What: El Palacio de Hierro they have confirmed that Jacquemus is available on their e-commerce platform, and also in 4 physical locations.

Why it is important: Simon Porte Jacquemus incorporates the fashion proposal of his Parisian brand into the portfolio of El Palacio de Hierro, the most important luxury department store chain in the country.

Customers can shop the brand online and in their Interlomas store, in the State of Mexico; the Monterrey branch; and finally, a double in Mexico City, betting on its stores in Polanco and Santa Fe.

Customers will find Jacquemus' iconic bags, to shoes and prêt-à-porter pieces.

Jacquemus' Parisian chic touch arrives at El Palacio de Hierro 

What: The department store's exclusive brand, Chester & Peck, has collaborated with the Colombian firm Della Terra to launch a new sustainable fashion collection.

Why it is important: The collection has been made with sustainable materials and aims to be environmentally friendly by committing to the use of clean energy, responsible suppliers, and recycled packaging.

The collection includes versatile and comfortable pieces, made with organic and sustainable components including textiles such as linen, organic cotton, Tencel, and cupro; it also features a range of natural colors such as green, brown, beige, and white and has a price range of MXN 629 to MXN 2449.

Packaging for the collection includes labels made of 100% recycled PET, recycled cardboard, and bags made from biodegradable corn. Additionally, clean energy and responsible suppliers have been used to produce the collection.

El Palacio de Hierro joins forces with Della Terra to launch a sustainable fashion capsule

What: Magasin du Nord has laid out a new strategy with a multi-million dollar investment in remodelling its stores.

Why it is important: The department store's goal is to modernise and strengthen its stores to meet the needs of future generations.

Magasin du Nord is accelerating a DKK 70 million investment plan, which focuses on strengthening its stores and its positioning in the battle for customers.

The modernisation of the stores will focus on a more agile and customer-friendly interior design.

Statistics Denmark reported retail sales increasing by 1.6% from March to April, however, clothing sales fell by 0.6%. At Magasin, the message is that there is a new and slightly greater optimism among customers.

The first investments in the project are aimed at two stores in Aarhus and Lyngby, which will be remodelled in the coming months.

Magasin states that it is seeing more younger consumers in the store. At Aarhus, more than 50% of customers are between 15-29 years old, with the same group making up 27% of customers in Lyngby.

The department store's Aarhus location had the second most visitors last year with 2.9 million.

Magasin will rebuild for millions despite pressure on clothing sales

What: After a successful inauguration at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Wethenew has arrived at Galeries Lafayette Champs-Élysées.

Why it is important: Wethenew makes the most sought-after sneakers accessible to customers and gives Galeries Lafayette the opportunity to showcase products it typically doesn't have access to.

Located on the first floor, customers will be able to shop for the rarest and most desirable sneakers on the market with confidence as each pair is authenticated by experts. The selection is renewed every week to provide visitors with a trendy sneaker experience.

Wethenew arrives at Galeries Lafayette Champs-Élysées 

What: The department store is hosting a Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at its Polanco store in celebration of Pride month.

Why it is important: The exhibition is a creative initiative to celebrate the community and features limited edition fragrances from the French luxury house with proceeds supporting the LGBTQIA communities.

Located on the first floor of El Palacio de Hierro Polanco, visitors can find five dresses from Jean Paul Gaultier's historical archive as well as limited edition fragrances for Pride.

El Palacio de Hierro installs an exhibition of Jean Paul Gaultier

What: The department store and Planet have opened two tax-free lounges in the El Corte Inglés stores in Barcelona and Mallorca.

Why it is important: The aim of the collaboration is to position Spain as a destination for "shopping lovers." Additionally, the service will help El Corte Inglés attract international clients.

Customers will have a VIP service which includes tax-free invoices from El Corte Inglés, advice from Planet professionals, a rest area with complimentary water and coffee, automatic refund kiosks to speed up transactions, and an area with greater privacy.

El Corte Inglés incentives recurring retail spending by rewarding 20% to those who choose a gift card and decide to reinvest the amount of VAT refund in their stores.

