Arket to unveil Scandinavian-style showcase in Paris on November 4
Arket's first French showcase, with its plain grey walls, garments carefully arranged by colour and cosy fitting rooms, oozes the kind of Scandinavian style that the label has been cultivating since its launch in 2017 within the H&M group, owner of H&M, & Other stories, COS and Monki among others. On November 4, Arket will open its Parisian flagship at 13 rue des Archives, in the chic Marais district. The store extends over 400 square metres on two levels, and overlooks a courtyard with a terrace, where customers of the lifestyle label’s café will be able to enjoy a drink.
Arket is keen to attract a family clientèle, being more than just a fashion brand. Of course, the label sells minimalist fashion with directional details for men, women and children, but it also commercialises personal care products and decorative objects, in the manner of an upmarket concept store. The Arket café, with its health-conscious menu concocted by Swedish chef Martin Berg, is located between the store's ground floor and the charming, lamp-lit courtyard.
The store’s location is not random, the Marais district being the only area of the city Arket’s management was keen on. “We couldn’t be happier to finally launch Arket in Paris, especially in this wonderful location,” said Pernilla Wohlfahrt, the label's managing director. “We have often come here in search of inspiration, and we are looking forward to being part of this thriving neighbourhood, whose culture blends history and modernity,” she added.
The store’s ground floor is home to womenswear, while the men's and children’s collections are showcased on the first floor. Fitting rooms and checkout counters can be found on each level, to facilitate the customers’ route within the store. Arket has had to be selective in order to display each product category’s statement items, since its stores usually extend over 800 square metres, twice the size of the Paris flagship. This is therefore also a test for the label, a smaller retail format with faster inventory rotation.
Arket's ready-to-wear and home decoration range, including cushions, candles, plates and more, are 90% made with sustainable materials, including 18% of recycled materials, and the new Paris store will also feature products by third-party brands. In footwear, Veja, New Balance and Nike complete the assortment, while the home decoration section also sells objects by Pols Potten, Serax and Bordallo Pinheiro.
As for the interiors, Arket’s Parisian store features the label’s signature design, adapted to the specificities of the historic Marais building. The floors in terrazzo, Carrara marble and herringbone parquet have been restored and preserved, as have the stone pillars, an old fireplace and a bow window. These attractive traces of the past contrast with the functional clothes racks and the geometric, unfussy furniture.
The new Parisian address is the 25th store opened by Arket in five years. The label continues to expand its retail footprint, and plans to open three new stores in the next six months, in Helsinki, Shanghai and Stockholm. The latter will be the second in the Swedish capital. Another opening in France is not on the cards for the time being.
Arket’s revenue results are not known. In Q3 2022, the H&M group’s sales grew by 3% to SEK57.5 billion (approximately €5.23 billion), while its net profit fell by 89% to SEK531 million (€49 million).
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