Lemaire Flagship Store in Elzévir Opens

On March 11, lemaire opened a new shop in the heart of Le Marais, a district in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris. The brand is continuing its growth with the new 340 m2 space at 1 Rue Elzévir, a street in the capital named after a Dutch family of printers that grew to prominence in the 16th century. Located a short walk from Place des Vosges, the shop further extends Lemaire’s presence in a neighborhood already home to its offices and a boutique dedicated to accessories.

Lemaire may be bidding farewell to its iconic shop on Rue de Poitou, but only to move into a new space with room to showcase every facet of the brand. The Spring-Summer 2023 collection is presented on two levels amid materials, colors and shapes that echo and dovetail with the garments, immersing visitors in the different elements that make up the brand.

Since its inception, the Lemaire brand, helmed by Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran, has channeled its creativity into timeless wardrobes that are both sophisticated and understated, Parisian and cosmopolitan. “The Rue Elzévir space, which was planned and designed by the lemaire staff, gave some of our inspirations their first tangible form,” note the two creators. “The new shop draws from wide-ranging expertise in line with our fundamental values and celebrates the functionality, practicality and flexibility embodied by Lemaire clothing.”

Inside the white walls behind the black shopfront, the garments hang on metal rails forming a horizon of familiar hues – soft tones presented in order of intensity for customers to try on in the serene atmosphere of the changing rooms. The pieces are presented amid a rich dialogue of decorative elements, such as the Bejmat floor tiles that guide visitors’ path – crafted using an age-old artisanal technique practiced in Fes, Morocco – and handwoven abaca mats that comple- ment the tiling patterns.

The brand’s accessories are displayed on wood furniture designed by enzo mari, an Italian modernist who has influenced several generations of designers. His Autoprogettazione project promotes furniture that can be assembled easily using lumber and nails – an approach that brings to mind the modularity and flexibil- ity of the lemaire wardrobe. The leather goods, shoes and jewelry are presented on ceramics from Apparatu, a family-run studio led by xavier mañosa on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Artworks associated with the collections will be shown regularly on the 300 m2 ground floor. A reflection of lemaire’s interest in people and cultures from across the world, the space will host an exhibition of works by artist noviadi angkasapura in May. The New Guinea native inspired a capsule wardrobe of cotton pieces that infused motion into his pen drawings of imaginary animals and anthropomorphic creatures, which subtly intertwine spirituality and nature.

The opening of the new shop on Rue Elzévir furthers lemaire’s strategy of ex- panding to new spaces inside and outside France that extend the brand’s reach while staying true to its philosophy. For managing director laëtitia mergui, this new location for exhibitions and experimentation, rooted in the local fabric, will serve as a platform for lemaire and for any future locations the brand may seek to establish, paving the way for consistent growth over the long term.

Through these elements, which form a harmony much like the collections over the passing seasons, Lemaire aims to offer the public a singular experience in an atypical, welcoming showroom loyal to the brand.

Behind the black storefront, the garments hang on metal rails, waiting to be tried on by customers in a changing room entirely covered with abaca mats.

The naturally durable and high-quality rugs are hand-woven in the Philippines using the fibre of a plant related to the banana tree family, carving a nest of serene atmosphere inside Elzévir.

Inside the store, customers are greeted with a pair of Sedia 1, the famous chair designed by Enzo Mari, an Italian modernist who sought to promote furniture that can be easily assembled with lumber and nails through his manifesto, Autoprogettazione. An approach that brings to mind the modularity and flexibility of the LEMAIRE wardrobe.