Galeries Lafayette is the most prestigious and exquisite department store in Paris. Renowned for its jaw-dropping window displays, your hopes are fulfilled before even entering its doors. Classified as an historic monument because of its 33 metre-high glass decorated dome, tourists and locals pile up to enjoy a taste of shopping heaven. Inside an endless succession of fashion, shoes and accessories cover 10 floors. The ground floor, is a dream world of cosmetics, jewelry and handbags. One floor up and you begin your exploration of international women’s fashion, with brand names like Gucci, Chloe, Diesel, Zara, Ralph Lauren and a distinctive emphasis on upcoming designers. Th
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Galeries Lafayette is the most prestigious and exquisite department store in Paris. Renowned for its jaw-dropping window displays, your hopes are fulfilled before even entering its doors.
Classified as an historic monument because of its 33 metre-high glass decorated dome, tourists and locals pile up to enjoy a taste of shopping heaven.
Inside an endless succession of fashion, shoes and accessories cover 10 floors. The ground floor, is a dream world of cosmetics, jewelry and handbags. One floor up and you begin your exploration of international women’s fashion, with brand names like Gucci, Chloe, Diesel, Zara, Ralph Lauren and a distinctive emphasis on upcoming designers. The store is well-known for its support of French fashion designers like Christian Dior, Chanel, Comme des Garcon, Tara Jarmon and Jean Paul Gaultier (who has his Philippe Starck designed concept store here).
The distinctive difference with this department store is that the apparel is segmented by the customer’s personality and not their age or buying power, they are made to feel comfortable on each fashion floor (basically, by the displaying of the more expensive brands next to the more affordable). The first floor is intended to show vibrant, ready-to-wear labels. The second, a more classic feel with sportswear and urban collections. The third floor introduces seductive fashion.
Keeping the entire family in mind, you will find children’s fashion on the fifth floor (look for Baby Dior, Petit Bateau and baby Bjorn), an adjacent building houses stylish menswear and sportswear. Directly across the street "Lafayette Maison" is 10,000 square metres entirely dedicated to home decoration and gourmet delights. With 12 restaurants to choose from, including Maxim’s and Le Laurie, the appetite you work up whilst shopping will be suitably filled.
No matter when you visit, there’s always something happening at Galeries Lafayette. From daily fashion shows at "Salon Opera" (on the 7th floor), to creative exhibits, designer competitions, make-up workshops and cooking classes, it truly proves to be a shopping Mecca.
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