A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to meet the founders of the new hype concept store situated in the chic and a little quiet Haut Marais area in Paris. The Broken Arm was founded by Guillaume Steinmetz, Anaïs Lafarge and Romain Joste. It was an inspiring afternoon chat about creating and sharing lifestyle and love.
The concept store is light and has a minimalist décor and features unique lifestyle and coffee table books alongside well-selected fashion brands such as Kenzo and Carven, and the café provides a sublime selection of coffee and small dishes.
What was the idea about creating this place?
It was the second step of what we have done before we were an online magazine called Les jeunes gens modernes. We were a part of the online magazine with 5 others. We wanted to explain and share our lifestyle, and after 3 years sharing our lifestyle and things we love we took this next step. We got frustrated because it was only on the internet, so we didn’t get any feedback and couldn’t touch the fabric, etc. We are inspired by season in everything for the concept store-food and clothing.
Where did the name come from?
The name is inspired by artist Marcel Duchamps piece In Advance of the Broken Arm, readymade. We wanted to participate and to be kind with people.
What makes The Broken Arm different from the other concept stores in Paris?
We don’t try to be the same or different from the other concept stores in Paris we just try to be ourselves. We choose something when we have a good feeling about it or when we are falling in love with something. We also try to have a correlation between everything in the shop and the café. We try to integrate the café in projects with the shop, for example special breakfast in line with a collection.
What do you work on next?
We have found a good mix of brands that we love, but we will still look for small brands that can contribute to our concept. In September we will organize a lunch during fashion week maybe.
As I see there are a lot of small creative projects going on here. Did this creative vibe in Paris inspire you?
Yes, we could say that. All around Europe is the crisis, but here in Paris are a lot of young entrepreneurs, and we have friends who open bars, café specializes in coffees etc. People here in Paris do what they want to do and are where they want to be says Guillaume.
It was very inspiring to visit The Broken Arm and talk with Guillaume, Romain and Anais. They definitely managed to create a space full of passion driven by the desire to be them selves and share their lifestyle with people. A warm thank you for sharing this moment with METAL magazine.
