Madame André and the Love Graffiti

Chloe, wife of Parisian graffiti artist Monsieur André, in her store Madame André at 34, rue du Mont-Thabor.

It is purported, amongst most fashion circles, that Kate Moss was the initiator of the charm trend.  I’m here to tell you most fashion circles would be wrong.  It was La Coquette.  La Coquette loves the charms.  Dangling, oh so jauntily, from my bag at this moment, in fact, is the Murakami-designed Smiling Cherry keychain.  (It came with the Louis Vuitton show invitations.  When interning at a fashion magazine, you are paid in such things--in cherry keychains designed by Japanese artists and in BEATINGS.  Right after that, they plant a canary yellow diamond where your soul should be).  Sorry, where was I?  Ah oui, charms.  I also have some vintage French keychains that I procured from the Porte de Vanves fleamarket, and I covet the gremlin-y Prada “monster” charms.

I was thus interested to see, while flipping through French Elle on a recent train ride, some punky, cool little charms one can buy at a store called Madame André.  The name “Madame André” sounded that alarm in my head that signals “It is now the eleventh time you have read about this store and you have yet to check it out--you are NOT in the know.”  So I dutifully wrote in my notebook the words, “Madame André - charms,”  and finding myself in the premier arrondissement Saturday, I decided it was high time to investigate. 

Upon entering the tiny store on 34, rue du Mont-Thabor, I am greeted by a very pretty girl, who to tell you the truth, looks somewhat familiar. 

Coquette:  Hi!  I heard you have these, like, charms I saw in Elle?
Pretty Girl:  Oh yes, they’re designed by a graffiti artist named André.
Coquette:  Mhhhmm, whatever, but how CA-UTE will they look on my bag?!

It is only as I start looking around the store that I realize we are talking about MONSIEUR ANDRE.  One of Paris’s foremost graffiti artists.  THE MONSIEUR ANDRE of “Love Graffiti” fame.  André who is a huge star in Japan and parties with Sophia Coppola.  But wait folks, the connection has yet to sink in.  Wait.  Wait.  The name of the store is MADAME ANDRE?  Attends. 

Coquette:  So, is there like, a relationship between André and the store?
Chloe:  Yes, I’m the wife.

Ahhh...

(In retrospect, she forgot to say she was “his wife and muse.”  Every article I’ve since found about Chloe calls her “his wife and muse.”  If I were someone’s muse, it is the first thing I would say to everyone I met.  Note:  This is probably why I will never be anyone’s muse).

So who is this Monsieur-Andre-of-“Love Graffiti”-fame?  A fixture on the Parisian graffiti (graffeur) scene since adolescence, André was first recognized for his figure "Monsieur A"--a round head, a winking eye, a top hat--see photo below.  (If you thought I could have walked out of there without my own “Monsieur A” charm, you are sorely mistaken).

“Love Graffiti” is a project he worked on from 1997-2003 in which he accepted commissions to spraypaint the name of one’s lover in their neighborhood.  Can you imagine waking up and seeing YOUR NAME?  Painted on a wall in big fat, colorful letters?  Surrounded by hearts?   Gentlemen, you ask me how cool does that rate on the Female Sliding Scale of Romantic Coolness?  That is ALMOST as cool as John Cusack standing outside your window with a boombox a la "Say Anything."  (And, P.S., there is NOTHING cooler than John-Cusack-with-boombox cool.)   

As for la Madame André, just last night, I started reading December’s French Vogue, and I see Chloe in the back, in the L’Oeil pages, AND SHE’S ONLY CAPTIONED BY HER FIRST NAME!  It’s like, here’s “Dennis Hopper,” here’s  “Milla Jovovich,” and here’s “Chloe.”  I would say this is cool, but If I say cool one more time here, somebody needs to put me out of my misery.  So I will instead say, check out her store if you can.  With vintage jewelry, Gilles Dufour clothes, and toys from Japan, it’s fittingly, um, awesome. 

Comments

[bluepoppy]

*wiping drool from her chin*

WHO is in the photo?? Is that you? Is that Chloe the muse? I must know---- too fabulously chic whoever she is . . . you are at the very epicenter of the fashion world--- the very vibration of fashion being born radiates out from your site.

