Welcome to MinimeLand, not Alice’s lair, but a haven of color and unique vintage items by Mari Marke! This vibrant boutique-workshop allows you to customize your jackets, hats, or sneakers to your heart’s content, all while having a blast.
Stepping into MiniMeLand is like discovering Alice’s Wonderland and Ali Baba’s cave all at once! This colorful conceptual store in the heart of the 2nd arrondissement of Paris is the brainchild of Mari Marke, the founder of MiniMe Paris, whose world revolves around upcycling and customization. You enter this whimsical world to take part in a workshop or find new vintage clothing, but you never know what you’ll leave with because in this fun chaos, there are so many little gems and wonderful discoveries to be found!
On the ground floor, you can purchase a few jackets, accessories, and pants, but the main attraction is the custom workshops, while the basement houses a boutique corner in a huge vaulted cellar adorned with colorful frescoes and pop culture references. Unusual candles, decorative items, apothecary notebooks, original plush toys, cosmetics, and artworks await you in a real labyrinth where you can even jump into a ball pit!
There is so much artistry here, from floor to ceiling. As for us, even if we admired the old-school jewelry or beautiful candles, we came to customize a denim jacket! We started the workshop by selecting our future unique piece from the hanger, tailored to our tastes and size, as there is only one of each jacket available, priced at 55 euros. Accessories are included for 70 euros!
In the age of fast fashion, this customization process allows you to create the jacket of your dreams using a wide range of accessories and fabrics. Fabric threads, leather, patches, embroidery, brooches, trimmings, and pins are just some of the possibilities, and they don’t require advanced skills, rest assured! Of course, if you have basic sewing skills, even better, but if not, you can learn everything you need right on the spot from the super stylist and seamstress.
We chose a superb tweed fabric from one of the leading fashion houses because the boutique repurposes unused scraps. This is an opportunity to add a touch of luxury to your denim jacket without spending thousands of euros! We finalized the placement, cut, and pinned it, then got to work on the sewing machine, which was an experience that went smoothly thanks to the abundant assistance!
Next, we selected a cute patch we liked from hundreds, but it was hard to settle on just one to avoid overloading the back of the jacket as it took shape! A teddy bear for one, a lace shape for another, and we were back to sewing again! We then added a few small embellishments or decorative elements to complete the look, and suddenly three hours had flown by, immersed in creating our work of art!
Of course, you can take home your own customized piece from the workshop to breathe new life into it through the individual bar, whether it’s a hoodie, t-shirt, or tote bag, so you have a one-of-a-kind outfit. In other workshops, you can create hats, bags, and even sneakers on a custom order, so you can delve into the know-how of passionate craftsmen!
In conclusion, MinimeLand is a place where creativity knows no bounds, and every visit is a unique adventure in the world of upcycling and customization. Whether you’re looking to revamp your wardrobe or unleash your inner designer, this vibrant boutique-workshop is a must-visit for fashion enthusiasts and DIY lovers alike. Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of color, art, and endless possibilities at MinimeLand!