What: coming with an extensive experience in the field, Jean-Marc Bellaiche is to focus on digital

Why is it important: the plan includes an omnichannel strategy, a concept store approach for the store, sustainable projects, exclusive products and a wider local customer base

Product range

“The first thing is to develop new categories in addition to the ones we are historically very strong in, like accessories, men’s and women’s fashion, beauty products, home goods, children’s section. I think there are other areas that we can expand in, like art, cultural items, technology, objects linked to sports” he said. Bellaiche is also eager to seek leadership in the realm of exclusive brands. “Printemps needs to work with fashion schools around the world, with little brands, to return to being a kind of incubator and constantly offer surprises to our clients, with unknown brands” he said.

Sustainability

“This year, we plan to open a space dedicated to the circular economy” he said. The retailer has also been working on a project in the northern French city of Lille with a startup called Revive, which customizes unsold, Printemps-branded garments to give them a second life. Printemps is also looking into second-hand market.

Omnichannel retail

Bellaiche has some ideas about leveraging the department store’s key asset: prime, physical space. Bellaiche comes with a background in data, as chief strategy officer at Contentsquare, a French start-up that tracks consumer behaviour online.The retailer launched e-commerce a year ago, and plans to expand the platform to other product categories. The executive is also planning the use of tablets in stores, so clients can order things that the retailer has run out of — the idea is to set up a system with the brands. And, going the other direction, he would like to push in-store sales through online channels with personal shoppers. E-commerce also offers an opportunity to expand abroad and there are plans to roll out printemps.com, which was launched in the U.K. in November, in the U.S., Asia and elsewhere in Europe.

Customer centricity

“My obsession is the client,” he said. Loyalty program Printania will expand abroad. The plan is also to launch recruiting drive to gain new clients, younger ones, families, different nationalities.

Internal transformation plan

Bellaiche wants to rebuild teams with a more entrepreneurial approach and more women in leadership roles. Internally, Sophie Boquet, who formerly headed Citadium, has taken charge of the store network beyond the Haussmann flagship, while Karen Vernet, general director of offer, will take up relations with brands. External recruits include Stéphane Roth, who is directing marketing efforts and comes with experience in Asia and the U.S., and with digital activities, and the head of transformation Maude Funaro, who has a digital transformation background.

Investments

They will be focused on the digital front, and the company has said it plans to invest more than EUR 40 million a year in this area over the next few years. Printemps also intends to open a store in Qatar in 2022, to coincide with the FIFA World Soccer Cup.

Printemps' transformation plan