TOO F***ING COOL.

[Coquette]

It is Chloe-the-muse in the picture, who oh, so graciously posed for me. Shout out to Chloe! Merci!

[SaraJane]

hello from Nebraska... love love love the pic! such a contrast from the pics I took for my co-worker of her house in the country (think boring country) and her dogs. the dogs are cute, don't get me wrong, just not quite adorable little shop and Chloe the Muse.

Merci.

[Aimee]

You never fail to entertain and enlighten. And, most importantly, keep me in the effing loop! I wake up excited about what you'll post each day. Merci et BRAVO.

[ViVi]

That is so freakin cool! (Sorry, another "cool") I think my american friend and I will have to hunt that shop down when she comes to visit next month! :P

[Jason Stone]

Coquette-

You know, I had to refrain myself from commenting about your bag and the charms dangling from it. I did not want to draw too much attention to you when you came into the room. But, the bag was way cool.

Now, I want to go to this store and I don't even wear charms.

Have you heard of Madame Mo? I love the dolls. www.madamemo.com I am sure I am about a 1,000 years behind the trends.

By the way, I have been looking for a muse...

[Coquette]

SaraJane,
I would love to see pics from Nebraska the same way you love to see pics from Paris...what is different is beautiful.

Jason,
LOVING the MadameMo website! Thanks for pointing me to it...

When you have your muse casting, let me know.

[samantha]

I agree with you - if I were someone's muse, I would let EVERYONE know! :) And John Cusack - be still my quivering heart. What a fun adventure, and I love your blog. It's like reading a fashion magazine in real time.

[Missy]

Hi, I've just recently found your blog and coincidentally, after reading your post about Madame Andre, I found an article this morning about Andre and Chloe in the January edition of "W" magazine, here in the U.S. (Julia Roberts is on the cover). How weird is that?

I enjoy reading your posts. Sounds like you're having fun!

[Coquette]

Grrr, W magazine! They manage to scoop me every time!

[Auntie M]

Coquette, That store looks cute. I love that area of town, I'm definitely checking it out. So out of things.. are charms the same things that we'd find on a charm bracelet?

[Coquette]

Auntie M, this is a very good question. I'm using the word "charm" to mean "adornment." The ones dangling from my bag are, in essence, just keychains. But is a keychain really a keychain when not holding keys? These are heady thoughts perhaps best left for stoned FIT students. (Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC)

[Aimee]

Ooohh, you lucky little girl!

I was at the Palais de Tokyo and they had some of those keychains you pictured up there on display. Too cool for words. I am right now cracking open my December Vogue that's in my bag and flipping to L'Oeil there she is! She's so cute!

[lissaann]

You are oh so right - there is NOTHING cooler than John Cusack with a boom box outside your window!

[Jenny]

I actually read about Madame Andre in either Bazaar, Elle, or Vogue. Is the shop really as tiny as it looks in the picture? Love your site by the way, and yes, I have to say, I do hate you because you live in Paris. Paris is hands down my favorite city.

[keusta]

So cuuuuute, so niiiiiice, Mr andré (houahouahoua)just say "andre" and let the "Monsieur" for the real graffiti artist pleaaaase !!!

le graffiti, c'est un mode d'expression, un language urbain, une culture, et le mettre à la sauce "fashion" n'apporte rien à l'enrichissement de ce mouvement, surtout quand on traine dans un milieu bourgeois et qu'on peut se permettre par ses relations (ou celle de son papa) d'exposer au palais de tokyo ou au japon. Meme chose pour la boutique de sa copine !!

André est au graffiti ce que yvette horner est au hiphop !!! In-dis-pen-sable !!

Fuck the graffiti buziness !!
and hope you make now the difference

[Kena]

gimmi Andre e-mail plz!

[BUFOS]

SSSSSSSSS DE LUJO ERES GUAPISIMA

[Fred]

Funny blog...
I thought I would never get on that king of pages :)
Check out a friend of mine page that you will surely like and try to spot me dress in a funny way in LA...
www.mydogispolite.tk
Enjoy...

