Paris. The city of love, the capital of fashion. And for one unforgettable week each season, it's the undisputed epicentre of style—Paris Fashion Week.

As someone who has dreamed of attending Paris Fashion Week for as long as I can remember, I wasn’t going to leave anything to chance when the opportunity arose to visit for the Spring Summer 26 season. I researched the best places to eat, stay, shop, and explore, determined to make the most of every moment. While the week was undeniably hectic, I can confidently say it was everything I had hoped for and more.

This marked my second fashion week with Liv, RUSSH's Creative Studio and Campaign Manager, after experiencing the chaos of Milan together the week prior. Arriving in Paris after a seven-hour train journey from Milan, we were immediately struck by the unexpected sunny weather; a warmth that lingered all week and set the tone for our Parisian fashion week.

To say our itinerary was packed would be an understatement. As Social Media Coordinator and Assistant to our Editor-in-Chief, my role meant shadowing her during the day, capturing, creating, and producing content by day, then racing home each night to edit and upload just as Australia was waking up.

The days blurred into a mix of exquisite meals, show-hopping, the occasional tourist stop, and, of course, some irresistible (though not always wallet-friendly) shopping. Here, I’ve pulled together the highlights of where to stay, eat, shop, and explore in Paris.

Stay

We arrived at the Gare de Lyon train station after a 7 hour train from Milan, so it was nice to know our Airbnb was a 10 minute walk. Like Milan, we wanted to feel immersed in the city and life of Paris, and Airbnb was the best option for that. The spacious apartment was incredible, and we were situated right between the Marais and the 11th. Our street had so many great wine bars, cafes and was so close to the metro, which meant getting around the city was a breeze. Thankfully, we were also on the 1st floor, so it was easy to lug our 30kg luggage up and down...

Eat

This is my second time in Paris, and I would like to think that after this trip I have perfected my culinary experience here. One of our go-to crepe spots was in the Marais at a little spot called La Charrette a Crepes. It;s a must-do for a great Nutella and banana crepe.

Of course I had to try Cafe Charlot, and while it definitely was on the more expensive side, the peppercorn steak was very good. It's a great place to people watch, particularly if you want to catch a glimpse of fashion week attendees. However the best steak of the trip was on the left bank at Cafe Louise, right next to Brasserie Lipp (another great spot).  And after the Louis Vuitton show, a burger from Café Ruc was also another great spot to people watch and have a delicious cheese burger.

Because I was working pretty long days, having great restaurants and cafes near my Airbnb made it so much easier to get food and stay fuelled. Near us, there was a cafe called KakKaf, which served the best avocado toast with hummus and dukkah. And if you are sick of French food, La Taverne De Zhao had some of the best as Chinese food i've ever tried. Get the Biang Biang noodles. There's also L'Orillion, which reminded me of 10 William back in Sydney, and Brigat had the best pastries.

A little left of centre, but Tyrrell's Pesto chips were insane. I have never tasted a better chip.

Do

Most of my time in Paris was spent running between shows, events and meetings. The shows and their atmosphere were like nothing I have ever experienced before, and all had different vibes. No two days were the same. It was also my first time going backstage at Christopher Esber, which was amazing. Seeing Chris, Filomena Natoli and the hair team all bring the show to life was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

When I had moments to myself, visiting the Tuileries is always a highlight — walking around the gardens, having a picnic, or even just passing through. We also had great weather, which made me want to be there every day. I walked past Notre-Dame, and — maybe this is controversial — but for the lines and wait it takes to get in, it isn’t worth going inside... People-watching and walking around Paris are just the best things to do. You stumble upon places, galleries and cafés at every turn, so it’s a must to walk everywhere.

Shop

My favourite part of the trip was shopping. Even if you don't buy anything, walking around the 1st arrondissement and looking at the luxury shops has such magic to it. Here you'll find the original flagships of all the major fashion Houses, like Chanel and Celine. I also visited the infamous The Row store, and got in big trouble for taking a picture...

What I did buy were lots of goodies from the French pharmacies, like the A313 retinol. I also purchased Diptyque's Do Son Ea Du Toilette – it smells like spring and gardenia. Liv and I also got matching Charles and Keith Britton bags, which were perfect for travelling and busy dats.

I was also so happy to see that a vintage store I have followed on Instagram forever, West Archive, was doing a pop up in Paris for fashion week. It did not disappoint – they had the best pieces I have ever seen. While some were definitely out of my price range, I would say most were well priced. At one point, when I was trying on a top, I walked out of the changing room to look in the mirror, and saw none other than Devon Lee Carlson also trying something on. She told me she loved the top on me, and I of course said the same thing back (what doesn’t she look good in?). Naturally, I then had to buy that top. Thank you, Devon Lee Carlson, for that movie moment.