Printemps' New Lingerie Space

What was the reasoning behind Printemps' redesigned lingerie space? Lingerie has always been a key category for department stores; we just needed to bring it up-to-date with the greater repositioning of the department store market, and of Printemps, in particular. For this reason, we moved lingerie to the 6th floor of Printemps Mode, where it joins our Bridal selection, thereby creating a coherent area dedicated to Fashion and Luxury.
Our aim is to offer lingerie that meets the demands of today's woman, with a fresh, modern selection of brands and products expanding over 13,300 sq. ft. This transformation of Printemps Haussmann represents the first step in a more global transformation of all Printemps department stores. It isn't a mere redesign, but will also affect the products, brands and segments on offer, as well as the visual merchandising.
What is the design philosophy of the new space?
We wanted the space to be modern, as well as to embody Printemps' core values. Our Art Direction team created a concept that was thoroughly feminine – but not yesterday's traditional ideas of femininity; it was designed for the woman of today. And who is the modern woman? She is a new kind of superwoman, who wants to see and experience everything at once: she wants the freedoms that were traditionally male, yet she wants to feel feminine; she wants a career, but she also wants children; she wants an active social life, but also enjoys some downtime relaxing at home, pampering herself to feel refreshed and beautiful. She wants all these things and refuses to be pigeonholed. She is busy, efficient, multi-faceted and creative. We imagined a place that looks just like her, inspired by the idea of a cozy, Parisian apartment: elegant, laidback, sophisticated, glamorous, generous and warm. A space that reflects today's woman.
What about the fitting rooms?
Keeping in step with modern trends, we wanted to create a less formal atmosphere, which allowed the client and sales person to keep in contact. We put fitting rooms everywhere, so customers could quickly and easily try out something on a whim. We also wanted to encourage impulse buys, because the modern consumer doesn’t shop to refill their entire lingerie drawer in one go. Instead, she buys one piece here, another piece there, based on what catches her eye at the moment.
The French are the largest consumers of lingerie in the world, and their closets are already brimming with intimates.
How did customers react to this change?
Feedback has been very positive, with reactions meeting our expectations – from brands, customers and our own team at Printemps. Typical comments include, "Finally a lingerie space worthy of Printemps," or "We've never seen such beautiful lingerie at Printemps."
How did you work on the offer, segmentation and positioning?
We had to completely rethink the concept of lingerie, of seeing it as much more than just foundation garments.
The market has new segments such as homewear, loungewear, activewear and sportswear, as well as traditional sectors including, hosiery, nightwear, bras and panties. New areas dedicated to loungewear and hosiery offer sector-specific brands, which allows for a more dynamic and sophisticated lingerie shopping experience.
This is more than just fashion, it’s about women and their bodies.
How many brands do you stock and in which sectors?
The new space features thirty brands divided across foundations, hosiery, loungewear, and sportswear. 
How did you choose your brand line-up and what is your approach to visual merchandising?
Our selection was based on a careful study of our traditional portfolio, as well as evolutions in the market.
Eres has made a big comeback. We have also introduced the British brand Olivia Von Halle, in an exclusive to the French market. In order to give brands high visibility across the space, we have divided them into three areas: traditional, trendy, and luxury. The luxury section overlaps with Bridal for an efficient use of the space.
What are your current bestselling brands?
Our bestsellers are brands that offer complementary products in several sectors, such as loungewear or swimwear including, Lise Charmel and Aubade, as well as luxury brands such as, Agent Provocateur, Myla, and Eres. We have also seen strong performances from Princesse Tam Tam and Calvin Klein. Finally, loungewear performs very well.
What are the latest trends in lingerie?
The biggest market trend is to extend the offer to include new categories that come together under one major new segment: bodywear. We can better understand our clients' needs by understanding the relationship between a modern woman's daily life and her body.