The Grand Magasins of Paris

History, sophistication and style come into their own at the French capital's best-known department stores

The enormous, stained glass cupola let in multi-hued rays of the afternoon sun, which, in turn, created myriad patterns on the silk tapestries hung from the surrounding walls. The beautiful parquet flooring glistened in the soft light. Colourful balloons and ribbons created a festive scene. The red-carpeted grand staircase beckoned us to the luxuries that lay ahead: five concentric floors of the building looked like multi-tier layers of the most exquisite pastry. Yes, Galeries Lafayette in Paris is the grand dame of all department stores in the world. Like most first-time visitors, I stood at the entrance, stunned by the visual feast that this epitome of French sophistication and luxury offers.
The 'Grand Magasins' - or grand department stores - were all developed in the 19th century during the Second Empire under Napoleon III, when French influence was its zenith. French was the byword for sophistication and style in Europe, and Paris was becoming the style capital of the world. However, shopping in the 19th century was still very much a chore. Most stores were specialised, small in size and cramped. Since the roads were yet unpaved, shoppers had to brave mud, dust, slush and the elements to reach them in the first place. Since there was no fixed price, customers would typically have to haggle with the owner to negotiate a price. Shopping was a stressful and avoidable activity usually delegated to valets or servants. The wealthy denizens of Paris, as well as visitors from Europe, who had started coming in, needed outlets to spend their cash - not to mention, places to see and to be seen at.
The Grand Boulevards of Paris were developed by the master architect Georges Haussmann at about the same time. These wide, paved and tree-lined boulevards were a total contrast to the narrow, unpaved streets common in Paris during that time. The Retail Revolution, as we know it today, started in 1863, when Gustav Eiffel (yes, the same Eiffel!) designed in 1863, the glass and steel grand magasin, Le Bon Marche, which would set the standard for all the other grand magasins to follow. Located on the left bank in Rue de Sevres, Le Bon Marche was a pioneer in many ways and much ahead of its time: stocked with every imaginable product available during those days, it introduced revolutionary concepts such as seasonal collections and fashions, free deliveries, seasonal sales and fixed pricing. The Parisian middle class was so taken up by this new concept that it soon became a tourist attraction, bringing in visitors from across Europe.
Inevitably, competition followed and, in 1865, Printemps opened on the Right Bank at Boulevard Haussmann. Designed in the art nouveau style, Printemps introduced several firsts, such as display mannequins dressed in the latest fashions, and "les soldes" or sales.
However, the biggest innovation Printemps had was that it was the first Grand Magasin to use electric lighting, which extended shopping hours into the night as well as the first to be directly connected to the Paris Metro.  
In 1912, the epitome of luxurious shopping and the biggest of all grand magasins, Galeries Lafayette opened just beside the Opera Garnier. Its grand cupola, massive staircases, art nouveau balconies, and five levels made it the ultimate destination for fashion.
The ground floor of Galeries Lafayette is dedicated to cosmetics and all the big brands such as Dior, Estée Lauder, Cartier and Givenchy are out in full strength in dedicated "beauty bays". When we entered the store, about an hour after it had opened, it was already packed with tourists, jostling for legroom around the cosmetics counters. Hounded out by aggressive tourists, we ascended to the next level, that housed women's fashions as well as a true Parisian institution, Angelina café. Reputedly serving the best hot chocolate in the world, and exquisite macaroons and pastries, it is a must-visit in the itinerary of every tourist to Paris. The setting may be a bit intimidating for the average visitor: luxurious silverware and tableware and ultra chic décor hinting at unaffordable prices, and we could see several tourists hesitating at the door before turning away.
The first floor has exclusive wings for all top designers - Stella McCartney, Georgio Armani, Chanel, Alexander McQueen and others. Here, the collections were unbelievably expensive, with most dresses starting at 1,500 euros and going up to an astronomical 30,000 euros! The atmosphere is rarefied too, with the sales staff reserved and pompous, literally sizing up each customer before deciding if it was worth their while to engage with them, as most were excited tourists, more keen on snapping selfies. However, I could see that there were indeed some seriously wealthy visitors who did not bat an eyelid at the price tags, but busily totted up expensive purchases. Ironically, these customers were the most casually dressed, with the snazzily dressed ones taking one look at the price tags and recoiling in shock.
Next, we headed to the fifth floor, dedicated to souvenirs. It was slightly odd to see Chinese tourists stocking up on Eiffel replicas made in China! Since we were short on time, we decided to skip the other floors and head to perhaps the most attractive feature of Galeries Lafayette - its terrace. The most stunning view of Paris greeted us as soon as we opened the terrace door. Right in front was the golden dome of the iconic Opera Garnier and the magnificent structure of the opera house. On the right was the Eiffel Tower and on the left, the historic Champs-Élysées leading up to the Arc de Triomphe.
In the distance were the spires of the Notre Dame cathedral and the dome of the Pantheon. The red and brown rooftops of Paris lay spread below, with the Seine winding its way through them like a blue ribbon. With artificial grass as the flooring, the terrace had a small café serving coffee and pastries and recliners to enjoy the view. An ideal place for those looking to recover from sticker shock and also to get one of the best views of Paris.
We still had an unfinished mission: to pick up a tub of the famed Bordier butter, reputedly the tastiest butter in the world and available at the food hall of Galeries Lafayette - which is stocked with amazing pastries, cheese, foie gras and speciality grocery products. Occupying one full level, a visit to the food hall is an experience if only to realise that there are more than 246 varieties of cheese. Charles de Gaulle had once famously remarked, "How does one govern a nation that has 246 varieties of cheese?" Well, de Gaulle would have to increase that number to over 400 now!

