Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

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CEO

Patrice Wagner

Creation date

1852

Headquarters

24, rue de Sèvres, 75007 Paris - France

IdentityLE BON MARCHÉ RIVE GAUCHE

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche was the first department store in the world. It opened in 1852 in Paris at the instigation of Aristide Boucicaut and his wife Marguerite. They were both in favor of “a new kind of store that would thrill all the senses”. Combining unconventionality and elegance, this unique space designed by the architect Louis-Charles Boileau and the engineer Gustave Eiffel displayed a singular style influenced by the creative vitality of Paris’s Rive Gauche. Original creations and limited editions stood alongside a selection of the most beautiful objects from all over the world. Women’s, men’s and children’s fashion, accessories, tableware and design, but also cultural exhibitions, furniture collections and contemporary works of art filled the space and generated surprise. Here, as in the beginning, discovery and amazement are the foundations of a way of life that transforms shopping into an art de vivre.

Escalator Andrée Putman, Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche © DR

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, Paris’s landmark department store, continues to uphold its pioneering position. It pays very particular attention to the selection and display of a unique and often exclusive array of brands and products that delights our discerning clientele, be they Parisian or cosmopolitan.

Patrice Wagner

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Le Bon Marché Group

30,000
SQM OF COMMERCIAL SPACE DIVIDED BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS
1,800
PEOPLE WORK AT LE BON MARCHÉ RIVE GAUCHE  
15,000
CUSTOMERS PER DAY

Shoes Department. © Gabriel de la Chapelle

ICONS

When they became owners of Le Bon Marché in 1852, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut instigated an extraordinary period of change at the department store. The couple tested commercial methods based on a subtle understanding of customer behavior. At the same time they strove to improve the living and working conditions of their employees.

Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut © Le Bon Marché

INSPIRATION

A patron of the arts, the department store, located at 24 rue de Sèvres, is also an exhibition space where talent, curiosity, a love of beauty and a taste for discovery create a constant dialog. Bringing art to Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche gives clients a unique experience. With over 80 pieces, the collection of contemporary art and furniture of the 20th and 21st centuries created by established and emerging artists is exhibited throughout the store. This collection offers the chance to enjoy an aesthetic and educational journey to the heart of contemporary creation. This approach – unique among department stores – is testament to Le Bon Marché’s desire to combine emotion and amazement in one exceptional space.

The Shoes Department
© Gabriel de la Chapelle

THE NEW E-COMMERCE EXPERIENCE

Inspired by the name of the physical location of Le Bon Marché, 24 Sèvres is the online address bringing the essence of Le Bon Marché’s shopping experience to customers worldwide. Bringing together the most respected fashion and beauty names at one address, 24 Sèvres offers the most desirable pieces from renowned maisons and highly coveted emerging designers.  Beyond a highly curated selection, 24 Sèvres provides an unparalleled visual experience and accompanies the customer in her discovery of products and trends, bringing an intellectual twist to fashion.

OUR EXCEPTIONAL TALENTS

I’m Head of Architecture and Heritage at La Samaritaine in Paris. My role is to ensure the quality of the restructuring operations at the department store. Concretely, this means I’m part of the project team that supervised renovation work until La Samaritaine reopened in 2021. The project manager identifies needs in order to establish the parameters of the renovation plan, then selects the architects, oversees studies and lastly supervises execution of the work. This is a very long-term process – I spent more than ten years on this amazing project.