Say It Isn’t So: Colette Is Closing

In news that we totally did not see coming: Parisian concept store Colette will close its doors in December.

"As all good things must come to an end, after 20 wonderful years, Colette should be closing its doors on December 20 of this year," the company revealed via Instagram. "Colette Roussaux has reached the time when she would like to take her time; and Colette cannot exist without Colette."

For 20 years, Roussaux’s boutique occupied a three-story, 8,000-square foot space on Rue Saint Honoré, and was filled with an eclectic mix of high-fashion and up-and-coming new designer brands, art books, gadgets and magazines. The closing is especially surprising because it follows the store’s recent announcement that another exciting collaboration was in the works, this time with H&M. Thankfully, on August 21, the high-low line will launch in-store and online at Colette for two weeks as planned.

"We’ll launch the H&M capsule on 21 August," Business of Fashion reported. "And of course nothing change [sic] with our 'Le Relais' projects with Les Vacances de Lucien, Sacai, Thom Browne, Chanel, and Saint Laurent on our first floor."

As for what will happen to one of the most fashionable spaces in Paris, in somewhat of an interesting twist, Saint Laurent is in talks takeover the space. Back in 2013, after Hedi Slimane changed the company’s name from Yves Saint Laurent to Saint Laurent, Colette sold "Ain't Laurent Without Yves" parody T-shirts. Saint Laurent demanded the shirts be removed from Colette’s website, saying they “seriously damaged' the YSL brand.” However, a statement today revealed that: "Negotiations are under way with Saint Laurent and we would be proud to have a brand with such a history, with whom we have frequently collaborated, taking over our address. We are happy of the serious interest expressed by Saint Laurent in this project, and it could also represent a very good opportunity for our employees."

Hurry up and head on over! That goodbye pilgrimage won’t make itself.