Petit Pan is now permanently closed.
What?: Petit Pan’s slogan is ‘vivre en multicolore’, which is basically the opposite of my slogan, but I’m willing to let that slide because it’s cute. Founded in Paris in 2002, this dinky French kids’ store opened its first UK branch on Hampstead High Street in May, with a tiny storefront cafe offering hot and cold drinks popping up a few weeks later. Petit Pan specialises in vibrant patterned fabrics, which are fashioned into playful clothing, homeware and accessories, as well as being available to buy by the metre in-store, and will offer a programme of sewing workshops for 6-15s from September.
Where?: 28a Hampstead High Street, a two-minute walk from Hampstead Underground (Northern), 13 from Hampstead Heath (Ginger) and 18 from Finchley Road (Jubilee, Metropolitan).
Price Range: At the pricy end of reasonable, with clothes ranging from £15 for a hat up to £65 for a padded jacket. For homeware you can expect to pay from a few pounds for a bath mat up to £180 for a bedding set.
Best Bits: The cute cafe is the perfect place to relax with an iced coffee while you listen to French cafe music and glance around the store or people-watch out the window.
Worst Bits: This is not a shop for minimalists, although even Monochrome Molly over here managed to find something so it’s worth a look.
Did We Buy?: We managed to buy the least colourful thing in the shop without even trying – a tiny cotton preschool backpack in grey that Bab predictably refuses to wear.
Would We Come Back?: It’s a few minutes from our flat, so yeah.
Bab plays with a Baby Bath Doudou at Petit Pan, Hampstead
bablands.com 