BHV Marais refocuses its floors on home and DIY, with fashion reduced to a single level
One month after its takeover, the BHV Marais has set out its commercial strategy in a new press release. Under the leadership of Karl-Stéphane Cottendin, the Parisian department store says it wants to return to its roots. That refocus centres above all on home, DIY and the art of living.
A deliberate refocus on home and DIY
The BHV Marais is reorganising its floors around an expanded home offer. Shoppers will now find furniture, decoration, table arts, culinary goods, a grocery section, bed linen, bedding and luggage. Each level of the store embodies a distinct facet of the French art de vivre.
The ground floor will notably house Boulanger and Rougier & Plé. The basement, meanwhile, is reclaiming its DIY vocation, the very identity that made the store famous for decades.
Fashion, by contrast, is now confined to a single floor. The first level is entirely dedicated to womenswear. Other fashion categories are not mentioned in the new management’s press release.
Le Grand Marché du Marais and a food hall for 2027
The basement of the BHV Marais is not limited to DIY. In 2027, a food hall called “Le Grand Marché du Marais” will open there, driven by French artisans and stocked with fresh produce.
The stated ambition is clear: to become the go-to department store for home and art de vivre in Paris. The project therefore goes well beyond a simple reorganisation of departments, sketching out a strong long-term positioning.
“A partnership is under discussion for 2027 between the Alliance and BHV to support the visibility of linen in the decoration and art de vivre sections of the department store.” Marie-Emmanuelle Belzung, General Delegate of the Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp
Nearly forty brands and a new payment system
Following the takeover announcement, nearly forty brands reached out to the new management. Among them, Le Slip Français will produce the store’s staff T-shirts, made in France. Other fashion brands are currently in negotiations and cannot yet be named.
On the interior decoration side, several names have been confirmed: Ligne Roset, Cinna, Design-Bestseller (Ferm Living, Hay, Vitra, HK Living), Madura, Guy Degrenne, France Canapé, V33 and Garnier Thiébaut. Partnerships have also been renewed with the Alliance du Lin et du Chanvre européens, Maison & Objet, Paris Design Week and the Confédération des Arts de la Table.
- Nearly fifty brands met to establish payment schedules
- Introduction of Payflow, a system unique among French department stores
- Brands collect their sales revenue directly, with the store taking its commission
- Partnerships renewed with Maison & Objet and the Confédération des Arts de la Table
- Le Slip Français supplies the staff’s made-in-France T-shirts
Payflow, an unprecedented model for partner brands
Management has introduced Payflow, a system unlike anything else in French department stores. In practice, brands collect their sales revenue directly, and the store receives its commission, a reversal of the previous model, in which the store collected payments before passing them on to brands.
This operational shift sends a strong signal to partners. It is designed to rebuild trust after a period of uncertainty, and is already making negotiations with new retailers easier.
Upcoming highlights: Paris Design Week and BHV Marais’s 170th anniversary
From 10 to 27 September 2026, the BHV Marais will dedicate its windows to French and Parisian designers. The initiative is a collaboration with Paris Design Week Factory and the Bureau du Design, de la Mode et des Métiers d’Art de la Ville de Paris. Two exhibitions are planned: “Objets estampillés France” and “France Design Impact Award” with the APCI.
A “Fabriqué à Paris” space will be created with the City of Paris, alongside a dedicated space for the Confédération des Arts de la Table. Designer Laurent Badier will also offer exclusive customised pieces within the store.
For its 170th anniversary, the department store will retail 170 iconic products drawn from its history, accompanied by capsule collections created by several brands. The BHV Marais archives will be put on display for the occasion. Christmas 2026 will bring themed windows and dedicated spaces for children.
This new commercial organisation will be rolled out progressively from autumn 2026, with the full picture in place by early 2027, giving each partnership the time it needs to come to fruition in the best possible conditions.
