I Will Miss Paris—Sonya Molodetskaya's Paris Fashion Week Diary

Sonya Molodetskaya on the stairs of the Ritz in Paris

Photo Credit: Craig Arend

Editor’s Note: Our fashion editor-at-large, Sonya Molodetskaya, is one of San Francisco’s most fashionable girls about town. Here she recounts her recent Paris Fashion week experience.

March 8, Hotel Ritz, Paris, early morning.

I get out of bed and open the curtains. Paris is waking up. . . I am still here, but I only have a few hours till my flight back to San Francisco. I already know that the minute the plane takes off, I will miss Paris.

Taking in the view from suite at the Ritz

Photo Credit: Craig Arend

I will miss Hotel Ritz with it’s undeniable beauty and impeccable service. I will miss the door man who gets upset when I refuse to stand under his umbrella while exiting the car. “It’s all right, it’s only few steps,” I say. “But, madame, it’s rainy!” He replies, his face wrought with worry. I can’t say no to him, so we end up under his umbrella just to take a few steps from the hotel’s door to the car.

Photo Credit: Craig Arend

Details from the Ritz suite's bathroom — Details from the Ritz suite’s bathroom

Photo Credit: Craig Arend

I will miss the narrow cobblestone streets and the drivers that appear to be on a mission to run me over the minute I am not looking.

Photo Credit: Craig Arend

I will miss the small cafe, Chez Francis, where I had the best sausage of my life. The sausage which looks so suspicious that even the waiter asks me twice trying to be sure I know what I am ordering. . . I will miss the man who asked me to watch his dog while he went to the men’s room as we were sitting outside of the cute cafe. I will miss his dog too. I will definitely miss that half of a croissant that the dog enjoyed while his owner was gone.

The view from Chez Francis and the infamous sausage

I will miss the fabulous craziness of Paris Fashion Week. Changing in the car between the shows! It wouldn’t be right to wear the same outfit to different shows even though they are back to back.

Photo Credit: Craig Arend

Photo Credit: Craig Arend

I will miss that moment when you think the next day is totally free and you can finally take that walk alone along the Seine River, but a text arrives, and you absolutely can’t miss that particular show, even though you never wear that designer and probably never will.

I will miss the high tea at the Hotel Ritz where you sit “on display” and people take pictures of you in hopes you are somebody famous. I am not, but the most powerful people in the fashion world come here for meetings and amazing dessert during Fashion Week.

I will miss Hotel Costes. The smell of candle wax mixed with roses and the glares of the mean waitresses. This place is full of memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I will miss walking the streets of Paris alone. I know I am never alone because I have this city in my heart. I have all of it and it will never go away or change. Plus, I know I will be back, I will hear: “Bonjour, Madam!” the minute I get off the plane, and Paris will welcome me again with its most amazing journeys, unexpected surprises, and the greatest love. . . but for now—I am going, going, gone.