El Corte Inglés and Planet open two VIP VAT refund points in Barcelona and Mallorca

What: The Roxy label has opened a pop-up surfshop in Galeries Lafayette's Wellness Galerie.

Why it is important: Galeries Lafayette makes its wellness offer dynamic by featuring seasonal brands.

Roxy has a corner in the Wellness Galerie featuring swimwear, surf accessories and beachwear until June 27.

The space is inspired by the tropical nature and spirit of the Caribbean with bright colors and prints and tropical decorations.

Roxy opens a surfshop at Galeries Lafayette

What: Longchamp has remodeled its space in El Corte Inglés' Paseo de la Castellana location.

Why it is important: El Corte Inglés has around 20 Longchamp spaces in its stores and the the Paseo de la Castellana location is one of the first stores to feature Lonchamp's new global concept.

The space has a surface area of 50 square meters and is reflective of a classic Parisian flat, paying homage to the brand's heritage.

Visitors can find the brand's collections of leather goods and accessories as well as books and decorative objects that are connected to the theme and will change seasonally.

Longchamp presents its new commercial concept at El Corte Inglés Paseo de la Castellana

What: The El Corte Inglés Group exceeds EUR 15,327 million in global volume of revenue, which is 22.5% more than the previous year.

Why it is important: In addition to its growth in revenue, the group's Ebitda has reached EUR 951.4 million, 18.3% more than the previous year, accompanied by a growth in profitability.

The El Corte Inglés Group sees exceptional growth and high profits due its strong business evolution, optimisation of costs as well as management success.

The recurring net profit has reached EUR 207 million, the highest the group has experienced in recent years. The financial strength can also be attributed to the decrease in net financial debt, standing at EUR 2,295 million, the lowest level in the last 15 years.

El Corte Inglés Group grows 22.5% in global volume of revenue 

What: The luxury department store chain is opening a new store in Léon.

Why it is important: The new store will be El Palacio de Hierro's first in the Bajío region.

The store is being built in the Plaza Mayor shopping center and is set to open in October 2024, with 20% of its development currently completed.

Until the opening date arrives, El Palacio de Hierro has launched its June collection and set up a purchase point within the shopping center where customers can consult the department store's digital catalog and pick up their purchases.

El Palacio de Hierro advances in its arrival to the Mexican Bajío region

What: The Mall Group has donated 100,000 trees to support Bangkok's "Planting a Million Trees" project.

Why it is important: The donation is part of The Mall Group's move towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as the project will help reduce greenhouse gases and increase the green area of Bangkok.

The Mall Group continues its commitment towards net zero emissions

What: Citynove, Galeries Lafayette group's property company, has revived the name "Nouvelles Galeries" for its new retail complex in Annecy.

Why it is important: The project demonstrates the strength of Galeries Lafayette's brand and positioning within its communities and France.

Citynove has revived Galeries Lafayette's former name, Nouvelles Galeries, for its retail complex as Annecy residents continued to refer to the department store as the latter despite the name change.

Construction on the new retail complex was completed in May 2022 and included the renovation of Galeries Lafayette as well as the addition of 30 new stores with a focus on local merchants.

The department store underwent a complete renovation, adding 9,000 square meters to the modernised space, which features a slide and arcade terminals.

Since opening in June 2022, the store has seen an increase in younger clientele. In 2023, sales could exceed 2019 levels with 15% being generated by foreign customers among the two million annual visitors.

How Annecy's "Nouvelles Galeries" emerged around Galeries Lafayette

What: Monocle reviews the renovation of the Annecy Nouvelle Galeries mall made by Citynove, the real estate arm of Galeries Lafayette

Why it is important: Stores need to be more than stores to attract attention and inspire customers

Nouvelles Galeries, a 1960s spaceship-like building in Annecy, France, has been revamped to better serve the increasingly pedestrian-friendly city.

French architect Manuelle Gautrand, commissioned by Citynove, undertook a 10-year renovation, adding a curving indoor promenade lined with 40 new shops beneath the existing parking area without altering the building's original structure. Six circular "satellites" were also added to blend with the existing structure and extend the building's reach to the footpath and city beyond.

