Le Printemps: The Place Where Everything Started

It All Began at Printemps

Since its founding, Printemps has consistently anticipated social change, reinvented the shopping experience, and set new standards for innovation. It was the first department store in France to:

1866 – THE FIRST SALES EVENTS

Printemps was the first department store to inaugurate a period of sales as a commercial operation.
This practice — offering end-of-season items at lower prices, in full transparency and without hiding them away — was a small revolution at the time.

1925 – THE FIRST MEN’S-ONLY DEPARTMENT STORE

Printemps was the first department store to dedicate an entire building to male clientele.
Clothing and accessories, as well as pieces specifically designed for sports, were offered to gentlemen.

1933 – THE FIRST READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION BY A FAMOUS COUTURIER

Paul Poiret, nicknamed the “King of Fashion,” teamed up with Printemps to create a capsule collection offered at accessible prices for the general public. A grand runway show on the Pont d’Argent marked the official launch.

1975 – THE FIRST DEPARTMENT STORE CLASSIFIED AS A HISTORIC MONUMENT

In 1975, Printemps was officially listed as a historic monument for its stunning façade and dazzling domes — which would go on to inspire all major department stores built afterward.

1982 – THE FIRST DEPARTMENT STORE TO PROMOTE “MADE IN FRANCE”

In partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Crafts, Printemps launched a strong initiative to spotlight French-made goods — through a curated selection of clothing and objects.
A bold move at the time, renewed over several years.

At every step, Printemps broke new ground, blending retail with architecture, technology, and social progress.

2022: Where Everything Starts Again

In March 2022, Printemps turned the page to write a bold new chapter in its storied history. After more than a century and a half of innovation, the iconic department store redefined itself once again — not out of necessity, but by conviction.

This transformation began with a new visual identity, a fresh aesthetic that speaks to both tradition and modernity. But the change went far beyond the surface. Printemps reimagined its role, its spaces, and its mission to better reflect the needs and desires of today’s consumers.

More than just a place to shop, Printemps became a place to live, to linger, to feel. Its updated concept blends fashion, beauty, home, and food in immersive and unexpected ways, inviting visitors to explore a world where creativity and culture meet daily life.

More than a department store, Le Printemps revolutionized French society.
By anticipating social change, embracing innovation, and celebrating beauty in all its forms, it became a symbol of Parisian modernity and cultural influence — a place where ideas, trends, and lifestyles have taken shape for decades.

Naturally, that spirit could not be contained to one city alone. In 1912, Deauville became the first city outside Paris to welcome a Printemps store, an early sign of the brand’s ambition to share its vision of elegance beyond the capital.

And in 2025, 160 years after its founding, Printemps crossed the Atlantic with the opening of its very first U.S. store, housed in the landmark One Wall Street building in New York City’s Financial District. A bold step that reaffirms the universal appeal of its Parisian identity — and the ever-renewing promise that everything begins at Printemps.