The iconic Parisian department store, Printemps, is pulling out all the stops for its 150th birthday in 2015. Founded in 1865 by Jules Jaluzot, Printemps quickly revolutionized the way people shopped in Paris, promoting sales with posters, flyers, and newspaper ads weeks in advance. Crowds flocked to Printemps for the big event, as they did to Le Bon Marché, another iconic grand magasin whose sales strategy forever changed the face of French shopping.
Today the Printemps Haussmann flagship remains a fashionable place to shop, as do the other store locations in Paris and around France (there is even a Printemps at the Louvre). March 20 marked the official birthday, and flash mobs of dancers gathered in front of some Printemps stores to mark the moment. The façade of the Printemps Haussmann is illuminated with magnificent luminous flowers; 11 French artists (including Mat Maitland, Carnovsky et Mia Pearlman) were recruited to do the window displays; and the Japanese artist Hiroshi Yoshi designed the store’s new cartoon mascot, Rose.
Indeed rose has become the new signature color, and for the store’s 150th anniversary, an entire new range of “rose” and flower-themed products is available at the store. (1000 different rose products were created by 400 different brands.)