To make the building more attractive, Danish architect David Thulstrup revamped the interiors with bespoke lighting and color-coded wayfinding. The renovation also aimed to attract diverse tenants, transforming Nouvelles Galeries from just a retail destination to a mixed-use space.

Looking at the new Annecy store 

What: El Corte Inglés has incorporated the SVisual sign language video interpretation service in its shopping centers in Murcia.

Why it is important: The service makes shopping more accessible and provides a better experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing customers as they can communicate with sign language interpreters in real-time throughout the store.

SVisual allows communication between deaf and hearing people in real-time through a video interpreter. The service also allows written communication via chat between the two parties.

The service will be available in all departments during all hours for any customer who requests it.

The project has been launched thanks to the close collaboration and advice of the CNSE Foundation for the Elimination of Communication Barriers, which has provided technical advice and training to the sales staff and the collaboration of the Federation of Deaf People of the Region of Murica.

The implementation of SVisual follows other steps El Corte Inglés has taken to provide accessibility services such as customer service telephone lines for disabled customers.

El Corte Inglés in Murcia incorporates a video interpreting service for deaf customers 

What: The Mexican department store group has ended the first quarter with a sales growth of 18%, doubling its profit and reporting a turnover of 585 million dollars, representing a compound growth of 33% compared to 2022.

Why it is important: The positive first quarter results indicate that EL Palacio de Hierro has overcome the blow of the pandemic as the department store group's net profit jumped 106%, doubling that of the previous year.

Net profit jumped 106% to almost 19 million dollars and operating flow increased 36% to 71 million dollars.

The group's digital sales also reported a growth of 35% compared to the first quarter of 2022.

El Palacio de Hierro increases sales by 18% and doubles its profit in the first quarter

What: The group supports the Environment Office Bangkok by cleaning the area and improving the landscape at Benjasiri Park.

Why it is important: The Mall Group's participation in the event demonstrates their commitment to their community and the environment.

The event was presided over by the Governor of Bangkok, along with the Vice Chairman of The Mall Group, Khun Krisana Ampuch with management and staff also participating in the event.

The event included the renovation of bathrooms, door and fence repairs, CCTV inspections, and many other improvements to make the park a safe and convenient place for people to enjoy and relax.

The Mall Group participates in the Big Cleaning event at Benjasiri Park in Bangkok

What: Karine Viel becomes director of sustainable development and will report to Frédérique Chemaly, director of human resources and CSR for the group.

Why it is important: Galeries Lafayette will pursue its sustainable efforts with its Go for Good label which is set to account for more than a quarter of the total Galeries Lafayette offer in 2024.

Karine Viel, a graduate of HEC, made her marketing debut in the coffee and chocolate industry with the giant Kraft Foods in France for about ten years, before joining Comité 21, a structure that disseminates expertise on issues of social and environmental responsibility in large companies and administrations. This CSR expertise brought her to Monoprix from 2012. She developed the responsible offer and worked on diversity issues and environmental footprint.

On its side, Damien Pellé becomes SMCP group's CSR and corporate communication director.

Galeries Lafayette has a new director of sustainable development

What: The company has launched a themed Star Wars space at its Sanchinarro location in Madrid where customers can enjoy activities and share their passion for the saga.

Why it is important: The event is a way to attract customers into the store with different activities and a special discount on Star Wars merchandise.

El Corte Inglés Sanchinarro will be hosting a Star Wars event from May 4th to May 7th to celebrate May the 4th, international Star Wars Day.

The space includes a recreation of a Star Wars ship, an artistic area for coloring, and a gaming area where fans can play video games. A parade will also take place with surprise characters and a special 20% discount will be applied to the entire line of Star Wars merchandise on May 4th.

El Corte Inglés creates a Star Wars space in Madrid to celebrate international Star Wars Day

What: According to the annual ranking of Spanish 100 Brands, El Corte Inglés is the third most valuable brand in Spain and leads the distribution sector.

Why it is important: The department store company has a brand value of EUR 6,063 million, which represents a growth indicator of 16.05% compared to 2021.

