You know the feeling: you have the exact piece in mind — a blazer with a fluid drape, a skirt with a clean cut — and absolutely no desire to traipse around ten shops to track it down. That was the small fantasy Comaparis.com decided to take literally. Its promise fitted into one sentence: a Parisian fashion concierge, available in one click, doing the searching for you. Twenty years on, the idea sounds unremarkable. At the time, it wasn't.

A shopping concierge, from wherever you are

The principle was simple. The 'Mon Shopping' service answered a specific request, whatever the product, and promised to find the piece within 48 hours, at no cost to you. A team tracked it down, selected it and put you in touch. For the time, the move was bold: it shifted advice from the shop counter to the screen and made it available without an appointment or a loyalty card.

In practice, that gamble spawned imitators. Personal shopping became commonplace. Department stores now offer stylist appointments, resale platforms have fitting rooms, and independent stylists work with clients over video calls. What looked like a niche service has become an ordinary step in the shopping journey.

Back view of a woman trying on a long camel coat in a bright fitting room
Seasonal trends, tried on as if they were your own

The Cahier de Tendances, before curated edits became everywhere

Comaparis's other idea was the Cahier de Tendances. Every month, an edit of Parisian trends in an urban-chic spirit, designed to be browsed like a walk: the Avenue du Sac, the Cours de la Beauté, the Place de la Mode. Route names for organising desires.

The substance isn't far from what you consume now. A curated edit helps you build a coherent silhouette rather than pile up purchases. A drape, a texture, a mood: an avenue for accessories, a course for beauty, a square for the wardrobe. It's layering told as a stroll, and the logic still holds — start with the hero piece, then build around it.

A shopping service doesn't replace your eye. It saves you time on the search — fabrics, prints, cuts — but trying on and how a piece drapes are still down to you. Always ask for the composition and measurements: a statement piece photographed flat never looks the same on a body, and a print reads differently depending on the light.

A woman walking along an elegant Paris street, structured trench coat and handbag in hand
The avenue, the course, the square: fashion can be walked through like a route

What the gamble changed

The real contribution of these services is the method. They teach you to think in hero pieces and accessorise them, rather than give in to the whim of the moment. The result: a clearer wardrobe that ages better, where every basic has a reason to be there.

A Latina woman adjusting a statement camel blazer over a white T-shirt in front of an open wardrobe
Start with the hero piece, then build around it — the method that simplifies

Since then, the goalposts have moved. A fashion concierge can no longer ignore resale, repair or the traceability of materials. A certified fabric, refillable packaging, a piece made from recycled fibres: these criteria now carry weight in the selection. Before you commit, look at the label — GOTS for organic cotton, GRS for recycled content — what it actually covers, and what happens to the piece at the end of its life.

The gamble, twenty years on

None of this has been tested in real conditions here: we're talking about an idea and its descendants, not a product trial. Comaparis.com's gamble was to believe that fashion advice could fit into a click. It didn't solve everything, but it paved the way. Today, finding, selecting and accessorising also happen online. Verdict: yes, on one condition — keep control of the cut and the drape.

A young woman browsing an online edit on a tablet at a Paris café terrace
Finding and choosing now happen anywhere, even at a café terrace

Budget

There is no single rate for this kind of service, and that is exactly what makes it hard to compare. In the UK, as in the original French market, pricing varies widely.

  • 'Complimentary' concierge: many services charge the customer nothing and earn a commission from retailers. Convenient, provided you check how independent the advice really is.
  • Independent personal shopper: rates are usually quoted per session or per hour, depending on location and experience. For reference, the original French market quoted around €80–€200 per session, or €50–€100 an hour. UK quotes in pounds are not directly comparable, so ask for a current price.
  • Remote stylist or online subscription: often a monthly fee, depending on how many edits you receive. The original French range was around €40–€150 a month; UK pricing should be checked locally.

The price depends on the level of personalisation, the city and how many shops are approached. Where do you find the right person? In a department store, a concept store, a perfumery, or through platforms that match clients with stylists.

Sources

  • Original article: beaute-femme.org, 'Mode Comaparis.com'.