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| Sep 06: It's fall in Paris, that time of the year when the city beckons with manifold cultural charms, the most anticipated runway collections and a conundrum that never ceases to intrigue. Namely, how, after their salad days, some Gallic legends fade into ignominy (Marie Antoinette), cliché (Amelie) or—worst of all—obesity (Bardot), while others manage to grow older staying enviably fresh, chic and of-the-moment. In this latter category, think not only of Carine or Isabelle Huppert but also of the Hotel Costes, the Cafe de Flore and the uberboutique colette, that bastion of cool that not only remains influential nine years after it opened, but miles ahead of the legions of copycats it spawned in every corner of the globe. And so, while the very concept of a concept store is as stale as your terrier's breath, the mother of them all boogies on unfazed. In fact, as if to assert just how fresh she is, colette has relaunched its virtual domain. The new website's improvements include a gleaming yet playful design and sections such as "Coups de Coeur" (heartbeats), a kind of blog updated frequently with what's exciting the colette team at the moment, be it leopard print or a super-luxe Moncler down jacket. The online store has been beefed up, offering the store's trademark hi-low selection of stylish wares, a sampler of pop-culture goodies. The most noticeable addition, however, are the Com-Pets, endearing little creatures—a cross between a Teletubby, a Transformer and an iPod—that help visitors navigate the site. Click on any of the bottom menu's categories and up comes a fleet of Com-Pets doing all manner of cute things like plopping down, spinning, bobbing their heads and babbling incomprehensibly, but ultimately taking the viewer to videos, downloads, party pictures, a calendar of upcoming events and other fun places. There's a lot to discover at colette's new website, which, not unlike the store itself, is teeming with surprises. A hip-hop track in the media section proclaims "colette c'est chouette." We agree.
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