Six years after its first China location opened in Beijing, high-end French department store Galeries Lafayette has made its soft opening in Shanghai. Co-developed with the multi-brand group I.T Limited, the 25,000 square-metre store spans five levels and is housed in the
newly opened L+Mall near Lujiazui. For those of you who have yet to drop by the shiny new shopping centre, here’s what you can expect to find.
As with most department stores, there are a lot more options for women than there are for men, with three out of the five levels dedicated to the ladies, and one each for men and food.
Leather goods, jewellery and eyewear are displayed in open concept spaces; womenswear and shoes include home-grown labels like Dazzle Fashion’s Diamond Dazzle and Mao Baobao’s Chicco Mao, as well as international brands like Jimmy Choo, Jacquemus and Isabel Marant; menswear, men’s shoes, bags and luggage range from streetwear labels 107 Alyx 9SM and Unravel Project to classic brands Polo Ralph Lauren and Barbour.
For eats, there’s French restaurant Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon, which is slated to open in July, and French bakery Bread etc in the basement level, which slings a decent selection of breads and pastries. The brands in Galeries Lafayette may be more you're looking to spend on shoes (or rent), but for those interested in fashion it still may be worth a visit, even if only to have a croissant and window shop.