Kurt Geiger opens Galeries Lafayette pop-up as outperformance continues

Kurt Geiger has opened a pop-up in key Paris department store Galeries Lafayette with a residency that runs until 15 April.

A tunnel from the storefront’s door leads shoppers into the colourful world of the British footwear and accessories brand — featuring its SS24 campaign starring Adwoa Aboah. 

And Kurt Geiger’s “colourful DNA” surrounds the walls as customers make their way into the middle of the “pavilion-like installation” that takes cues from the brand’s new London flagship store with stained glass window panes in shades of sunrise gold, aqua, raspberry, bubblegum pink and cerulean.

Kurt Geiger is also taking over four screens outside of Galeries Lafayettes playing clips from its campaign in a location that’s watched by more than 100,000 visitors passing through and by the luxury department store.

The company said the pop-up is another sign of its growing international success that has seen it with overall revenue of more than $400 million and the opening of four to five new stores in the US; an additional three in Mexico; as well as flagships in Spain and Italy on the horizon.

The Paris pop-up’s position means it’s unmissable in a store that’s a major destination for locals and tourists in one of the world’s key shopping destination cities.

Kurt Geiger’s Chief International Officer Steven Sousa said: “Galeries Lafayette is such a recognisable and respected retail brand. I was super thrilled when they offered up the opportunity to do this pop-up. We’re being very selective about our distribution and where we open stores — we’re willing to wait for the best location in a market, such as the atrium of Galeries Lafayette Champs-Élysées, which is the store’s largest most sought after space.

“We know we have a product and a design aesthetic that our consumer loves — at the same time we must keep our new and returning customers excited.”

The brand is no stranger to department store retailing as it has long operated key shoe departments in such stores. But this new pop-up is different from what it’s used to and is heavily focused on its own brand with accessories also important.

The pavilion stocks Kurt Geiger’s bestsellers, “the elevated everyday pieces, spring must-haves and signature rainbow offerings as seen on the likes of Kylie Jenner, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria, Paris Hilton, and Afiya Bennett”.

And the product available there has a clear focus on colour and embellishment. The company said: “The rainbow takes shape in a swirly psychedelic print on the Southbank tote bag and Kensington bucket hat, as well as taking subtle form on the Mayfair ballet flat with an array of crystals resembling the colours of the pavilion’s stained glass. The ever-growing two-tone denim range lends itself to house icons including the crystal platform Orson sandals and the Kensington collection of bags, footwear and accessories featuring the brand’s eagle symbol.”

Sousa added: “Our best sellers in Spain and Germany are also our best sellers in Mexico, the US and the Middle East. Our brand is about colour, life and creativity — our sales right now are the highest they have ever been.”

The 61-year-old company began as a store on London’s Bond Street but it now operates more than 74 standalone stones globally across North America and Europe, as well as having distribution partners in the Middle East. Kurt Geiger has positioned itself as a major name in the affordable luxury market with department store spaces inside Harrods, Selfridges, Galeries Lafayettes and Bloomingdale’s.

The company is growing fast in the US and it’s being helped by its bags business, which now makes up half of its overall sales.