Jocelyn Armel in front of His Haberdashery Sape & Co
Photograph by www.DiscoverParis.net
While exploring the area around the Château Rouge neighborhood to gather information for our guided “Spirit of Africa” tour, we came upon Jocelyn Armel at his shop Sape & Co at 12, rue de Panama. Hailing from Congo Brazzaville, Mr. Armel sells men’s clothes in the style of sapeurs from that country. The acronym “SAPE” means Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elégantes (Society of Poseurs and Elegant People), and a sapeur is a man whose devotes his life to elegant dress.
Mr. Armel told us that his clothes are imported from Italy. Sape & Co, whose full name is “Sape & Connivence,” is open every day except Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
