Galeries Lafayette, the famous domed grand magasin on Boulevard Haussman, has just inaugurated its new 34,500 square feet shoe department, giving shoe addicts yet another reason to come to Paris. The new footwear department—the world’s largest, according to Galeries Lafayette—opened in July, and carries 150 brands of shoes, 75 of which are exclusive to the department store.

The stunning showroom, accessed via a gold and white Patrick Jouin-designed staircase, displays shoes as works of art in a sleek, lounge-like setting. Wide aisles, wengé wood, white varnished furniture, and chocolate brown leather sofas invite lingering—a good thing, considering it takes awhile to admire all 12,000 pairs.

French women are rumored to have the largest shoe appetite in Europe, and Galeries Lafayette aims to please: sandals and boots are available year-round for shoppers travelling to different climates, as well as sizes ranging from 32 to 43 (American sizes 3 to 12), plus half sizes in between. A variety of services are offered on site, from an artisan cobbler to a foot salon specializing in pedicures, as well as a foot care center offering everything you need to take care of your shoes and feet: special brushes, shoe creams in all colors, foot-care lotions and so on.

The shoe prices, ranging from 99 Euros to 1,300 Euros, aren’t exactly cheap, but where else can you try on your Louboutins in a plush private fitting room?  Or take a lesson on how to walk in them afterward?

GALERIES LAFAYETTE

40 bd Haussmann, Paris (9th)
+33 (0)1 42 82 34 56
www.galerieslafayette.com

PRESS CONTACT:

Fleur BASSI
fbassi@galerieslafayette.com
+33 (0)1 42 82 32 83