Review: Galeries Lafayette Champs-Elysées

Start with the wide angle. What's this shop all about?
Family-owned retailer Galeries Lafayette reclaimed an Art Deco landmark (formerly the Virgin Megastore) on the Champs-Elysées and transformed it into a concept flagship with the help of Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. In a space spanning nearly 70,000 square feet and four floors, the shop eschews the usual boundaries in the retail experience, mixing goods from multiple categories for men and women rather partitioning things into dedicated corners. The experience is meant to be fluid, encouraging shoppers to weave seamlessly from fashion to food to accessories.

Oh, wow. So what kinds of things can we expect across those four floors?
Among the 650-some brands, there's a balanced mix of emerging and established labels, some with little to no presence elsewhere in Paris. One one floor, you’ll find brands like Molly Goddard, Wales Bonner, Alyx, Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Rouje, and Ambush; on another, a short but sharp collection of pieces from luxury mainstays, including Gucci, Kenzo, Loewe, and Comme des Garçons. This is also the only place in Paris to find unisex scents from the perfumer Ormaie.

If money’s no object, what goes in the cart?
Splurge on the emerging designers who will soon become hors de prix, as we say locally. Think: Ambush, Molly Goddard, Bode, and Cecilie Bahnsen.

Say money, in fact, is an object. What are some more, shall we say, restrained purchases we could make?
Accessible brands like Nike, Eastpak, Patagonia, and others, potentially offering limited edition items.

Who else shops here?
In-the-know fashion lovers, the ex-Colette contingent, and tourists strolling up and down the avenue.

Anything else we should know? What really sets Galeries Lafayette apart in Paris's shopping scene?
What stands out here is the retail experience, beginning right from the entrance, when visitors pass through an immersive tunnel. There’s also an Art Deco–style staircase and an impressive food court featuring Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse, vegan favorite Maisie Cafe, and the headlining Café Citron, a venture between designer Simon Porte Jacquemus and Caviar Kaspia. Don't leave without trying the store’s much-talked about smart hangers, which tell you in mere seconds whether your size or model is available; if so, it's automatically sent to your fitting room. By extension, the company's new Personal Stylist app virtually connects shoppers to one of the store’s 300 personal stylists.