March 3, 2015
Exterior of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann flagship
French department store chain Galeries Lafayette is celebrating fashion week by hosting an exhibition in collaboration with the fashion magazine Madame Figaro.
The exhibition titled “Connected Mode” opened Feb. 26 and will run until March 10, featuring the trends of the spring/summer 2015 season as curated by editors at Madame Figaro. Galeries Lafayette is also inviting guests to a special party that will include private shopping, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and a selfie station that will allow guests to capture the evening in photos.
“Madame Figaro is a well respected magazine dedicated to trends in beauty and fashion for luxury goods,” said David Naumann, director of marketing, Boston Retail Partners. “Galeries Lafayette’s association with Madame Figaro magazine for Paris Fashion Week is a smart choice to elevate the awareness of both luxury shoppers and fashion media.
“The Fashion Week promotions at Galeries Lafayette will most likely appeal to Millennial women with high incomes," he said.
Mr. Naumann is not affiliated with Galeries Lafayette, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Galeries Lafayette was unable to respond by press deadline.
Connection collection
The exhibition encourages consumers to imagine the "modes" of tomorrow, and by focusing on spring fashion trends it is likely to inspire some purchases. It will also highlight which designers to follow this season and include virtual shows and interactive games to capture visitors’ attention.
Madame Figaro designed the windows for Galeries Lafayette
“Fashion-conscious consumers will be excited to see the Mode Connectée (Connected Mode) exhibit at Galeries Lafayette showcasing new fashion trends for spring/summer 2015 that are selected by the well respected editors of Madame Figaro,” Mr. Naumann said. “Many of these luxury consumers are currently regular shoppers at Galeries Lafayette and follow Madame Figaro magazine, and this project will further connect consumers to both brands.”
In addition to the exhibition, Madame Figaro is also releasing an application for iPads and tablets that allows the user to make his or her own face the cover of Madame Figaro. The magazine will post the best images to its Facebook page.
Madame Figaro created an app to supplement the event
The magazine and department store chain have created a hashtag to streamline discussion about their collaboration. The hashtag #MadameXGL can be used on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and any tweets posted will appear live on screens in the store’s entrance.
Ultimately Galeries Lafayette will host a party on March 5 where consumers will have the opportunity to shop the new collections and enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The party will allow guests to establish a more intimate connection with the department store.
The event will take place inside the Galeries Lafayette dome
At the party there will be a nail bar where guests can get manicures and eyebrow and lipstick workshops where they can learn to apply makeup in different styles. There will be a raffle with the chance to win approximately $5,561 worth of shopping at Galeries Lafayette.
All in all there this includes a number of diverse elements and will surely help both the department store chain and the magazine connect with consumers in a variety of ways.
Winning streak
The French department store chain has previously used creative strategies to catch consumers’ attention and provide them with unique experiences. Galeries Lafayette recently gave consumers the chance to win a night’s stay inside its store through a contest with Airbnb.
At night on Jan. 6, six guests were given an exclusive premiere of the post-holiday sales, which began the next day for the public. Granting consumers exclusive access to its store will appeal to loyalists, who want to know the inner workings of their favorite retailers (see story).
Another example of one of these interesting events was a partnership with Swarovski that took place in 2014. The precision cut-crystal maker embellished Galeries Lafayette’s Beijing flagship store for the holiday season with its Sparkling Christmas campaign.
From Nov. 14 through Dec. 26, Galeries Lafayette Beijing was transformed into a “crystal palace,” with a pop-up shop, window displays and exclusive collections by local designers. Getting prime placement within a department store for the important holiday shopping season keeps a brand top-of-mind as consumers search for gifts (see story).
Likewise, the Connected Mode exhibition and collaboration between Galeries Lafayette and Madame Figaro will increase publicity for both the magazine and the department store. By including so many various elements, both brands have ensured that there will be something that appeals to everyone.
“The Fashion Party on March 5 will be an opportunity for consumers to see the new spring and summer fashions in a prestigious environment and participate in interactive beauty workshops,” Mr. Naumann said. “Engaging in this elite fashion party will make consumers feel more personally connected to both Galeries Lafayette and Madame Figaro.
“Galeries Lafayette and Madam Figaro’s promotion of the fashion week activities on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will generate more buzz and excitement for these events and will enhance their emotional connections with consumers,” he said.
Final Take
Kay Sorin, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York
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