Printemps Grand Opening: Can French Luxury Thrive in New York City?

A detailed review of the new Parisian retail gem and its potential to succeed in a declining retail world

This past Saturday, my girlfriend and I excitedly headed to Wall Street for the grand opening of Printemps, the legendary Parisian department store. A quick history lesson— Printemps was founded in Paris in 1865 and now boasts 19 locations across France, plus one in Doha, Qatar. Its flagship on Boulevard Haussmann carries products from 3,000 brands, and now, they’ve added a two-story wonder to the Financial District.

[Welcome to New York]

The New York Times and I are on the same page—Printemps is opening at an interesting time. Women’s Wear Daily has been covering a wave of store closures, with Macy’s and Neiman Marcus shutting down a combined 60+ locations nationwide this year. Even the Financial District hasn’t been spared—luxury retailers like Saks at Brookfield Place and 10 Corso Como at South Street Seaport shuttered after just a couple of years. Yet, in an era where brick-and-mortar stores are vanishing, could Printemps be an outlier — or just another fleeting experiment?

Printemps showed no signs of trouble (at least from the outside).

When we arrived, the scene was electric—a graffiti artist bringing the sidewalk to life and a line stretching around the block, packed with eager New Yorkers. The wait to get inside? A solid 40 minutes. I decided to return hours later, and by then, the crowd had died down. To rev myself up for the affair, I bopped to Mayhem, Lady Gaga’s new album (highly recommend). Before I knew it, I was in.

To Trek or Not to Trek: My Insider Take

To no one’s surprise, my Virgo tendencies make me overly critical (eeeeeks) and hold high standards for just about everything — especially for department stores. Yes, I work in fashion (spent five years at Macy’s corporate offices) and curate assortments for both online and in-store experiences. But like you, I’m also a shopper who values the in-store visit. I so badly want to believe that retail isn’t dead, but lately, I’ve started to feel differently. Selections are sparse, my size is nowhere to be found, and I often end up ordering online for the sake of convenience. This makes the in-store experience even more crucial.

A 40-minute train ride to Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf’s, or Saks? Not worth it if I’m leaving empty-handed. I also love stopping by local department stores when I travel for the energy, merchandising inspirations, and to discover new brands. However, if I'm prioritizing this over other things, it’s gotta be worth it. After visiting Le Bon Marché last year, which I consider the gold standard, Printemps had a high bar to meet.

The Fixtures Were Fully Flexing

The curves. The elegance. The sexiness. Très Chic.

[I mean, can you even?]

The pattern plays and wallpaper deserved a round of applause. Everywhere I looked a secret passageway led me to a new discovery. My eyes were bulging out of their sockets with delight.

As I continued to walk thru the store, the ambience continued to build and build. French jazz music playing on repeat. A plethora of places to dine, drink and just take it all in. Have I uncovered the new date night spot? Move over Restoration Hardware, it looks like you’ve got some competition.

[A scene to be SEEN.]

I’ve Seen That Before

With Printemps boasting that 25% of its brands are rare or exclusive to the U.S., I was eager to uncover something fresh. But when I looked deeper at the clothes, peeled back the onion, most of the brands I recognized. While browsing the racks, I overheard a shopper next to me tell her girlfriend “I’ve seen that before.” Same girl, same.

The assortment felt a tad flat. There were seas of black. I know, I know, we’re in NYC, but I was expecting more from this chic Parisian. Quiet luxury was again sadly on FULL display. There were only a small handful of items that truly caught my attention further. I expected more drama. The entire ambience pushed boundaries and then some, but the merchandise was all very safe. I’d be curious to pick the brain of the buyer and ask who’s the target customer? Department store buyers have an interesting challenge to continuously tackle. A fine tightrope to walk. Balancing the basics to drive business, but sprinkling in a curated selection of surprise and delight items to draw the consumer in.

I was expecting the mannequins to be the surprise and delight, but I was underwhelmed. The styling choices at times felt uninspiring, maybe appealing to a tourist at the core?

[I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?]

I couldn’t help but wonder while after browsing, Will the cycle of monotony ever end? It’s no surprise why buying secondhand is having a moment in the spotlight. There’s no reward anymore for paying full price if we are all gravitating towards the same handbag. The hunt on TheRealReal for a diamond in the rough is my version of the Super Bowl. I’m ready for maximalism to take the wheel and Printemps has the perfect backdrop to lead the charge.

A bright spot in the merchandise was a rack of vintage items on the second floor. A small assortment of ten items with tags detailing their runway origins and homages to the brand's heritage. Each piece unique, ready for a new wardrobe, and a chance at a second, third or fourth life.

[Hidden Treasures.]

Dead on Arrival

Spring was in the air—it's in the namesake, after all. Florals weren’t just on the walls; fresh bouquets adorned countertops everywhere. I'm curious to see how it feels in the fall. One thing I couldn’t get past, though, was the fresh flowers were wilting. WILTING. I made two trips for this research, expecting a refresh on the second round, but sadly, the budget didn’t seem to cover that. I was flabbergasted that this small detail went unchanged. It left me wondering—if they overlooked dead flowers on opening weekend, what else might fade with time?

[Spring Has Sprung—Or Has It?]

Looks the Part, But Can She Walk the Walk?

I’m curious of Printemps staying power. Can it hold its own for more than a handful of years? How often will the merchandise be refreshed? I will need to take another trek during the summertime to see firsthand.

Opening weekend had hundreds flocking at all hours for their Instagram-worthy shots. But no one was really buying anything—most left empty-handed. Maybe because there was no clear checkout. Who knows? But after the photos are snapped and the dopamine fades, what’s left? It’s like the rush of ordering a Michelin-star meal, only to be served a single pea on a massive plate. The meal is beautiful but leaves you empty once consumed.