
We begin before hours on a private guided tour of the Musee Yves Saint Laurent for a glimpse into this prolific designer’s iconic contributions to fashion. With ever-changing exhibitions of haute couture-level YSL creations, the museum also features the original atelier, set up exactly as it was when he was alive. We will then visit the only dedicated fashion museum in Paris, the Palais Galliera, to see their latest exhibition in a beautiful building designed in the Italian Renaissance style by the Duchess of Galliera.
The afternoon is yours this day to explore the many museums nearby, like the Modern Art Museum, shop the quintessential street market along our route, or visit a monument like the Eiffel Tower just a few minutes walk away. I am always happy to help create your plans for the afternoon.
A beautiful day filled with the best of Paris fashion history!
Day 3 - Full day flea market experience
Experience a guided tour of the historic Clignancourt flea market, one of the most visited locations in Paris. Also known as the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, this is the world’s largest flea market and the original location where the term was coined.
Vintage clothes are just the beginning, with stalls specializing in jewelry, historic haute couture garments, antique textiles, collectables, furniture, architectural salvage, and so much more! With 7 hectares and over 2000 vendors, this is a must for anyone who loves to shop at a market, even if you’re just window shopping (or licking the windows, as we say in French!)
We’ll have lunch at the market and an apéro at the end of the day to see everyone’s treasures! It will be a fun and fulfilling day of shopping and inspiration!
Day 4 - Feather artisan, Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, medieval Marais
We will learn how feathers are crafted into dreamy haute couture confections during an exclusive visit to a unique haute couture atelier. This tiny 4th-generation Plumassière atelier is an eye-opening visit that will allow you to discover the many uses and treatments of feathers in haute couture.
Once sufficiently amazed by this ancient feather-craft, we’ll head back to the Marais area right next to the hotel. It’s a vibrant area that offers a vast variety of experiences. We'll visit some quintessentially Parisian concept shops in this one of the only remaining medieval neighbourhoods. The Marais is full of incredible restaurants, memorable art galleries, many museums, and some of the best shopping in the city, and it is a favourite among visitors and Parisians alike.
After lunch at one of our favourite bistros, we’ll visit the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation to view the latest exhibition of the master couturier's work, including his atelier, which has not had so much as a pin moved since his tragic death in 2017.
A day to discover the heart of Paris!
Day 5 - Passages, Mad Paris, Apéro
Discover the charming covered passages of Paris with a walking tour to learn how this short-lived style of shopping developed into the modern-day shopping centres we know today.
We’ll then visit a charming outdoor terrace for lunch near the Louvre before we visit the Musée des Arts Décoratifs to take in the latest exhibit from the Fashion and Textiles wing of the museum. An extension of the Louvre, it’s one of the largest decorative arts museums in the world and has hosted some of the most important exhibitions worldwide, like Dior, Couturier of Dreams, and Shocking!, The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli. We’ll also spend some time in the beautiful jewelry galleries to discover the jewelry history through this museum’s essential collections.
Your ticket lets you enjoy the rest of this remarkable museum for yourself, or this is a great time to walk through the beautiful Tuileries gardens just outside or head across the river to the Musée d’Orsay before it closes.
History has never felt so glamorous!
Day 6 - Ile de la Cité, Notre Dame, Louis Vuitton Dream
After a morning off, I’ll direct you on a guided tour around the historic Ile de la Cité, the island in the very centre of the city where Paris began. You’ll see the majestic Pont Neuf, the charming Place Dauphine, the ornately decorated Palais de Justice, the Conciergerie prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution, and the incredible 800+-year-old church, Notre Dame.
We will follow it up with a visit to the newest LV Dreams exhibition, which features the long history of Louis Vuitton and marvellous displays of both current and original designs by the house and its many famous collaborators. Upstairs, you can check out the café, enjoy a special LV-themed patisserie overlooking the Seine, and enjoy the gift shop.
Afterward, you can visit one of the most beautiful department stores, La Samaritiane, which was recently renewed to highlight its art nouveau and art deco style, a rare treasure full of high-end luxury goods. Or stay riverside and do some souvenir shopping at beloved Bouquinistes along the river, whose green boxes of books and souvenirs have been an integral part of Paris for hundreds of years. So much so that they are now a protected historical site to ensure they will be there for centuries to come.
Day 7 - Galerie Dior, tour with champagne at La Païva
A must-see visit to one of the most iconic fashion museums in Paris, the stunning Galerie Dior. We will have a reservation to explore the world of Christian Dior through the various themes of this gorgeous three-story museum. Featuring a rotating collection from the Christian Dior archives, we are guided through the work of all six subsequent Dior designers: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and the current creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Our farewell lunch will be a truly French experience at a classic Art Deco bistro located in the Golden Triangle. We will try all the French foods, such as Escargots, haricots vertes, fois Grás, and more.
After our French bistro lunch, we will embark on a tour of a luxurious private mansion on the Champs Élysées. This mansion, with a rich history as the former residence of a famous courtesan who was mistress to Emperor Napoleon III, is now a private club. We will have the honour of meeting a member of this club and enjoying a farewell toast to celebrate our shared week.
A truly remarkable ending to a beautiful time spent with new friends!
Day 8 - Breakfast and check out
If you have not booked a longer stay at the hotel, today is checkout day. If you are staying longer, don’t forget to ask if you need help deciding what else to do, like Versailles, Champagne, Giverny, or even more Paris. Your jet lag is gone, and there’s still so much to see. You already know how to get around, order food, and even get a taxi. Visit the Louvre, shop for souvenirs, or sit on a terrace and people-watch; you can never have too many days in Paris.
Au revoir et merci pour votre confiance! Bon voyage!
Devi V. - Textile Artist
“Leah is a true professional and puts the needs of her clients first. She understood my needs immediately and organized the most relevant and insightful tour in Paris. Her knowledge of and relationships in fashion and haute couture run deep..”
Donalee M - Visual Display Artist
“What makes FXT different is the unique contacts Leah sourced. Meeting the artisans and touring inside their ateliers would only be possible with her contacts.”
Your hotel…
The Boutique Hotel Mareuil is within walking distance of incredible museums, restaurants, and shopping in the Marais, Canal Saint Martin, and Oberkampf, with great transit links to anywhere else you would like to go. An included hot breakfast sees you off every morning, and a relaxing hammam (steam room) welcomes you at the end of the day. Enjoy a glass of wine in the lobby bar before you head to the fantastic restaurant across the street or just around the corner.