Whenever I travel to a new city, my first priority is to hunt down the Goth/Lolita stores. Never mind the Louvre – take me to Baby, the Stars Shine Bright! My friend Fredo is the same way: as soon as he touched down in Paris, he was Googling for Gavilane, purveyor of “mystic jewelry and decadent accessories.”
Many of my darkly-inclined friends have moms who are really into the aesthetic as well. (Mine is no exception – she recently got me a lace-up ruffled corset and handcuff necklace from Hong Kong.) Fredo’s stylish mother (pictured) is perhaps even more of a Goth enthusiast than he is. On her last visit to Gavilane, she emerged with a leather corset and this elegant cameo necklace: a lady's profile framed with crystals and black stones. 
Fredo says the clothes in Gavilane aren’t anything you'd write home about - but the refined, handmade accessories are a different story. The vibe? “It’s definitely Goth, but not harsh like spikes so much as skulls… more literal Gothic, as in a couple of centuries ago.” Fredo surreptitiously took photos of silver cackling skeleton-kings, dangling fleur-de-lis earrings, over-the-top hats with feathers everywhere. He bought a pair of skull and crossbones cufflinks, made from black lacquer and black stones.
Gavilane has several locations in Paris; the main store sells clothes and more elaborate pieces, and there is a branch dedicated to accessories about five blocks away. The primary location is at one end of Rue Rosiers, a street about four blocks long that anchors the Jewish quarter. The other end runs into the beginning of the Marais, the gay district of Paris. Fredo adds: "Another nice thing about it is there's the best falafel in France just down the street at L'As du Fallafel (34 Rue des Rosiers)!"
Gavilane
† 14 Rue Malher, Paris, 75004 † Metro station: St. Paul
† Also at: 8 Rue des Francs Bougeois and 39 Rue Vieille du Temple
† Phone: 0148877313
† Fax: 0148877333
