Last time I was in Paris (2009) I found myself wandering around Île Saint-Louis on the quest for some Berthillon ice cream. A little store caught my eye because of the bright colours (which are like a magnet to me, as those that have been shopping with me will attest). The shop was Pylones and it had the most fantastical, colourful range of wares I had ever seen.

Since then, one Pylones store has opened in Australia, in Sydney, which isn’t the most convenient place to get my fix. But then Tendance etc. opened in Gold Creek, and my colour-loving self let out a little cheer. For not only did that mean I had easy access to fun Pylones homewares and accessories, but it introduced me to other delightful French brands, like La Lutine and Litchi.

Tendance etc. seems like a bit of an unusual name. For us English-speakers—or me, at least—when I first read it it made me think of some sort of dance involving the number 10, or dancing ten times, or something like that, over and over again. Its actual origin is a bit more sophisticated and sensible. Tendance is a French word, which translates in English to “trend; être ~ to be the trend (more neutral), be trendy (Infml)”, while etc. is the abbreviation of et cetera, which means and others, and so forth and so on. By joining the two, you get Tendance etc.

According to the owner, Charlotte, “Tendance” represents the more serious side of the shop, indicating that it’s somewhere that you can the latest, most stylish and unique designer products from France and Europe. The “etc.” represents the fun side of the shop, showing that they love the lighter side of life and don’t take themselves too seriously. Tendance etc. is actually a daughter shop of a boutique located in Saint Etienne, the first city in France to be appointed as UNESCO City of Design.

Charlotte herself is actually French, and regularly goes back to Europe to find new goodies for the store. If you’re wondering how a Frenchwoman ends up opening a store in Canberra, you’re not the only one—so was I. Luckily for her customers, Charlotte is always happy to chat, and shared with me her story about how she came to be in Canberra and decided to open the shop.

“I came to Australia because of my partner Jack, who is Australian,” she explained. “I saw that Australia and especially Canberra was missing many wonderful French brands and products I absolutely love and must have, so being the daughter of a retailer I decided to open up a shop.

“A common question I get asked is why we decided to open a shop in Gold Creek. My answer to this question is that I wanted to replicate the boutique experience that is so common in France. Gold Creek is one of the last areas in Canberra that provides this experience; outdoor shopping in a gorgeous setting with great cafes and eateries next door, which makes for a perfect day out.”

I, for one, couldn’t be happier that Charlotte decided to bring some French fun and sophistication to the retail scene in Canberra. While Tendance etc. has put a bit of a dent in my bank balance, it’s undoubtedly brightened up my accessory selection and my house, and if I could I’d buy everything! The shop itself is also just a lot of fun to browse in—the first time I went there I didn’t know where to look because there was just so much to see (and colour! So much colour!)

So if you’re ever out at Gold Creek, I highly recommend a visit to Tendance etc. And for those of you reading this and feeling disappointed because you don’t live nearby, I have some good news—Tendance etc. recently opened an online store, so be sure to check that out instead (but still head out to Gold Creek if you happen to be in town!).

The essentials
What: Tendance etc.
Where: 4a/11 O’Hanlon Pl, Nicholls
When: Tuesday to Sunday 10am-5pm, public holidays 10am-5pm, or 24/7 online
Contact: Call 02 6262 4447, visit the website at www.tendanceetc.com.au or check out their Facebook page.

This is not a sponsored post. Michelle just really, really likes Tendance etc. and wanted to tell you about i!