Seashells By The Sea Shore
At the entrance of the Zimmermann pop- up at Le Bon Marché, a giant seashell beckons in visitors. Lean in, and you really can hear the ocean.
“It's got a speaker in there,” said Simone Zimmermann, cofounder of the Australian label with her sister Nicky.
It's part of the immersive beach design showcasing the brand's spring 2024 collection and an exclusive capsule collection for the Paris department store, consisting of 82 pieces of ready-to-wear and 19 accessories drenched in dopamine- boosting pastel tones.
Zimmermann described it as an oasis of tranquility. “You can sort of exhale,” she said, pointing to a cabin lined with digital screens projecting images of water.
“It plays with your senses a little bit.”
Located on the second floor, the 3,230- square-foot space will remain open until Aug. 11, with the hope of capturing tourist traffic in the run- up to the Paris Olympics, set to kick off on July 26.
While the brand opened its second store in the French capital last December on Rue du Faubourg Saint- Honoré, this marks its first presence on the Left Bank.
“It's an opportunity to show another dimension of who we are,” said Zimmermann. “We were really trying to bring in some of the colors, the feeling of light and an experience that gives you a little bit of insight into where we're from in Australia.”
In addition to a full range of clothing and accessories including bags, shoes, jewelry and eyewear, the space carries gift products featuring a specially commissioned illustration that references the store's signature criss- crossing escalators.
These include notebooks, cards, eye masks, fans and playing cards. There is also a pink candle made in collaboration with
Cire Trudon, and a set of sun care products with Australian brand Standard
Procedure. A photo booth allows visitors to take a souvenir picture against a digital beach backdrop.
With a network of 64 stores worldwide, Zimmermann recently opened a location in Dubai and further units will follow in Venice; Munich, and
Ibiza, Spain. In addition, two new boutiques are in the works in China, and more stores in the Middle East are in the planning stages, Zimmermann said.
The company sold a majority stake to private equity firm Advent last year.
While Paris residents are focused mostly on the disruption the Games will bring, Zimmermann said she was optimistic, based on her experience of the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
“We had the same sensation, just because we've lived through it, but it was at the end of the day so much fun, so exciting.
All of the inconvenience sort of goes away because you have a really great time when your country is celebrating it with the rest of the world,” she said.
“So for us to be a part of it and have this location during what's going to be such an important time for Paris and France in general, it's a great opportunity,” she added.—