Le Bon Marche
There has always been a distinct class difference between the Le Bon Marche and Galeries Lafayette. Designed by Gustav Eiffel himself, Le Bon Marche has always positioned itself as the store for the "old money" Paris of the Left Bank, in contrast to Galeries Lafayette, which is more mass-oriented. The contrast is evident right at the entrance door, manned by immaculately-dressed door attendants, who could easily pass off as ramp models! They had an air of haughty sophistication, barely moving their eyes, but sizing up each visitor and slotting them into "bourgeoisie" and "old money" categories with a curt nod for the former and a servile "bonjour" for the latter!
The interior of Le Bon Marche exudes classy sophistication in contrast to the glitz and colour of Galeries Lafayette. The rarefied confines are uncrowded, tourists being most conspicuous by their near absence. Inside were Paris's "la haute societe", or the old moneyed class, attired in the classiest Dior or Chanel. One of the features of Le Bon Marche are the criss-cross escalators designed by Gustav Eiffel. We admired the architecture and indulged in some vintage people-watching, as this was an ideal place to observe the crème de la crème of French society. The price tags were noticeably higher than those at Galeries Lafayette, indicating that the clientele of Bon Marche do not necessarily glance at price tags! The home section, with its array of latest furniture and lighting designs, is indeed a must-see, if only to get an idea of the latest trends in interior design.
Next to Le Bon Marche is La Grande Epicerie, the famed food hall of Bon Marche and arguably the most exclusive and stylish grocery store in the world. Stocking over 30,000 food products from around the world, it has inspired the saying (at least in Paris), "If you cannot get it at La Grande Epicerie, it doesn't exist." We were bowled over by the varieties of pastries, cakes, breads and chocolates which were - surprisingly! -  reasonably priced. There is a huge section devoted to cheese and organic produce too.
Le Bon Marche and Galeries Lafayette were trendsetters: the art of modern retailing began with them and the high standards they set over a hundred years ago are still continuing. They are an integral part of Paris's history too, with Galeries Lafayette, in particular, playing a major role in the development of the opera district area. These temples of modern retailing offer very interesting insights to modern-day French society too.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com