Saint Laurent is opening a relocated, expanded, resolutely modern, and bright flagship store on Avenue Montaigne. While the Parisian fashion house, part of the Kering group, is facing sluggish sales in the third quarter, its CEO Cédric Charbit hopes to double the revenue of its former location.
While Chanel has been dealing with a robbery at its Avenue Montaigne boutique in recent days, Saint Laurent has chosen to establish itself in the heart of Paris’s Golden Triangle.
While since 2013, the Parisian flagship store of the Kering group had been located at number 53 on the famous avenue, it has just changed address to take over the former Dior flagship store at number 30.
A true manifesto of the strategy to win back customers championed by its CEO Cédric Charbit, this new store demonstrates the importance of transforming itself into a cultural hub in order to win the battle for customer experience. The initiative comes two years after the opening of its flagship store on the Champs-Elysées and one month after the opening of its store on Via Montenapoleone in Milan.
A collector’s residence
The flagship unveiled by Saint Laurent is in line with its latest concepts, including that of its Champs-Elysées address. A hybrid space halfway between a Parisian apartment and a contemporary art gallery. With one significant difference: its size. Whereas the former address had a sales area of 900 m², the new one is almost excessive at 1115 m².
The Art Deco decor of the previous boutique, marked by the omnipresence of marble, remains, with more monumental marble, giving the whole a tension between raw materials and refined details.
In addition, vast relaxation areas with antique-style chaise longues, adorned with works of art, are spread over three levels. Among the focal points is a monumental floating staircase, which rivals that of a certain Polène in its Champs-Elysées boutique, just a few steps away. The shape of the structure curves to reflect all the sensuality inherent in the Parisian brand’s identity.
Museum-quality pieces abound, whether they are works on loan from the Pinault Foundation not far from here, tapestries, carpets, antique-inspired basins or furniture designed by Charlotte Perriand.
At the top, on the third floor, you’ll find both the men’s collections and a landscaped terrace.
In terms of what’s on offer, the flagship store stocks the men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections, as well as leather goods and shoes.
Customer experience at the heart
The newly opened boutique at 30 Avenue Montaigne—the former Dior flagship store and former Canadian embassy building—was designed to put the customer experience at the heart of the concept.
With spaces for relaxation, fitting rooms, and private lounges, the new flagship store aims to deliver hospitality that meets the highest standards of prestige. Cédric Charbit, who has been at the helm of Saint Laurent since January and rarely speaks to the press, gave an exclusive interview to WWD on the importance of customer relations in revitalizing the Parisian fashion house. “We have moved from a transactional model to an experiential model, where customers are guests and hospitality is an art,” said the executive.
At the heart of this retail experience, personalization is, as befits luxury, a key feature. Saint Laurent, however, wanted to go one step further by offering a bespoke service covering ready-to-wear, accessories, leather goods, and shoes. This is a Parisian exclusive to date for the fashion house, which has a network of 317 stores worldwide.
Behind this renewed focus on space, art, and customer relations, the CEO makes no secret of his desire to double the revenue of his former address on Avenue Montaigne. This goal aims to turn the tide after organic sales fell 4% in the third quarter. At the heart of this strategy to win back customers, Cédric Charbit intends to continue his efforts to expand the brand’s customer base, historically linked to women’s and men’s collections, which are considered a “key strategic pillar.”
Read also > Kering unveils two flagship stores for Saint Laurent in Paris and Gucci in Milan
Featured photo: © Dominique Maître/Saint Laurent
