History of Galeries Lafayette

Inheriting the structure of the guild system, the retail trade was still organized in the early 19th century into specialized shops divided by product category. Hats, shoes, fabrics—a fashionable woman had to visit many different shops to put together her wardrobe. With the emergence of department stores in the mid-19th century, a transformation in buying and selling practices began. These new retail formats made it possible, for the first time, to bring together under one roof everything necessary for a woman’s wardrobe: accessories and trinkets, ribbons, lace, hat forms, and so on. They quickly became a huge hit with female customers and allowed a less affluent segment of the population to access a form of consumption that had previously been out of reach.

As the catalyst for a commercial revolution, the department store also led to numerous innovations such as free admission, fixed and posted prices, the option to exchange items, sales, and even mail-order sales.

As a keen observer, Émile Zola describes the process by which the “novelty store”—a commercial innovation of the first half of the 19th century—evolved into a department store. The owner of a thriving business gradually took over the leases of small neighboring shops that were in direct competition with him.

Galeries Lafayette faithfully followed this model. The founders of Galeries Lafayette, two cousins from Alsace—Théophile Bader and Alphonse Kahn—established a company in 1893 to take over the operation of a modest 70-square-meter haberdashery located at 1 Rue Lafayette. By 1896, they already owned the entire building, and beginning in 1904, they began their expansion along Boulevard Haussmann. From 1906 to 1908, an initial construction project led by architect Georges Chedanne converted the newly acquired properties on the block bounded by 38–40–42 Boulevard Haussmann and 15 Rue de la Chaussée d’Antin into commercial spaces.

Buoyed by their commercial success, Galeries Lafayette continued to acquire parcels within the block bounded by Boulevard Haussmann, Rue de la Chaussée d’Antin, Rue de Provence, and Rue Mogador. No sooner had Georges Chedanne’s building been inaugurated than, following a dispute over his fees, new expansion work was entrusted in 1909 to Ferdinand Chanut, a student of Chedanne’s. Ferdinand Chanut was tasked with constructing a building at the heart of the block consisting of four halls

Commercial Architecture
Haussmann-style apartment buildings—which had been repurposed to expand retail space—were then subject to a change in use that required major renovations. All of these transformations were made possible by technical advances, particularly in steel-frame construction and, beginning in the early 20th century, the use of reinforced concrete.

The most distinctive feature of this new retail architecture is the emphasis placed on non-commercial spaces (reading rooms, correspondence lounges, concerts, fashion shows, etc.). These are all spaces for socializing, to which tea rooms must be added. The department store becomes a living space where customers spend more and more time, and shopping becomes a leisure activity.

In this new layout, the store’s decor and design become essential to the theatrical presentation of the retail space and the staging of the merchandise.

The major contributions of Jacques Gruber and Louis Majorelle to the expansions
inaugurated in the fall of 1912 give the space its unique character. The ensemble comprising the
dome, the grand staircase, and 20 elevators is at the center of a design that transforms the traditional flow of traffic in department stores. The design of the grand hall replaces a linear layout—with counters arranged in parallel along galleries—with a circular layout centered on the dome and the staircase.

In 1932, the store was modernized with geometric lines and imposing Art Deco architecture.

Pierre Patout was responsible for the third phase of the store’s expansion. As an architect of transatlantic ocean liners, he gave the store the silhouette of one of those ships setting sail for the United States. The press still regularly referred to it as the “flagship of Boulevard Haussmann.”

This artistic movement, which found expression through architecture, design, fashion, and the decorative arts, is characterized by stylized motifs and a rich color palette. Inspired by the technological advances of the era and influences from Cubism, Futurism, and primitive arts, Art Deco reflects a desire for innovation while celebrating luxury and refinement.