In 1912, on Boulevard Haussmann, opposite the most famous Parisian theater, the Grand Opera, a huge arcade with a dome was opened, which became the flagship of the Galeries Lafayette department store chain founded twenty years earlier. In the area called the Mecca of Parisian shopping, it is still listed as number one among other department stores and boutiques today. The gaze of all the fashionistas of the world are directed here, descending the stairs of the planes arriving in France. It is at the Galeries Lafayette in Paris that fashion shows begin every Wednesday at 11 a.m., which set the fashion style and rhythm of the entire city.
Art Nouveau
It is hard to imagine that the main trade house of Parisian fashion could have been designed in a different architectural style. It was Art Nouveau that best suited both the time and the purpose of the construction.
The Kahn brothers founded their business in 1894, when the old century was receding into the past, and the light of a new century dawned ahead, demanding changes in everything. At first, Parisian merchants intended to engage only in the sale of ribbons, buttons and other haberdashery. But their business went so well that after a couple of years they bought out several buildings in the neighborhood of their first store and began a global redevelopment of the entire block.
The unique glass dome of the modern passage was designed by Jacques Gruber. One of the most renowned masters of artistic glass processing in the world, he has decorated many of the remarkable architectural monuments of France with his stained glass windows.
Seven floors of paradise
The main building of the Galeries Lafayette in Paris has seven floors and an endless array of boutiques, shops, shops and huge departments. Here you can buy absolutely any item of clothing - from underwear to coats, and skilled assistants-consultants will help you choose both an ensemble in the same style and an accessory to an existing outfit.
On the first floor of the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, under the light of a glass dome, the finest crystal bottles shine with all the colors of the rainbow. It sells the latest novelties from the world of perfumery and well-known fragrances that have become classics of the genre.
On the top floor of the trendy arcade, you can enjoy a great lunch in a chic restaurant or a modest lunch in a self-service cafe. In both cases, a splendid view of the immortal creation of the Eiffel, the Sacre Coeur Basilica and the Grand Opera will be provided to the visitor.
