Le Bon Marché, Galeries Lafayette, Samaritaine and many others shaped the Parisian urban landscape in the 19th century. So, discover their story through a captivating exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
Le Museum of Decorative Arts present, from April 10 to October 13, 2024, an exhibition dedicated to the emergence of department stores. Moreover, these emblematic buildings became, in the heart of the 19th century, real symbols of modernity as well as consumerism.
Le Bon Marché, The Louvre Department Stores, In spring, La Samaritaine but also the Galeries Lafayette reveal their essence through the intertwined narratives of history, politics as well as society, since the Second Empire until their consecration during the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts and Modern Industrialists from 1925.
The birth of Department Stores at the Museum of Decorative Arts: a commercial revolution
The exhibition highlights the emergence and evolution of Parisian department stores from 1852. Thus, it illustrates their role in the transformation of the commercial and societal landscape of the capital. Through a selection of 700 varied works, ranging from posters to clothing, toys and decorative art pieces, visitors delve into the history of Parisian commerce.
For the record, department stores are revolutionizing retail sales by introducing innovative concepts dedicated to women, prefiguring the advent of the consumer society. Thus, the exhibition explores themes such as the emergence of fashion, the invention of sales, the evolution of marketing for children but also the development of mail order sales. Through portraits of iconic entrepreneurs such as Aristide Boucicaut, founder of Le Bon Marché, the exhibition offers a fascinating insight pioneers of modern commerce.
She also evokes the central role of department stores in the construction of the figure of the Parisian, as well as their impact on the democratization of fashion and access to goods for a large part of the population. By exploring these rich and varied themes, the Museum of Decorative Arts de Paris promises a captivating dive into the history and heritage of Parisian department stores!
Museum of Decorative Arts – 107 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
By Clémence BODEAU
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