Elie Saab opens second location in Paris, rumoured to be coming to NYC

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Jul 5, 2015

Elie Saab is continuing with its expansion. As the fashion house gets ready to walk the Haute Couture runway this Wednesday at the Pavillon Cambon, it has just opened its second store in Paris. What's more, according to the American press, it is getting ready to open its first store in the United States.

The Lebanese tailor opened his first store in the French capital in 2007 on the Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées. The newest Parisian location is in the same neighbourhood, located at 31 Avenue George V on the Right Bank.

The 2,600 ft² space is part of a listed art deco building with original elegant wrought iron elements behind eight bay windows.

Collaborating on its interior design was designer Elie Saab himself and Denis Montel, architect and artistic designer at the RDAI agency (the historical agency of the Hermès house).

Together they have come up with a new store concept that will be applied to all new Elie Saab retail points from here on out.

The store is notably characterised by its abundance of natural light thanks to its voluminous spaces, a palette of light colours ranging from white marble to sandstone stucco, and a play of mirror panels. Not to mention an impressive 1960s Murano glass and brass chandelier. Another difference compared to its store just minutes away is the presentation of the clothing no longer on mannequins, but on metal supports.

With this new boutique, the label is seeking to offer a different kind of shopping experience, one that is "more oriented towards accessories, which will be featured more prominently than before and dispose of more space," the House says.

The boutique thus offers a wide selection of shoes, bags and other accessories, as well as perfumes, launched in 2011. Shoppers will also of course find the designer's ready-to-wear womenswear collections, which were added to the brand's universe in 2005 and which have been showing at Haute Couture in Paris since 2000.

The other major project in the works for the fashion house concerns the United States, where Elie Saab is getting ready to open its very first store. The American press reports that the brand has signed for a 4,300 ft² two floor location at 860 Madison Avenue in New York.

The space, previously occupied by Juicy Couture, is close to Celine, Prada, Bottega Veneta and Tom Ford. The House did not wish to comment on this information. Elie Saab is currently distributed through multibrand stores and 10 fully-owned stores.