Paris Galeries Lafayette makes its grand debut in India’s Mumbai

India’s financial capital city, Mumbai, is all set to witness a Paris vibe soon. As the 130-year-old Galeries Lafayette, an iconic Parisian luxury department store chain, will make its debut in India for the first time, and that too in Mumbai.

Spread over two buildings and five floors in south Mumbai’s Fort area, the high street shopping store brand will offer more than 250 international luxury brands, two-thirds of which are coming to India for the first time.

The store is expected to open its doors for shoppers in November.

A 130-year-old Parisian institution, Galeries Lafayette has long been more than a department store. Experts describe it as a theatre, it’s fashion, it’s a love letter to style.

The luxury market in India, the world's most populous country with 1.4 billion inhabitants, is still small but is experiencing strong growth.

The world's fifth-largest economy adds tens of thousands of new millionaires each year, who proudly display their Lamborghinis or Louis Vuitton bags.

According to international management consultancy Kearney, the luxury goods market is projected to grow from 7.7 billion US dollars in 2023 to 12 billion US dollars by 2028.

At the time, they announced the opening of their first store in Mumbai for 2024 and a second in Delhi for 2025. However, both projects have been delayed by a year.

According to its website, Galeries Lafayette already has a presence in several major cities worldwide, including Doha, Dubai, Jakarta, Luxembourg, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Macau.