Serpent à Plume, Epic Spot

Prepare yourself mentally for a journey. Sit down, close your eyes. And above all, imagine. Serpent à Plume is a territory as yet unconquered. A 200 m2 odyssey where velvet, latex and vinyl coexist in harmony. You enter it from the oldest square in Paris. The Place des Vosges. At first glance, nothing seems to distinguish this terrace from the others around it. Then our eye is caught by an arched wooden door frame from the 70s. We have identified the secret passage. We sneak in, ready to meet the wildlife that lives there by day and by night. Our first meeting will be with our host, Alexander Rash. A character whose life is as well documented as the works in the Croatan Edition collection, to which he is a loyal contributor. A native of Minneapolis, this kid dragged his dandy shoes out to the wilds of Marseille and then to the more sober city of Aix-en-Provence before abandoning his anti-Paris philosophy. Then began a pleasant succession of coincidences that stimulated his upward social mobility. As a result of working as an assistant during fashion week, he struck up a close acquaintance with the auctioneer Jean-Claude Binoche. Having earned his trust, he convinced him to create a world apart. An experience that came to life in this venue, shaped by Vincent Darré. Under the aegis of the pre-Columbian god of the underworld – to whom it owes its name – Serpent à Plume has established itself as a place full of delights and with multiple identities. As a place to buy costumes as well as pyjamas, and as a bar serving rare and evocative cocktails, it seduces as much as it frightens. Feel free to experience its many pleasures as you lose yourself in the Wes Andersonian aesthetic where every detail has the luxury of being thought of as a work of art. Proof that yes, you must “keep fighting“.

Serpent à Plumes – “Café, Cocktails & Pyjama”, 24 place des Vosges – 75004 Paris. Opening: 11:oo am to 02:oo am, from wednesday to sunday.

Alexander, who are you? Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Alexander

I am the president of Mogli Projects, and I opened Serpent à Plume on Friday, 13 April 2018. I grew up in Minneapolis before arriving in Aix-en-Provence as a student in 2013. Then, tired of the student routine, I managed to escape to Paris and got involved with some projects with different groups of artists affiliated to Croatan Edition.

Tell us about Serpent à Plume. What can we do there, and find there?

Alexander

Serpent à Plume is a space where bright ideas, desires and incessant journeys meet in the oldest square in Paris: the Place des Vosges. Nothing here is real. Everything is allowed, or almost everything… In the simplest apparel, in pyjamas or an evening gown. Alone, with your gallery owner friend, or with your lover. Adventure awaits you!

Why this name?

Alexander

The name Serpent à Plume comes from one of the most important divine figures of Meso-America. A cultural hero and legendary ruler, who transforms himself into [the] “Feathered Serpent“. Roaming the underworld and rising, weightless, up through the stars, the Feathered Serpent marries the human and the divine. This dualism embodies the different elements of the old and the new.

How did you find yourself in the Place des Vosges? In this space in particular?

Alexander

For me, the Place des Vosges was a happy accident of social mobility. I had found a job on Craigslist to look after a showroom during fashion week in Paris. From there, I met the owner of the premises: Maître Binoche, an auctioneer. We started to collaborate together on various projects. Then I convinced him to let me take charge of the of the showroom basement. This forgotten cellar which became one year later – by dint of determination and hard work – Serpent à Plume. Since then, I have promised myself that I will bring a sizeable dose of magic to the Place des Vosges with this place and what happens here every evening.

Vincent Darré took care of the decoration. How did you meet him? Why did you choose him?

Alexander

I met Vincent Darré thanks to mutual friends. I think we both have a lot of imagination and our personalities are well synchronised. Vincent and his team are aesthetes, and we created the universe of the Serpent à Plume together.

Where did you get your inspiration for Serpent à Plume? What sort of atmosphere did you want to evoke?

Alexander

I grew up in the American Midwest, which is very much influenced by the 50s and 70s and also by bowling, which is currently one of my favourite pastimes. I felt it was quite groovy. After I arrived in Paris, my ideas of style evolved. Today, I am inspired by the great French names such as Jacques Majorelle, Jean Royère and Bernard Van Riesen Burgh. I think it’s essential to feel some personality in a space. Every day, I feel like I’m welcoming friends into my home.

Adresse Salon vert Reportage Serpent à Plume

Who might we meet at Serpent à Plume?

Alexander

The primary thing for me is to create a place where meetings are possible, and ideas are developed. You will undoubtedly meet my worldly financial friend, Cesio The Cat. Or even, more discreet, but just as important in the landscape of Serpent à Plumes: Miss Téa who is the very young and talented artist who creates the drawings that announce my evening events. At the bar, Mr. Tendo Lee Fuk will probably tell you about his travels in the China seas. And beware of the song of the Slavic sirens on the edges of our jacuzzi, who may be after your money. A significant number of other characters from the four corners of society come together happily at Serpent à Plume: from the passionate art collector to the uncomplicated drag queens, and the young romantic who comes to us to find a little taste of the picturesque that he misses so much in the Paris of our time.

What can we find exclusively at Serpent à Plume?

Alexander

During the day, Serpent à Plume is an espresso bar with a terrace overlooking the Place des Vosges. By choice, we don’t have a sign, but 70s wooden arched Philolaos doorway sets the tone when you enter our shop. A shop where we offer a selection of modern uniforms that I consider essential to the 21st century: semi-bespoke pyjamas, corduroy suits, 1930s gendarmes’ caps and basic t-shirts. I would be happy to advise you if you drop by and see us. Once the sun sets, Serpent à Plume spreads its wings, and the nightlife begins. The night owl leaves reality behind, and our unconventional evening events feature musical programmes that combine classical music with voguing evenings. To be honest, we’re not just a cocktail bar. We are a museum of Mesoamerican statues where velvet, latex and vinyl coexist harmoniously.

How do you want this place to evolve in the future?

Alexander

Serpent à Plume is, for me, an excellent training and experimentation ground because its definition remains nebulous. Naturally, we offer real services but I try to create a total experience that will stimulate all the senses. Le Serpent à Plume is ultimately a manifestation of what we consider to be a pleasant experience. And if its magic evaporates, I’ll turn it into a bowling alley. “Onwards and upwards!”