“I love that color! Everyone around here wears so much navy and black.”

The kind owner of “L’Habit Francais” caught me eyeing the gorgeous, merlot colored sweater from Nitto knitwear standing proudly in her store’s window. I truly had been looking at it since the day before, and my love of incredible sweaters brought me back and helped me summon up the courage to talk with her about writing this very blog.

A quick try on and I was hooked. The smooth, merino wool was warm yet cool to the touch. The subtle pattern lent just enough interest to keep it, well, interesting. And the deep, dark red merlot color had me completely sold.

When shopping in Paris it’s easy to get distracted by the mass amount of souvenir shops and vendors, or get tricked into thinking you need to go stand in line at a Louis Vuitton store in order to take a piece of France home with you.

But look further, and shop smarter, and you’ll find many great shops that stock made in France products that are produced by passionate people perfect for savvy, fashionable travelers.

Introduction: Rethinking souvenir shopping in Paris

When it comes to shopping for souvenirs in Paris, it’s easy to fall into two traps: overpriced luxury goods or cheaply made tourist trinkets. But there’s another way — one that supports local artisans, feels more personal, and makes for a much better story. Enter the world of Made in France products.

While it’s important to focus more on the experience than just burning up your credit card with souvenir purchases, you will undoubtedly want to pick up some special gifts for yourself or your friends and family from your visit to Paris.

You might be tempted to wait in line at the Louis Vuitton flagship on the Champs Elysées or grab a sparkly Eiffel Tower from a street vendor. But these things come with a price beyond the mark up, they’re often made dishonestly and contribute to over-consumption. 

There’s no shortage of options, but we want to focus on things that are truly special long after you bring them home and are made by people who are passionate about what they do.

Why made in France matters

It’s not just a souvenir you take home, it can be much more than that. 

Think about this: a huge number of luxury brands were recently accused of making a good portion of their goods in China and marking them as Made In France after the fact. While this is a somewhat dubious claim for some of the big brands, this sort of dishonesty perpetrated by a few other well known fashion houses is terrible for consumers. It’s even worse for the people who receive so little from the sale of these items.

But you can push back with your wallet, and that comes from shopping for Made in France products when you visit Paris.

There are a shocking number of small, French brands that have committed to made in France products that are produced ethically and will stand the test of time. Some are over a hundred years old like Saint James, while others are new ventures like DAO Davy. 

There’s a certain pride that comes with something that’s been made with care, intention, and French savoir-faire. Choosing Made in France products means you’re backing smaller brands, local workshops, and timeless craftsmanship — not just buying something, but investing in a piece of French culture.

It’s a more sustainable and ethical way to shop for souvenirs, and the best part is you’ll be rocking your purchases for years to come. Every time you wear that striped sweater you picked up on your trip, you’ll be wearing a piece of French history.

It’s a more sustainable and ethical way to shop for souvenirs, and the best part is you’ll be rocking your purchases for years to come. 

 

Travel Tip: Search in the local language for better results on made in France products

If you’re planning your shopping stops ahead of your trip (as I always do), here’s a pro tip: search in the local language. Instead of Googling ‘French clothing brands,’ try typing vêtements made in France or ‘marques fabriquées en France.’ 

When I was digging for made in France Jeans, I changed my search term to “jeans fabriqué en France” and was quickly checking out the excellent DAO Davy. And several years later, I’m still rocking my favorite jeans from them.

This one shift has helped me uncover smaller, under-the-radar brands and shops that don’t always show up in English-language search results. It’s actually how I first came across L’Habit Français and L’appartement Français, which have become two of my go-to spots in Paris.

The hunt for authentic, made in France products was heating up for me ahead of a recent trip, and I was going to make sure I was heading to the right places once I was making tracks across the arrondissements.

L’Habit Français – timeless style, proudly made in France

Located in Saint-Germain in the 6th Arrondisement, L’Habit Français is a concept store devoted entirely to vêtements made in France. Their pieces combine heritage with modern design, all while keeping the stock freshly rotated for the seasons.

The first time I stepped into their shop, I knew I’d found the store I was looking for. The clothing is beautiful — from classic knits to shirts for both men and women — but what really stood out was the curation. Each brand carried at L’Habit Français shares the same ethos: create vêtements made in France that reflect authenticity, not excess.

I was warmly greeted by Catherine who runs the shop and handles the sourcing for most of the clothes you see in the store. Catherine is kind and incredibly knowledgeable, and if you ask, you’ll get a glimpse into the story behind each garment.

