What: Galeries Lafayette has promoted Alix Morabito to lead its offer and buying, doubling the number of exclusive collaborations and reinforcing its position as a trendsetter in fashion retail.

Why it is important: The move demonstrates how innovative buying strategies and exclusive partnerships are essential for department stores to remain competitive and relevant.

Galeries Lafayette’s decision to appoint Alix Morabito as director of offer and buying in 2025 signals a strategic shift toward greater curation and innovation in its fashion proposition. Under Morabito’s leadership, the department store has doubled its number of exclusive collaborations, strengthening its reputation as a destination for cutting-edge style and unique partnerships. This approach not only differentiates Galeries Lafayette in a crowded market but also responds to evolving consumer expectations for novelty and exclusivity. Morabito’s rise within the organisation exemplifies the increasing influence of creative and diverse talent in shaping retail strategy, as the group leverages her expertise to drive both product innovation and customer engagement. The focus on exclusive collections and collaborative projects positions Galeries Lafayette at the forefront of fashion retail, ensuring its continued relevance and appeal to a broad, style-conscious clientele.

IADS Notes: Galeries Lafayette’s elevation of Alix Morabito to director of offer and buying in 2025 is emblematic of a wider trend in the retail industry, where leadership changes and talent development are driving strategic transformation. The July 2025 management reshuffle at Galeries Lafayette, following the appointment of Arthur Lemoine as CEO, demonstrated how family-owned retailers are balancing tradition with modern management, creating agile and forward-looking executive teams (WWD, July 2025). Across the sector, department stores like Printemps and Le Bon Marché have similarly leveraged new leadership and cross-functional appointments to accelerate innovation, digital integration, and experiential retail strategies (Challenges, September 2025; The Robin Report, October 2025). The role of female and rising talent is increasingly recognised, with BCG and McKinsey highlighting in 2025 the importance of inclusive, purpose-driven leadership and the integration of creative, merchandising, and digital expertise to sustain growth and differentiation. Meanwhile, the MAD & Comité Colbert study from June 2025 underscores the sector’s ongoing challenges in talent recruitment and the need for systematic upskilling, especially as luxury retail evolves toward more curated, collaborative, and digitally enabled models.

Alix Morabito’s appointment as director of offer and buying at Galeries Lafayette marks a new era of curated fashion