Paris hasn’t seen the surge of a new neighborhood for some time but that’s all changing with the recent commercial activities seen in the upper Marais. The neighborhood hasn’t quite exploded yet but if a spate of new bars, eateries, storefronts and hybrid establishments are first signs then the quartier is gearing up for a kick-start. Between Rue des Archives and Rue de Turenne, south of Boulevard de Temple and north of Rue des 4 Fils is the hot showroom location for several fashion brands including Ann Demeulemeester, Helmut Lang, and Veronique Branquinho among others during fashion week. Brands like *****Luxe and Costume National have permanent spaces in the area. And fashion generally seems to dwell in this region with frequent John Galliano, Rick Owens and Olivier Theyskens sightings. But it’s the burst of tiny hip looking storefronts that deem the upper Marais a destination for a quick spin these days. On Rue Charlot, new stores include AB33 which sells Vanessa Bruno, Kristina Ti, Isabel Marant and Toilette; across the street three-week old Samy Chalon’s charismatic store manners match his equally charming chunky multi-colored knits that take the smart bohemia sensibility to new heights. Up the street Marion de Beaupré’s Librairie 213 is a cozy new, rare, and out of print fashion photography bookstore. Nearby, ResoDiversion‘s frequently changing window installations sometimes have objects for sale and consistently feature edgy visuals. We’ve already introduced you to Ozone, the chic lighting store on Rue Santoinge. On Rue Debelleyme you’ll find Nuts, a truly nutty graphics-inspired store combining art and fashion: handmade posters, t-shirts, sculptures and stickers included. And on Vielle du Temple, Nekt, through its collaboration with Pantone, is rich with all types of products from bags to stationery to clothing installations. Paris isn’t exactly burning, but there’s a slow simmer in the Marais.

- Jason Campbell
Photo: ResoDiversion’s changing interior