There's the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, the Seine River, the Louvre museum, and obviously the famous Eiffel Tower. Surely one of these Parisian icons just has to hold the #1 spot for Paris' most visited tourist attractions. That's what I thought until I learn that a French department store actually holds that title. This department store is the Galeries Lafayette, located on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement.
Considering Galeries Lafayette is home to the world's largest fashion collection I visited it on my birthday with the mission of finding something for myself. Because as Tom from Parks and Rec
said... treat yo self. Upon entering the building you are taken aback by the large pink, purple, and blue stained glass dome. This very ceiling is one of the reasons why Galeries Lafayette became such a huge influence in the women's fashion industry. The dome is reminiscent of a church and that is what attracted women to it when it first opened. This is because during the time of its opening in 1912, women were not used to going in public alone for any other reason but church. By creating a building that reminds women of a church it helped them to feel safe.
I ended up picking up a Large Le Pliage Longchamp nylon tote in black for myself. Although I consider this quite the splurge, it is something I've had before so I know the quality is great and that it will last.
galerieslafayette.com
Comments