Last year, I visited Parisian department store Le Bon Marché twice. The first time, I only admired the roof – designed by Gustave Eiffel – and considered the store as a relic from the past. Once a local gem, now a dull showcase for the advertising of world’s biggest designer labels.
I see it happening in my city too, where department store De Bijenkorf only serves as house for shop-in-shops like Louis Vuitton and Hermes and their Russian and Chinese customers (even the announcements are in Russian and Chinese).
But last week, my second visit to Le Bon Marché pictured a totally different picture. The shop reserved the most beautiful floor – right under Eiffel’s roof – for an exhibition-like store with a clear theme: Japan. I estimate that around thirty Japanese suppliers had a stand at Le Bon Marché Japon where they could showcase their goods and it was clear that they were neatly selected, only offering quality and original products.
There was also an art installation, honoring the art island Naoshima in a rather dramatic fashion:
Seems like Le Bon Marché figured that to compete with web shops, they have to put up a show.
Judging from the amount of shoppers in the store and the Japon-bags on the streets, this project seems successful. It proves that when vendors offer something else than the usual designer-subjects, customers are willing to visit their department stores again.