A design-lover’s guide to Paris, with Monica Tischler and Ligne Roset
Ligne Roset New Zealand’s Head of Marketing, Monica Tischler, jetted to Paris for the launch of the brand’s 2025 collection of modern French furniture. Here, she shares with Remix her travel notes for a dreamy, design-focused stay in the French capital.
Travelling to Paris in the spring brings design aficionados the chance to be among the first in the world to view the latest trends, never-before-seen new designs, re-releases of archive pieces, and designer collaborations from the global French furniture brand, Ligne Roset.
Held in the prestigious museum Palais de Tokyo in the 16th arrondissement overlooking the Eiffel Tower, the new 80-strong collection is open to the public for one day only and is conveniently timed just before Milan Design Week, making it the perfect prelude to an extended European design escapade.
On the menu for trending colourways in 2025-2026 are matcha greens (there’s a beautiful reedition of Annie Hiéronimus’ Sandra settee from the 1970s in this shade), citrus, and rich, raspberry pinks. German designer Sebastian Herkner features heavily with his Noka sofa and Scene cabinetry.
During my time in Paris, I caught up with Ligne Roset Co-CEO and the original founder’s great-great grandson, Antoine Roset, who explained how the brand is working with US biotech company MycoWorks to upholster Togo and other designs in its groundbreaking leather alternative, a mycelium (mushroom) fabric called Reishi™—Hermès has also used the sustainable material to cover its Victoria bag. ‘We’re not going to the moon,’ he tells me, ‘but we try to do things that will revolutionise the world of furniture as much as we can.’
SHOPPING
I took a wrong turn when walking to the metro station after pre-dinner champagne and, to my delight, stumbled upon the Chanel flagship store spanning five storeys and three buildings on the corner of the city’s busiest luxury thoroughfare in the first arrondissement. Only in Paris would a misstep take you right past the doorstep of arguably the world’s leading fashion powerhouse, but that’s the wonder of this city. After all, Coco Chanel invented the iconic Little Black Dress right here. Around almost every corner and along every cobbled pavement, carefully curated window displays more closely resemble haute couture museums than shop fronts.
One quintessentially Parisian-chic retail gem, as seen on Emily in Paris, is the ornate 43-metre-high steel and stained glass domed department store and Art Nouveau architectural jewel, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, in the 9th arrondissement. Here, you can be just as design and architecturally minded as you are retail, as browsing the century-old building, complete with intricate gilded iron balconies, home to brands including Chloé, Hermès, Isabel Marant, Céline, LOEWE and much, much more, is an absolute visual feast. What’s more, The Terrace rooftop on the eighth floor of the main store offers arguably one of the most beautiful sweeping vantage points of the city with iconic monuments including Opéra Garnier, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in frame.
Further along in the sixth arrondissement is the flagship Parisian Assouline boutique, shelves brimming with beautifully hand-bound luxury coffee table books—also stocked closer to home at Ligne Roset’s Auckland showroom. Founded in Paris by the eponymous husband and wife duo, the tomes are treasure troves of the world’s most coveted travel destinations and cultural cornerstones, from architecture and design to iconic art, fashion and more.
CULTURE
Paris is bursting at the seams with inspiration for the creative soul, with many famous couturiers setting up residency here. So it’s no surprise that the city is home to a handful of museums that detail the history of prominent fashion houses and those at the helm.
Musée Yves Saint Laurent, along the quaint Avenue Marceau in the 16th arrondissement is situated within the designer’s former haute couture house, where the man himself crafted his legendary creations from 1974 to 2002. The top floor allows a rare glimpse inside his own studio, complete with mood boards and personal photographs, and his work table is laden with fabric rolls, cotton spools, and boxes of embellished buttons. With the iconic YSL monogram etched on the exterior, the museum is an ode to the couturier’s body of work, featuring a revolving display of awe-inspiring designs, photographs, and original sketches on show. On every wall is something to delight, including a portrait of the designer by none other than Andy Warhol.
CUISINE
To my happy surprise, I found a flat white on the menu at the charming coffee shop, Saint Pearl, in Alma Marceau, closeby to where the new collection was shown. My mornings began here, with either a barista-style coffee or matcha latte.
A classic cocktail bar and café in artsy Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement is, as the name suggests, Classique. Located within a pretty, sage-green building that once served as a pharmacy, it’s complete with an intimate interior and a quaint terrace that spills out into a leafy courtyard, flanked by elegant Parisian architecture. It’s the perfect spot for an alfresco brunch—and maybe a cheeky cocktail—before scaling the nearby steps which lead to the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur at the summit of a hill overlooking the city.
Pre-dinner drinks and nibbles are best enjoyed at La Mascotte in Alma Marceau, with street-facing tables for people-watching in Paris. Test your taste buds with escargot sautéed in herby butter, and enjoy a taste of home with the French take on the Kiwi classic, pavlova, for dessert.
I met my sister and her partner (who is a chef at London’s Michelin-star restaurant, Brat, frequented by the likes of Charli xcx, of course) on my last night in Paris. So when they said they’d booked dinner at Le Chateaubriand in the 11th arrondissement, I trusted their recommendation wholeheartedly—and I wasn't disappointed. The intimate brasserie offers an inventive, set fine dining menu with a unique French twist. Flavour pairings here are unconventional but certainly memorable, plus the wine list is one of the most extensive I’ve seen. Santé!
ACCOMMODATION
I chose to stay within walking distance of the new collection, and there are plenty of mid-range options nearby. But if you’re in a position to splurge on a sumptuous sojourn, then look no further than Four Seasons Hotel George V in the eighth arrondissement. The luxurious, art deco landmark hotel off the historic Champs-Élysées includes three restaurants, with six Michelin stars among them, a chic bar featuring antique furniture and 19th-century art, a palatial spa, swimming pool, and sun-drenched marble courtyard.
Advertisement
