What: The Parisian landmark is marking this delayed milestone with two months of events, a Prada pop-up and cake.

Why it is important: After the pandemic delayed its reopening in 2020, La Samaritaine is celebrating the milestone with a birthday event running from 2 September to 31 October.

Festivities will begin with the unveiling of the windows. On the Rivoli side, displays will feature multicolored neon installations, while four windows on the Pont Neuf will be turned over to Prada. They will showcase a tridimensional trompe-l’oeil inspired by the label’s fall 2021 runway décor. The Prada Glow pop-up will offer an interactive video floor area, connected to a lantern shaped like the Italian brand’s logo that will rise in the middle of the atrium and change colors regularly.

On 4 and 5 September, performers dressed in costumes inspired by vintage La Samaritaine advertising will parade through the store for its anniversary celebration.

A 2-meter-tall cake will be exhibited on the ground floor of the building on Rue de Rivoli. Imagined by French artist Elsa Muse, its design was inspired by an early animation device called a zoetrope, which had its heyday around La Samaritaine’s 1870 birth date. Miniature versions will also be available for purchase, made by cake makers Bogato.

In the digital world, art historian Margaux Brugvin will take over the department store’s YouTube channel for episodes focusing on surprising moments in the store’s history.

A wheel of fortune, located near the concierge service and activated by bar codes found on receipts, will give customers the opportunity to win gifts, ranging from bicycles in the store’s yellow and gray livery — available on its e-commerce for 790 euros — to copies of the Assouline book tracing its history.

La Samaritaine to Celebrate Turning 150+1