[cachou]

hi,
do you mind if I borrow you this picture for my blog. thank
cachou

[Mark Vane]

Hi, Added a new value add to my blog this weekend - a news widget from http://www.widgetmate.com/news I always wanted to show latest news for my keywords in my sidebar. It was very easy with this widget. Just a small copy paste and it was done. Great indeed.

[belle]

i am a student. i am interested in Monsieur Andre . Would you mind tell me more about him, and why he choice this icon.

[Ponch]

Jenny, je dois dire que ta comparaison avec Yvette Horner est très explicite, j'aurais pas dit mieux.

Mais je rajouterai, d'expérience et d'un constat généralisé, que comme tous les gosses de riches qui récupèrent un truc a la mode pour en faire un art, celui là en est la référence d'un des plus gros hold ups.

Si je dois donner mes exemples français autour du Graffiti, ce n'est certainement pas autour d'André que je me serais tourné.
Oui, c'est Cool, Nice, Simple et très joli avec ce personnage sympa dérivé du mythique smiley, mais ça sonne de loin "supermarket art".
Ça a le gout du graffiti, mais ce n'est ni Rock n Roll, ni unique.

Tout le monde semble oublier un vrai Monsieur, Monsieur MODE2, qui au lieu de peaufiner un bubble style ou bloc style certes bien propre et bien girly (aristostyle oblige), s'est exercé avec génie dans des fresques incroyables, pleines de sentiments, et de réalisme.

Alors oui, qu'on se le dise, le Graffiti vient de la rue, et pas de la rue Saint Honoré, mais plutôt de tunnels suintants, poussiéreux et risqués.

On est très loin de ça aujourd'hui quand on voit monsieur A se faire applaudir Lors d'un "street happening" avec gaussements bourgeois, Cru Classé et blouson Hedi Slimane....

Vandalisme mon cul.
Demandez a ZeuS ce qu'il en pense.
Le Bourgeois-rebelle catégorie A est a la mode, voilà tout.

Trop chouette. Trop Hype.
Bref, il fallait le souligner, certains ne le savent pas, alors il faut le dire, parceque c'est malheureusement vrai.

Dans la musique, ça existe aussi, dans le même goût il y a un barbu, riche-crasseux, lunettes de star et verve de quiche lorraine.
Parait même qu'il a fait le stade de France (mais pas sur scène), et qu'il a représenté son pays pour l'Eurovision.

Oui, marrez vous.
Quand l'art se situe entre la farce et l'imposture :

Mieux vaut en rire.

[C]

I went there a couple of weeks ago and it's closed. Do you know about this?

[caroline]

i was given a set of formal cuff links (2 large,4small) onyx and gold and the ox says Monsieur Andre Galveston. can anyone tell me anything aout them, their value etc? they seem to look like the gold is trippled layerd

[Bar Cocktail Shakers]

That's a nice shop, really.

[p90x]

I am very interested in your article!

[air jordan11]

Amazing write-up! This could aid plenty of people find out more about this particular issue. Are you keen to integrate video clips coupled with these? It would absolutely help out. Your conclusion was spot on and thanks to you; I probably won’t have to describe everything to my pals. I can simply direct them here!

[Asics shoes]

We must have the determination, especially must have ZiXinLi! We must believe in our talent is used to make something of cost, no matter how big, it must do.

[Impotence causes]

Good evening to all readers, my name is Robert, I share my views with you, I think all human beings have to go through adolescence, this stage of life often cause many problems if you do not know how to act, my tips are always trying to instill in children the idea of a God, that can help a lot. Really appreciate it allow me to discuss.

[Cheap viagra]

First I want to give a greeting to all readers, I am very glad I had the wonderful opportunity to find an article so interesting is a pride for us writers and book lovers to say that there are still people who passionate about writing great articles, thank you very much.

[jordan 1]

I learn a lot from you blog that how the single article can change the

value of somebody. Your perspectives are so awe-inspiring and strong that

I need to rethink about something in my life.

[air yeezy]

No matter how gluttonous devouring all the time, we need to breathe at this time, and strive to win our reputation, the sickle of time can not hurt us. - William Shakespeare