CROSSING THE RIVER: Courrèges is branching out to the Left Bank.
The Space Age brand recently opened its third store in Paris, crossing the Seine River for the first time to set up shop in the trendy Saint-Germain-des-Prés district. Located at 1 Place Michel Debré, a square known for its statue of a centaur by French sculptor César, the boutique is near the Hermès flagship and department store Le Bon Marché.
Courrèges again worked with Belgian architect Bernard Dubois, who directed the overhaul of its historic flagship on Rue François 1er and designed another outpost in the Marais district, reflecting the brand’s revival in the last two years under artistic director Nicolas Di Felice and chief executive officer Adrien Da Maia.
The latest Paris opening comes on the heels of a New York City boutique that bowed in September. The Left Bank store is spread over two levels, with an all-white ground floor connected by a spiral staircase to a more intimate space on the first floor, which includes a fitting room designed as a lounge with a circular seat.
“The idea with this new store is to reconnect with Courrèges’ historic clients of the Left Bank by choosing a particularly strategic location for the lives of the inhabitants of this emblematic neighborhood,” Da Maia said in a statement. “This new store will act as a medium for the brand’s influence and reinforce its long-term presence in Paris.”
The store carries evergreen designs in addition to the brand’s fall 2022 collection.
