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"FacebookPinterest\n\nThe one problem I've always had with concept stores is that for some reason or another I've never felt like I was a part of their concept. Either I haven't fit in to the aesthetic they're trying to push or I haven't felt all that welcome when I was there, or worse, everything was so beautiful inside, I assumed there had to be a hitch-- similar to the way Woody felt in Toy Story 3 (yeah, Toy Story 3! What of it?!) when he walks into Sunny Side Day Care.\n\nNot so with FrenchTrotters, a new conceptual boutique pour hommes in the Marais, which sells all sorts of brands that are hard-to-find in these parts, like Quoddy and Filson. The store has managed to capture a whittled down look that's both elegant and enduring without any holier-than-thou, \"curated\" assholery.\n\nThe thing with FrenchTrotters is that it's less about a concept and more about story telling. There's an anecdote there somewhere, something about New York and Paris via Heathrow, that mis and matches the best of both worlds with a nod to past eras. Think Sperry Topsiders and Oliver Spencer shirts that are tossed together in a transatlantic mash up evoke JFK in Hyannis.\n\nFrenchTrotters was started by Clarent and Carole Dehlouz, a chic young Parisian couple who split their time between the boutique homme and the boutique. FT has also launched a children's clothing store next door and sells goods Fred Perry get-ups for kids along with killer notebooks that prove there's a big world beyond the Moleskine.\n\nWe caught up with Clarent to see how a store this wickedly awesome came about.\n\nFacebookPinterest\n\nGQ: So where does the name come from?\n\n FT: My wife Carole and I (above) met when we were studying photography. The idea of opening our first store came at a time where we were spending most of our time travelling in various inspiring cities such as NY, London and Tokyo. The idea of a French couple globetrotting became FrenchTrotters. I learned afterward that it's also the name of a thoroughbred French racehorse from Normandy. I kind of like this idea too.\n\nGQ: What's your favorite thing in the store, the prize possession you're almost sad to sell...\n\nFT: I have a special attachment to the items from our own label of course, but I'm also a big fan of the Cameraman jackets from Nigel Cabourn and our Alden shoes. They both age beautifully.\n\nGQ: What're your thoughts on this whole outdoorsman trend then?\n\n FT: Of course the heritage wave is a trend. And it's not really a problem. There will always be new trends. That's how fashion works. But I do think there are strong values that will remain from this heritage trend even after the lumberjack look becomes \"has been\", such as the care for good fabrics, the interest in local production, and the timeless spirit. Of course, it will be more problematic for those who have transformed their store into a hunter hut with trophies on the walls. You don't want your store to become a clich\u00C3\u00A9. That's why we've avoided selling brands like Barbour and are swapping Quoddy and Yuketen, from next season, for a more confidential and understated label: Oak Street Bootmakers.\n\nGQ: Why did you choose Paris for your shop?\n\nFT: Besides the fact we're Parisian, it also seemed like a bit of a challenge. Despite what you think, Paris is a very conservative city. You don't find the same dynamism and creativity you do in cities like New York or Berlin. We felt there was a lot to do here.\n\nGQ: What's new with you guys this fall?\n\nFT: We have lots of new stuff this season. New brands such as Adam Kimmel, Diemme and Want Les Essentiels de la Vie. We are pretty excited with the first Woolrich Woolen Mills collection with McNairy. We're bringing in a line from our favorite shoe maker Alden, a capsule collection with Parisian label Commune de Paris, a new series with Italian belt maker Andersons, and restocking our own Apolis+FrenchTrotters market bag.\n\nGQ: One last question: what would FrenchTrotters be if it were classic album?\n\nFT: Miles Davis, Birth of the Cool. Miles revisits and reinvents the standards of jazz with a great freedom, and at the same time the music goes straight to the point.\n\nFrenchTrotters: 116 rue Vieille du Temple, Paris 75003; +33 (0) 144 610 014"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.gq.com/story/too-hot-ta-trot-a-qa-with-the-dude-behind-frenchtrotters>