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by - 8:46 AM

bonjour!

What do you think of the new design? It is still a work in progress, but a much welcome change from before! I must admit that I am swamped at work, but had to share this article with you, out of the New York Times reports Chinese spending on luxury goods in Paris is sky rocketing. 

 
I'll take them all!

This does not come as a surprise to me; last spring I noticed lots of young Chinese couples riding le métro with large shopping bags from the ubiquitous French designers: Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Chloe...needless to say I was extremely jealous. 


What does surprise me is a quote from M. Vannier of the famed department store Galleries Lafayette:
"we're more visited than the Eiffel Tower." 

I love shopping as much as the next girl, but that seemed ridiculous to me! China recently lifted their ban on imported luxury items, which previously been enacted to help legitimize their (extremely lofty) taxation of luxury brands, anywhere between 20 and 50%, driving label-hungry shoppers elsewhere. 

Urban legend made its way to me and my friends, as poor students abroad, we heard tales of young Americans being approached by tourists trying to side-steep the enacted purchase limit per customer. Often, these tourists would already have their chosen handbag (or 5) in mind, so your task was very simple, and very profitable. It was rumored that even a 10% tip was more economical than the lofty government-imposed import duties back home.  Although we did spend lots of time wandering Rue Montagne and the Champs Elysees, fate never sent us any desperate fashionistas, willing to pay top Euro for 10-minutes work. Quel dommage!

bisous, 

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