News Coverage:

"We Will Always Have Paris"
By: Mari Davis

DALLAS, Jan 8, 2004/ FW/ --- It has been over 50 years since Humphrey Bogart told Ingrid Bergman “We will always have Paris,” as they said goodbye to each other in a scene in the movie “Casablanca,” yet that line is as romantic today as it was in 1942.

In “Something Gotta Give” starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton that sentence was again said between two lovers, and they eventually met in Paris. With the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, and light snow falling, it was a very romantic scene on a bridge over the Seine when the two lovers made up.

And in the raunchy comedy, “American Wedding,” the expected scene of Finch and Stifler’s mom has “We will always have Paris,” as a kiss and make-up line.

What is it about Paris that makes it so romantic?

Is it the very old buildings, some of them built during the Middle Ages? Is it the winding roads that one can easily get lost in? Or is it Champ Elysee and Avenue Montaigne, with their high-end boutiques?

I make four trips a year to Paris – twice for the menswear and haute couture shows, and twice for the women’s ready-to-wear season.

Even with the quarterly visits, there is still a feeling of exhilaration when I arrive at my hotel, which is located near the Louvre.

And short of sounding like the theme song from “Cheers,” I like it when the hotel staff greets me by name when I check in.

I already know my “Paris neighborhood.” I have my favorite sundry shop, café and restaurants. When I walk in, the waiter leads me to my favorite table, even asks me if I will have “the usual.”

They all know I am a transient, that I am part of the fashion crowd who descends to Paris in increments of ten days, to attend the season.

But during those 10 days, they treat me like I was a native, though my French is limited to “Good Morning” and “Thank you.”

I believe it is because they know that I will continue to visit Paris regularly as long as there is a fashion season.

Parisians take fashion seriously. It is in their blood! And since I am part of the fashion press, they see a kindred spirit in me.