El Corte Inglés follows Banco Santander who ranked first and Zara who ranked second.

Ten other fashion brands were included in the ranking, with fashion being the second most valuable sector of 2022, accounting for EUR 17,850 million of the country's total value.

El Corte Inglés among the most valuable companies in Spain 

What: The Mall Group is rebranding The Mall to the The Mall Life Store and making its Bangkapi and Bang Khae stores a flagship landmark.

Why it is important: The Bangkapi and Bangkhae stores will support the strategic plans to develop the areas into commercial and residential areas of Bangkok.

The transformation of the stores are part of a development plan in Bangkok to raise the quality of life of urban people and meet the needs of every generation.

The new look and rebranding of the stores will be completed in December.

The Mall Group transforms The Mall Life Store Bangkapi and Bang Khae

What: The Mall Group is resuming the expansion of its Gourmet Market branches after being put on hold for three years due to the impact of the pandemic.

Why it is important: The group is ready to move forward with opening more locations as consumer spending recovers.

The sales of all Gourmet Market branches have recovered by 80 to 90% in the first four months of the year and have also shown double-digit growth in comparison to the same period last year.

The company invested THB 100 million to open a stand-alone branch at Design Village Bangna, which will cover more than 2,500 square meters and offer more than 30,000 premium products and fresh food.

The new location looks to target families and foreigners living in Bang Na district, which is one of the most lucrative areas, as well as tourists due to the store's proximity to the airport.

The Mall Group has plans to open one to two more locations this year as well as the renovations of two existing branches.  Additionally, the company has 10 locations set aside for future openings.

Gourmet Market expansion back on track

What: A press article about the fact that, while Galeries Lafayette are moving forward in China, their French partner is in deep trouble.

Why it is important: Strategic choices have been made by the French leader to focus on external markets, however, the damage control will be hard to make in case Hermione falls down, and might affect the group's reputation.

While Galeries Lafayette forms a partnership with a new Chinese partner, Hopson Group, the safeguarding procedure for 26 major stores in France raises questions about the company's attractiveness at the national level.

In China, the joint venture aims to open 10 major stores by 2025, with three more planned in Shenzhen, Chongqing, and Macao by December.

In France, an update occurred on April 19 at the Bordeaux Commercial Court after 25 major provincial stores were placed under a safeguard procedure in late February. These stores have been managed by HPB, the retail branch of Michel Ohayon's group, since 2018. The safeguard procedure allowed the cancellation of debts, including €40 million in merchandise, but requires continued payments to suppliers. Michel Ohayon's plan foresees repaying €700,000 per month starting in March 2024, which seems high to some employees. They worry about generating more profit in 2024 than in 2019, before the Covid pandemic.

With four months left to find buyers, the potential takeover of these stores raises concerns due to the size of the assets, required maintenance, and the low attractiveness of some locations. The situation becomes a national issue as it affects the attractiveness of 26 city centers across the country.

Galeries Lafayette in two opposite dynamics in China and France 

What: The Société des Grand Magasins (SGM) has obtained a loan from a French banking network to ensure most of the acquisition of the Parisian department store and its branch in Parly 2.

Why it is important: The finalization of the takeover is becoming clearer as the group also received approval from the Competition Authority.

SGM obtained a loan on May 26, allowing it to provide most of the financing for the acquisition.

The group also obtained approval from the Competition Authority for this operation and received the favourable opinion of the representatives of the BHV staff.

SGM group obtains its financing and the authorization to acquire BHV

What: The Spanish department store has launched its summer campaign featuring the latest trends in swimwear and accessories.

Why it is important: The campaign reinforces El Corte Ingles' leadership in the category as it offers a wide variety of the best brands and styles.

The campaign includes a wide variety of prints from tie dye, bright colors, natural tones, and monochrome options with the product offering including swimsuits, kaftans, linen garments, sandals, and accessories.

The offer includes El Corte Inglés' own brands as well as brands such as Max Mara, Liu Jo, Brownie, Alohas, Ulla Johnson, and more.

El Corte Inglés launches its "Summertime" swimwear campaign