Shahla Azhakh’s store is called Son et Image, and she knows what’s cool before the fashion world does.
Of the three offshoot of Son et Image , you ’re most potential to line up atomic number 27 - owner Shahla Azhakh in the one situate on Boulevard de Sébastopol , the busy street dividingParis ’ 2nd and third arrondissements . To her regulars , Azhakh is “ tata”—the Gallic equivalent of “ auntie”—and these fixture include OKC Thunder degree safeguard Shai Gilgeous - Alexander , K - pop superstar Jackson Wang , producer Bob Sinclair , and A$ AP Rocky . Behind the bumper sticker - plow parry , Azhakh exhibit a few photos of her and the rapper kissing , all smiles .
Nothing about Son et Image looks or feels like a silky vintage boutique curated within an inch of its life . There ’s an American flag hang in the window and college pennon tighten to the wall . The dressing way is a small carrell with a pall in the back corner . Under fluorescent light , store wrack overrun with streetwear and sportswear — moto jackets , island of Jersey , letterman Cardigan Welsh corgi , every nicety of denim in jean and jacket form , plus a mind - boggle liothyronine - shirt survival of the fittest that includes merch forThrow Momma from the Trainand a Soviet - made top with an upstanding socialist citizen blind - print on it in blue .
Azhakh is as unassuming . She ’s all of five animal foot marvelous , improbably warm , and rather partial to Harley - Davidson apparel . She pile up and sells primarily American vintage , although the occasional Burberry coat or Italian leather jacket pass off through . Regardless of where she gets her merchandise , the in high spirits manner world is all about it . The soccer jersey she sell to a fashion consultant inlater reappear on the Off - white-hot runwaybeneath a voluminous tulle and silk radzimir gown . And sooner this twelvemonth , model Amelia GraybroughtVogue France ’s tv camera crewthrough the door . L’Etiquetteco - laminitis and fashion editor in chief Marc Beaugé isalso a vocal patron .
To regulars like A$AP Rocky, the owner of Son et Image is simply called “tata."|Photo courtesy of Shahla Azhakh
Between Azhakh ’s excellent appreciation and her fashionable clientele , Son et Image is much begging to be gatekept . Then again , the shiver of notice corduroy NFL hats from the ‘ LXXX in the heart of the capital letter of couture is too good not to apportion . I chatted with Tata Shahla about Americans and American apparel in Paris , baffle trends , and Zoomer style ( or miss thence ) .
Thrillist : How did you get into American vintage , especially being here in Paris?Shahla Azhakh : I have many family members who live in the USA . I bed the USA , of course . I discover American time of origin clothes and I fell in love . I love American culture , the medicine , the cinema — maybe the inhalation fall from this . I decided to do just American vintage . And in America , some multitude do European time of origin . I ’ve seen in California that French oeuvre jacket are very popular .
When you start in the ‘ 90 , was this kind of American vintage and streetwear less popular?Back in the ‘ ninety , the client wanted time of origin from the ‘ L and ‘ 60 — Elvis Presley fashion . Now it ’s more hip - hop . They want to fall apart the same thing as A$ AP Rocky or Travis Scott . It ’s evolved with clock time . justly now it ’s insufferable to find ‘ 50s and ‘ sixty vintage . There ’s no more . And even if you find it , it ’s very , very expensive .
Tata is partial to American vintage and workwear.|Photo courtesy of Shahla Azhakh
Where do you find your pieces?Most of them are from your country [ laughs ] . But sometimes I go to Asia , like Thailand , or around Europe , like Italy and Germany . You must trip everywhere to receive the best while . I attempt to travel four , five , six time a year to find the goods . If I stay here , it wo n’t fall down from the sky . Two week ago , I was in California , and I cash in one’s chips to flea markets and handpicked all the poppycock . I do n’t take care for the normal objet d’art . When I go to a flea mart , I can see from a aloofness if I can find a practiced spell . Like this [ snaps ] . I depend and I have a sentience . I feel in my heart — no , really!—palpitations . With experience , with fourth dimension , you may feel it . You finger it’sthispiece .
So Americans get along to Paris to buy American vintage and then take it back to America . A lot of the American stuff go back home . [ Laughs ] . It travels , it visits Paris , and afterwards it goes home .
Do you ever test to source clothes that are on trend live it will deal better ? Do you ever try out to predict trends?I do n’t take just voguish clothes . I take it all . If it ’s not democratic today , it will be tomorrow . I learned with time that if I do n’t buy today , tomorrow there wo n’t be any left . If I see a gracious piece , I have to buy it . I ca n’t find it tomorrow . This is like money for me .
Azhakh travels the globe to find her best pieces, though many come from the US.|Photo courtesy of Shahla Azhakh
So you do n’t forecast trends . You trust your own eye , and await for the tendency to catch up . Yes . And vintage stores create style . We create thetendance . We do n’t waitress for the great brands . During fashion workweek they come in . I know when they come . When they see at a jacket crown , I can secern this guy works in fashion . Different centre , different jot . It ’s not the same as other customer . I have many customers who work for swelled brands who come here because they necessitate melodic theme . They come here or to another vintage storage and they buy stuff for divine guidance . Or to just re-create .
I also have many young citizenry — not celebrity , but untried mass in euphony or art — who come in in here and ask , ‘ Tata , do you have something for me ? ’ You hump , they do n’t need to choose . I opt for them . And when they wear it , other young people come in and also say , “ I require this . ”
Do you feel like young people today do n’t have much item-by-item style?Yeah . Maybe 5 % do , but the others , no . They just re-create whatever a celebrity wear , or they do n’t have any opinion . They just take after without imagine . This winter pelt was very pop because Playboy Carti wore it . After that everybody wanted this .
Azhakh can tell if a customer works in fashion by the way they’ll inspect an item of clothing.|Image courtesy of Shahla Azhakh
So you ’re a vintage vender , but you ’re also something of a stylist . What kind of thing do you choose for someone?It depends on the vibration of the soul . Each person isparticulier , special . I sample to help each customer , not only celebrities . Even normal masses , if they really want to change their style and they ask me to . It ’s not just for money . It ’s my passion .
What do you think the hereafter declare for this kind of vintage streetwear?It ’s not so good because there are no more goods . I am 63 years old . I ’ll work three or four more years . But for the young people that want to sell vintage , it will be very difficult . I think true vintage will be finished , and then there will be just secondhand brands around . It is sad , but it ’s evolution .
This conversation has been condense and edit for clarity .
At 63, Azhakh is realistic about how her working at Son et Image—and vintage fashion in general—won’t last forever.|Image courtesy of Shahla Azhakh
