Nicolas Houzé, head of the Galeries Lafayette
group. ‘The store is a response to new ways of
consuming and working together.’
BIG’s design immediately signals this
novelty by having visitors enter the build-
ing through a glowing, immersive tunnel. In
the gallery-like interior, much play is made
of internal ‘windows’ that highlight the four
floors with their carefully selected mer-
chandise, landscaped displays and luxurious
original features. The original cupola floods
the store with daylight while six suspended
glass boxes act as interior store windows,
showcasing pop-up installations that change
every three weeks.
The new store has gone for the per-
sonal touch. Merchandise is carefully curated
and includes niche brands available at no
other Galeries Lafayette store. Instead of sales
staff, 300 stylists were trained and hired,
transforming notions of service. In addition
to human help and advice, customers can
draw on digital services: the ‘personal stylist’
app and ‘smart hangers’ that inform them if a
garment is available in their size. If it is, it is
sent directly to the fitting room. This feature,
by the way, is given a privileged location in
the new store – highlighting the fact that
try-before-you-buy is unique to the physical
shopping experience.
As well as striving to create a more
intimate and personalized experience for
every one of its anticipated 15,000 daily visi-
tors, Galeries Lafayette underlines the grow-
ing convergence of retail and leisure. Young
designer Simon Porte Jacquemus is respon-
sible for the sleek looks of the two dining
spaces, café Citron and restaurant Oursin,
which are destinations in themselves. On the
basement level a food court offers a kind of
Parisian food market, completing the ‘daytrip’
experience. – JS
big.dkBIG’s gallery-like interior marries
landscaped displays with luxurious
original features.
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