Claire’s opens immersive store in Paris

Claire’s is stepping out in the City of Light.

The young women’s accessories brand, which was recently named one of the 10 most innovative companies in retail, has opened a new location in Paris. Described as a space for consumers to experience the future of the brand, the 1,200-sq.-ft. store was created in collaboration with Japanese-Italian designer Nicola Formichetti, who last year was appointed creative director in residence for Claire’s.

Located on Rue Faubourg St. Antoine, the new Claire’s is designed for total brand immersion and has experiences and social storytelling at its core. It includes two dedicated ear piercing studios and a content creation studio that invites customers “to have fun with creativity.” An ear-shaped 'chandel-ear' designed by Formichetti celebrates the brand's #EarPrint campaign, part of its multi-channel ‘Get Pierced’ initiative promoting its ear piercing service.

The store will serve as a launch pad for exclusive, new products and test lines while hosting a steady rotation of experiential and pop-up events.   It is Claire’s eight location in Paris.

“We want our customers to feel inspired – through our product, our content and our innovative creative partnerships – but most importantly, through the shopping experience itself," said Richard Flint, president of Europe for Claire’s, which has approximately 230 stores in France. "The new Paris store is a portal into our brand world and a glimpse into our future. Full of immersive experiences and innovative touches, we're inviting consumers to have fun, experiment and co-create with Claire's."

Claire’s opened the store with a fashion event to shine the spotlight on Mini V, a Gen Z-focused magazine which launched in December and was developed through Claire's partnership with Formichetti. (Mini V is the newest edition of the V editorial family.)

"Gen 'Zalpha' is fearless, authentic and wildly creative in the ways they show up, and our brand is a platform that creates space for them to express all sides of themselves,” said Kristin Patrick, executive VP and chief marketing Officer of Claire's “Through our creation of Mini V, we are championing them in a whole new way and giving a powerful place for their voices to be heard.”

"Claire's and I believe in individuality, and together we hope to send the younger generation on an enjoyable and fun journey of self-expression," said Nicola Formichetti. "With the launch of Mini V, we have a unique opportunity to offer young consumers tools to unlock their personal style while also providing a space to explore deeper topics and a powerful platform to share their voices." 

[Read More: Claire’s ramping up its presence in grocery stores]

As of December 2022, there are more than 2,750 Claire’s owned and operated and franchise stores open across North America and Europe, along with 260 Icing stores.