A French Woman’s Perspective…
“In travel, we explore who we are. Through jewelry, we reveal who we are!
Isabelle Fish, Founder of Rue Pigalle
When someone told me I had to connect with Isabelle Fish, and that her business was called “Rue Pigalle”, I was definitely intrigued.
Rue Pigalle refers to the red-light district of Paris. And so I wondered what could this business be about?
Unique Jewelry Trips
Isabelle is originally from Grenoble, France; her passion is jewelry and travel.
She has cleverly combined the two to offer (and sincerely tempt us) with what she calls “journeys through jewelry.”
Jewelry Art is created from a single strand of continuous silver. By Designer Ute Decker
Isabelle takes women on one-of-a-kind trips to cities, such as London, New York and, of course, Paris, where jewelry crafted by renowned and emerging designers is showcased as part of the adventure.
Ladies’ trip to Paris organized by Isabelle. Stopping for a group photo on the Seine!
“I called the business Rue Pigalle because jewelry (like sex) is the forbidden fruit,” says Isabelle.
“Women desperately want to treat themselves but feel guilty about it.”
And Isabelle is all about giving women permission to feel good about themselves.
Rings by Nathalie Dmitrovic
Dinner Parties
Once a month, Isabelle hosts a dinner party at her gorgeous home in Toronto where she invites 10 or so female entrepreneurs who have never met.
View of the hallway and dining room at Isabelle’s home.
The evening operates like a “French Salon” where Parisians congregated for intellectual discourse in the 1800s.
Isabelle picks a topic of interest and the evening is spent discussing that subject.
How French!
Wouldn’t you love to be invited?
Place settings at a Rue Pigalle dinner
Impossibly Chic
Isabelle, herself, has been dubbed “impossibly chic” (by The Toronto Star) with a style for which French women are revered but for many of us who are not French seems impossible to imitate.
“In North America when you go to a dinner party you are given the dress code. It’s a very strange concept to French people,” says Isabelle. “Why would you need someone to tell you how to dress? We know instinctively what’s appropriate and more to the point, we want to be able to wear what makes us feel good, attractive, and beautiful. It’s a way to honour the host.”
“Even after 30 years in North America, I can’t get used to the concept (and I usually ignore the given dress code which drives my husband (who is not French) completely crazy – he cannot go to a dinner party without knowing the dress code.)”
A French Women’s Perspective…
And Isabelle’s advice to those of us who like to be more French —
“Stop dressing for others, you need to stop worrying about what others will say about your dress. You need to connect your inner self to your outer self. Dress is an expression of who you are, it’s a communication tool, it’s not a uniform that aims at blending everyone and making you disappear.”
Do French women make more effort in how they dress as they age?
“We put the same amount of effort into our appearance no matter the age,” Isabelle says. “It’s rather that we don’t stop putting effort into our appearance just because we are of a certain age. French women are coquettes to the grave!”
Check out Rue Pigalle’s upcoming adventures! You will love them!
Rue Pigalle. https://ruepigalle.ca
Brought to you by www.womanofacertainageinparis.com
Diana Bishop the founder of The Success Story Program and A Woman of a Certain Age in Paris as well as a well-known correspondent with over 25 years working for CTV, CBC News, and NBC News. She loves travel, writing, and all things Parisienne.
Good morning Diana. I always enjoy reading your lovely blogs on Sunday mornings. In fact, I wake up knowing that your weekly blog will be there, waiting to be read. I must admit that this week’s blog on “rue Pigalle “ is most interesting. It has peeked my curiosity and absolutely want to find out more. Being French myself, this week’s comments simply reinforce what I have always believe. One must dress as one truly feels. Bravo for such an interesting blog!
Danielle, How very very kind of you! I am delighted that my blog is resonating with
you as a French women! Love hearing from you and please keep doing so — and you now have one comment out of three
to enter the draw for the Chanel Perfume next week! Best, Diana
Ah Sunday morning, fine coffee, sunshine and a new blog from Woman of a Certain Age. I open the email with anticipation, it’s like a little present, never knowing what to except! Thank you Diana Bishop!
Erica, This is incredibly kind of you. I am tickled pink thinking that they are people who
look forward to my blog every Sunday morning!
I LOVE jewellery but alas since I can’t get out much now (since the strokes) I don’t have a reason to wear it any more 🙁
BUT I love the fact that “comfort” or “expandable” bracelets are in style. I have many of them … and my friends know it and give them to me for my birthday – YAY!!
Trudy — I do know what you mean. I have lovely jewelry that I inherited from
my mother and grandmother. But our life styles are so relaxed now that I find I get
lazier and lazier about wearing it — except when I am in Paris, and then there is
this natural draw to dress up and be the most feminine I can be. Thanks for the comment.
PS I think you are now fully qualified to enter next week’s draw — good luck! Diana
Isabelle sounds fabulous and I would love to attend one of her evenings in Toronto!
Having very short hair , jewellery for me has become all about large cool dangly earrings …. that is my style!
Thanks Diana for another sensation tidbit and a great read ! ❤️
I would love to be invited too!
Me too. I love Isabelle’s look with the short hair and jewelry!
Thanks for commenting Shardie! Diana
What a fun surprise to read about The rue Pigalle, how fun does that sound! I just got back from a vacation in Italy, and last year Paris, love the artisans in both places! Thanks so much for your articles!
Eileen, Thanks for the comments. Lucky you to get to go to Italy and also France!
By the way, you have now qualified with three comments to enter the draw to win the Chanel Perfume. Good luck! Diana
Loved reading this blog. I will try and be more French when going to dinner parties in the future and disregard dress code and be more me. Not sure I can do it but I’m going to try ?
You can do it Isabel…we are all rooting for you to be yourself and dress the way you want! Keep us posted. And thank you for commenting.
(By the way, you have one comment towards the three you need to qualify for the Chanel Perfume Draw! You can comment on past blogs too if you like. Draw is next Sunday!
Isabel my apologies — you have two comments toward the three needed.
One more to go!
I love this. Diana you have spoken of the French Salon’s before. This is such a beautiful idea to me. And jewellery of course is art. So creating and honouring it this way is permission for all of us. Being an artist and I often say we are all artists in so many different aspects of life. I as a North American work at giving myself permission to dress the way I love and not to fit in, the way I was brought up. Thank you for introducing us to Isabelle and her work and ideals.
Love and Light
Christine and the Animals
Christine — well you are in fact an artist yourself! Everything about you is creative! I myself would like to hold a French salon — hmmm I will have to think about that! (PS Yah! You have three comments and are qualified to enter the draw to win the Chanel Perfume!)
Great story! I always dress to suit myself! ?
I am getting better at it as I get older. I think I am just beginning to understand what looks good on me and what doesn’t. I think it takes some of us a long time. Thank you Doris — you know I always love hearing from you?
I just love France and everything French.
I am a translator who can translate from French into English and viceversa.
I enjoy going to Paris.
Now I am taking my tour with Gate 1 to the South of France including Montecarlo and Cannes. 14 days tour. I will be going to Provence too.
The French have been always been good to me, I love their food and everything.
Sincerely,
We will await hearing about your France journey with great interest! Keep us posted Elsa! Diana