As I was perusing the racks I was stopped cold by a gorgeous, cotton scarf from La Museuse with an interesting pattern. Catherine saw me, and was instantly telling me the story behind how it comes from Yvalines and the owner is always looking for interesting fabrics that will age gracefully and evolve with their wearers.

The quirk that I REALLY loved about L’Habit Francais is that their racks are organized by color. So if you’re feeling like your wardrobe is a bit too classically Parisian with a lot of black, blue and grey, you can opt for a pop of color as you peruse.

I ended up taking home an incredible sweater from Nitto, which I still wear constantly. It’s not just a souvenir — it’s a staple in my wardrobe and a piece that reminds me of that cool, December afternoon in the shop.

If you’re looking to shop responsibly while in Paris — and take home something you’ll actually use — L’Habit Français is the place to stop first.

L’Appartement Français – A home for French creativity in Le Marais

The boutique, L’Appartement Français is an interesting space in Paris’ Le Marais neighborhood. It’s not one, but TWO storefronts. One is focused on home goods and arts decoratif, while the other is dedicated to clothing and accessories. 

No matter which dreamy space  you pop into, you’ll find plenty of Made in France products ready for you to explore and take home. It’s mostly all new, ready to wear options for men and women. But make sure you take a peek in the back for the tightly curated section of thrifted, Made in France finds.

When you step through the doors, you’ll likely meet Emily. She has an eye for all of the items collected here, especially since she helps source them, and is a great resource for fit and fashion advice if you’re like me and tend to want a second opinion.

While I was in L’Appartement I was struck by an incredibly beautiful, simple blue dress shirt. While this is certainly a staple item, the story behind it is anything but. Maison Phillipe Tran is a small maker from Paris that focuses on excellently made classics with a twist.

Much of their fabric is repurposed from old stock that the big, luxury fashion houses end up not using. And now you can have it for a fraction of the price, but no less quality!

With this in mind, the luxurious feel of this shirt made a lot more sense, and it belies a major theme at L’Appartement Francais. I’ll let Emily tell it herself here:

“I think that using locally made products; wherever we live, is a very important engagement for our planet, our jobs and the economy.”

As Emily conversed with me, I felt that I was truly in the right place in Paris when it comes to fashion. The philosophy and approach at L’Appartement Français really resonated with me, especially as I try myself to support more small labels that are making their clothing with style, purpose and longevity in mind. 

On my way out after a nice, long perusal I nabbed one last item, a fun sweatshirt from La Gentle Factory with a Coq Gaulois (French Rooster) sewn on the chest. It’s perhaps the piece I get the most compliments on and every time I wear it and get those smiles, I think back to the afternoon we spent in L’Appartement Français.

Want to discover more? These resources are gold when searching for Made in France products

“Le Bon Plan du Made in France” Shopping Brochure

This brochure maps out stores across Paris that sell exclusively, or stock a good amount of,  Made in France products. It’s a great tool for travelers who want to explore local neighborhoods and shop mindfully.

It’s put out by La Carte Française, which is itself an excellent online resource for Made in France products. Highly recommend working that into your research ahead of time so you can hit the ground in Paris and know what marks and brands to keep an eye out for.

Le Bon Plan du Made in France a Paris is available in paper form at L’Appartement Français for sure, but if you swing by any of the shops in the list I have a hunch they can give you a copy as well.

Mag’ in France – A Digital Hub for Made in France Products

If you love browsing ahead of time or just want to learn more, Mag’ in France is a fantastic online magazine focused on Made in France products. From fashion to bicycles, if it’s made in France, Mag’ is covering it.

This is an excellent stop if you’re having a hard time finding particular Made in France products via traditional web searches. I know that I myself had to do some creative searching in order to find certain items, but once I found Mag’ in France I knew right where to go to keep up on new brands and clothing coming out.

If you’re reading, Mag in France — I’d love to connect!

Final thoughts: choose something with meaning, choose made in France products when you visit Paris

My favorite things I’ve brought home from Paris weren’t found on a souvenir rack or  in a department store. They were tucked into beautiful little shops like L’Habit Français and L’Appartement Français. 

These shops, full of passion and intention, will have you feeling good, looking good and proud of what you bring home from your trip. You’ll think back to those special moments every time you pull them out of your closet.

That’s what Made in France products are all about — and that’s what makes them truly unforgettable.