We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nancy Flaherty a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nancy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

I take people shopping in Paris! But I’m not your typical tour guide, I find the hidden gems of Paris that only a local would know about. Having spent many weeks in the beautiful city during fashion weeks, I would wander around neighborhoods and discover small businesses that I have come to know and love. I share my knowledge of the city of light with my customers.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I began my career as a journalist and editor for Captendance Magazine, a luxury lifestyle publication based in France. I was the US editor for three years, and my favorite assignments were always Paris Fashion Week! From there I started my own online publication, Grace in Paris, where I wrote about my favorite places to shop in Paris that were off the beaten path, the Hidden Gems. When the next phase of my career came along, I wanted to write about Hidden Gems I’ve discovered in locations beyond Paris, and as a result “Hidden Gems with Nancy” was born! I love to write with a journalist’s eye. My passion will always be Paris, but I so enjoy travel and discovering new places as well. In 2021 I wrote a book about the chic Parisian woman and what she would have in her closet, “French Flair 10 essential pieces for style and the history that makes them so iconic”. My joy is explaining the history of fashion houses and iconic pieces.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

There was a moment in time, I’m sure you will remember, when travel was off the list for the whole world. During that time I was able to refocus my attention to think about what I really wanted to do with my company. Before 2020 I was working on shopping tours in Paris quarterly. So many people wanted my advice about where to go and what to shop for, I was headed toward burnout! After two years of quiet reflection I know my tours are better and more curated than before, with thought put into every detail about where I take my clients.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I recently produced a fashion show using the style from my book, French Flair. I worked with a local shopping district to pull pieces that could be found in any chic woman’s closet. What was really special was that the models we used for this show were all cancer survivors who needed a morale boost. Working with those women who had recently been through so much gave me incredible joy. To take something that is so routine for me and be able to do for others, that was powerful.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hiddengemswithnancy.com
• Instagram: @hiddengemswithnancy
• Facebook: Hidden Gems with Nancy
• Youtube: Hidden Gems with Grace