The Louvre turns to retail to survive pandemic
PARIS—Can face masks and Tshirts save the Louvre? Probably not, but maybe they can help keep the museum’s name alive while its doors stay shut.
In normal times, the Louvre is one of the most visited museums in the world: 9.6 million people walked its halls in 2019. But the coronavirus has deprived it of foreign tourists and government decrees closed it down twice for nearly six months last year, a loss of 90 million euros (about $108 million) in revenue, according to the Louvre.
Since last March, the museum, along with other French cultural institutions, has remained shut indefinitely. (It opened last year from early July to the end of October.)
“We need to find new ways to make money,” said Adel Ziane, director of external relations for the Louvre.
“The COVID crisis has made it more urgent than ever to diversify and make the most of the Louvre name.”
One of his answers is retail. A lot of retail.
On Feb. 4, Uniqlo began selling a Louvre collection of clothing in its stores around the world, under a four-year licensing agreement with the museum. Peter Saville, an English graphic designer, splashed the museum’s inventory numbers and taglines next to the artworks on T-shirts and sweats.
Uniqlo’s two-minute promotional video for the line features Uniqlo-clad models walking through the Louvre’s galleries. The Louvre has produced its own short video featuring a museum official touting the values of “universality and timelessness” that it shares with Uniqlo.
The Louvre has also collaborated with CASETiFY, a tech accessories company, to put the images of some of its most recognizable women — Mona Lisa, Venus, Liberty Leading the People — onto iPhone covers, AirPods cases, grip stands, wireless charging pads, and water bottles.