OPINION
Galeries Lafayette Mumbai: A Dialogue Between Paris and India
Virgile + Partners unveils India's first Galeries Lafayette flagship, blending Parisian refinement with Mumbai's architectural heritage.
Housed within the storied Turner Morrison and Voltas House buildings in Mumbai's historic Kala Ghoda district, Galeries Lafayette's first Indian flagship represents a defining moment in luxury retail. A landmark achievement for Virgile + Partners. Spanning 90,000 sq. ft. across five levels, the space reinterprets the French icon's 130-year legacy through an Indian lens, creating a destination that speaks to India's next generation of luxury consumers.
The aspiration for Mumbai's Galeries Lafayette "Maison de Couture" was always to strike a balance between elegant French Parisian style and the opulent traditions of Indian architecture and craft.
Drawing inspiration from the Parisian Maison Particulier and India's exquisite palatial architecture, the design showcases intricate detailing and grand statements in a carefully considered environment.
Floral motifs, seen in both French Art Deco and Indian historical and contemporary architecture, are woven throughout. They blend seamlessly with the architectural grandeur and reflect the spirit of the iconic buildings restored to their former glory. Floor patterns, archways, and material choices embrace historical craftsmanship, while cultural references with a contemporary interpretation create a luxurious and rejuvenating customer journey through the maison.
Echoes of the legendary Haussmann store and its marvellous cupola appear in colour and detail, while classical architectural spaces transition into more contemporary, edgy environments.
The result is a dialogue between Paris and India, enriched with distinctive Art Deco and floral detailing. It simultaneously but subtly references modern influences such as Pierre Paulin's 1960s forms and Le Corbusier's Chandigarh.
The exterior of the building has been carefully restored to its original splendour, with new additions introduced through elegant canopies, lush planting, and sophisticated illumination inspired by the iconic avenues of Paris.
Inside, each floor carries its own distinctive character, creating a layered journey through luxury and design.
The Parisian Maison Particulier
The ground and first floors are dedicated to luxury fashion and accessories, anchored by a dramatic circular atrium that connects to the lower ground Beauty Hall. Its form references the celebrated Galeries Lafayette Haussmann cupola as well as floral architectural styles found in India, such as the Lotus Temple. At the same time, it echoes Pierre Paulin's designs for the Elysée Palace in Paris.
On the ground floor, the Parisian Maison Particulier is reinterpreted as a sequence of interlinked rooms and corridors. Some are adorned with hand-painted frescoes, others framed by circular mirror rooms inspired by Coco Chanel's grand staircase. Each space evokes the intimacy of a Parisian salon, spanning from the classical elegance of a "Grande Salon" to the more contemporary "Salon Nouveau.”
The first floor continues this journey with a series of themed spaces, including a Ballroom, Library, Boudoir, Office, and even a Bedroom, each designed to immerse the customer in a unique atmosphere.
Art Deco Refinement
The Beauty floor draws on Art Deco influences, creating calm and softly framed environments tailored for luxury beauty brands.
The second and third floors adopt a contemporary Art Deco style, with an emphasis on perimeter brand shops balanced by strong multibrand "edit" spaces.
On the fourth floor, the aesthetic shifts toward a bolder and more youthful architectural expression, fusing strong colourful forms with a high-tech edge.
Crowning the maison, the VIP suite offers the ultimate in privacy and exclusivity. Here, grand communal areas flow into intimate residential-style rooms, all furnished with rich décor, art, as well as artefacts chosen to evoke the comfort and elegance of a Parisian apartment.
A True Collaboration
"Working on the concept store, 'Maison de Couture' as India's first Galeries Lafayette in Mumbai has been an absolute privilege," said Ewald Damen, Creative Director. "Beyond its ambition as an iconic luxury department store, the project has been defined by true collaboration with the Aditya Birla and Galeries Lafayette teams, allowing us to create a genuinely authentic and captivating retail experience."
The collaboration between Aditya Birla and Galeries Lafayette has allowed Virgile + Partners to refine a challenging design and push boundaries for a customer-centric retail experience in a modern context.
From the excitement of winning the initial pitch through to the design process, it has always been everyone's focus to create a luxury department store with a truly Parisian style, yet crafted with Indian detailing and influence.