Patou opens debut Paris store in Galeries Lafayette

Patou has opened this Thursday its debut Paris store, located inside Galeries Lafayette, the prestigious French department store on Avenue Haussmann.
 

The opening marks a significant step for the LVMH-owned brand, which has previously concentrated its expansion in Japan and South Korea, where it now boasts 10 stores.
 
“We are proud to inaugurate our first store in Paris. Patou is a brand that embodies the Parisian spirit, and we are now able to connect with our local clientele. Taking this major step with Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann makes it even more special, as they have been a longstanding partner for Patou and have supported the brand since the relaunch,” said Sophie Brocart, CEO Patou in a release.

Nonetheless, the choice of Galeries Lafayette will be seen as something as a surprise, seeing as LVMH also owns two department stores in Paris, Le Bon Marché and Samaritaine, the latter located just 500 yards from Patou headquarters on Ile de la Cité.

“The opening of the first Patou Boutique in Paris at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is the fruit of a long-term collaboration and is part of a strong evolution of the Women’s floors that emphasize Luxury and Designers with new exclusive brands and concepts. We are glad to lead such a project and to count on our partners to create a new shopping destination and experience for our customers,” said Alix Morabito, general buying and merchandising director for womenswear at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann
 
Patou was founded in 1914 by Jean Patou, a Normandy-born dandy who is regarded historically as the inventor of knitted swimwear and the tennis skirt. Remembered also as the creator of the first designer ties, made in the same fabric as his women’s collection, Patou went on to influence a diverse range of designers that included Louis Feraud, Timothy Everest and Sir Paul Smith with his chic yet natural Parisian style.
 
Following his untimely death in 1936 aged 48 from a brain hemorrhage, the house was guided by his sister and brother-in-law, who hired a series of notable stars as designers including Karl Lagerfeld, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix, who created the final haute couture collection of the house in 1987.
 
The company then changed hands several times, being owned by Procter & Gamble and Designer Parfums Ltd, before LVMH acquired the fashion marque. In 2018, the giant French luxury group relaunched Patou and named Guillaume Henry as its creative director.
 
Refocusing the brand to offer its clients an easy and sophisticated wardrobe to embody Parisian chic, with a twist of modernity and sense of humor.
 
“I am beyond thrilled for the opening of our first store in the heart of Paris,
a city that for me serves as constant inspiration,” said Henry in a release.
 
With an emphasis on eco-responsibility and organic materials, all Patou stores feature recycled and natural MDF wood, or recycled fabrics for carpets. The store measures 58 square-meters and is situated on the 2nd floor of Galeries Lafayette, Paris Haussmann.
 
The prevalent color in its boutiques is the iconic Patou pink, which is very present in ready-to-wear pieces and embodies Patou’s vocabulary of joyfulness, wit, and femininity. Though pink is also paired with neutral tones such as beige and grey, evoking the ambiance of atelier and couture.