Who are Parisian department stores for? When they first appeared in the 19th century, they played a key role in democratizing fashion, as the exhibition devoted to them at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (open until October 13) outlines. This objective had become somewhat hazy prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, when these Paris institutions seemed to be mainly targeting Chinese tourists, who would arrive in large groups with long shopping lists of luxury goods.
But we could be witnessing a return to the original plan. With the number of Asian clients in decline since the pre-pandemic days, department stores are now adapting their fashion offerings to appeal once again to local shoppers, by becoming both more accessible and more focused.
The most striking change is a new emphasis on designer-led brands. These are labels that are embodied by their founder or artistic director, with a strong identity and prices located somewhere between mid-range and luxury. With T-shirts selling at around €100 and coats costing up to €1,000, and the bulk of the ranges priced between €300 and €400, prices may still be high, but these brands – whose products are usually made in Europe – aim to promote the idea of value for money.
From one department store to another, the product mix is fairly similar and aesthetically complementary: Jacquemus and its sunny look of openwork dresses and ruffled tops; Ami, which revisits the Parisienne wardrobe with basics adorned with its heart logo; Lemaire, with its chic, sober line in neutral tones; Zimmermann, whose floral dresses suit all body types; Courrèges, whose artistic director Nicolas Di Felice has reinterpreted the brand's signature geometric shapes, and Rabanne, where Julien Dossena has breathed new life into the label with mixed prints and offbeat bling.
These brands are everywhere at Printemps Haussmann, Le Bon Marché and La Samaritaine. Galeries Lafayette Haussmann's entirely renovated second floor is now dedicated to them. The spaces dedicated to them are vast – boutiques of around 100 square meters that use the design house's furniture and codes. Jacquemus' beige grotto rubs shoulders with Courrèges' immaculate laboratory aesthetic.
Since most of these labels' sales are made online, physical outlets are designed to attract customers looking to touch or try on pieces. The department store's investment also comes from the product selection, which is no longer a simple list of the brand's bestsellers. "The choice is comparable to that of high-street boutiques," said Arthur Lemoine, Galeries Lafayette's director of offer. "This includes catwalk pieces, capsule collections, novelties, previews."
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