What: Galeries Lafayette has promoted Alexandre Liot to deputy CEO and Alix Morabito to director of offer and purchasing as part of a strategic leadership renewal.

Why it is important: Strengthening the executive team enables Galeries Lafayette to accelerate its investment, customer experience, and international ambitions.

Galeries Lafayette has announced significant changes to its executive committee, elevating Alexandre Liot to deputy CEO in charge of operations and appointing Alix Morabito as director of offer and purchasing. These moves follow the appointment of Arthur Lemoine as CEO in June and signal a renewed focus on operational excellence and strategic purchasing. Liot, a company veteran, will now oversee operations across the entire store network, building on his experience managing key locations and leading customer experience initiatives at the flagship Boulevard Haussmann store. Morabito, with a strong background in buying and merchandising, will shape the group’s offer and purchasing strategy, reporting directly to Lemoine. The appointments come as Galeries Lafayette invests heavily in both physical store refurbishments and digital channels, with €100 million dedicated to modernization over the next five years. The retailer is also expanding internationally, with new stores planned for Mumbai and New Delhi, while continuing to enhance its luxury and fashion positioning to attract both local and global customers.

IADS Notes: Galeries Lafayette’s leadership renewal, including the promotions of Liot and Morabito, builds on the July 2025 appointment of Arthur Lemoine as CEO, reflecting a careful balance between heritage and innovation (WWD, July 2025; Press Release, July 2025). This new executive structure supports the €400 million investment plan announced in November 2024 and detailed in February 2025 (Challenges, Nov 2024; Le Figaro, Feb 2025), which is modernizing the store network and flagship locations. The strategy is closely linked to the retailer’s international expansion, particularly in India (Challenges, Nov 2024; LSA Conso, Oct 2024), and its focus on customer experience and experiential retail, as evidenced by recent influencer partnerships and double-digit growth at the flagship (Fashion Network, Aug 2025 & July 2025). These developments position Galeries Lafayette as a leader in global retail transformation, blending tradition with forward-looking strategy.

Galeries Lafayette names Alexandre Liot Deputy CEO, Alix Morabito to lead Offer and Purchasing

What: Breuninger’s autumn/winter campaign launch with Monocle highlights the retailer’s focus on experiential storytelling and creative collaboration.

Why it is important: This campaign exemplifies how leading retailers are leveraging storytelling and partnerships to deepen customer engagement and differentiate their brands.

Breuninger’s autumn/winter campaign launch, celebrated at Monocle’s Seefeld headquarters, underscores the department store’s dedication to blending style with narrative as a core marketing strategy. The event, marked by speeches from CEO Holger Blecker and CBO Carsten Hendrich, as well as creative contributions from Monocle’s founder Tyler Brûlé and poet Anna Seidel, brought together guests for an evening of immersive storytelling and refined hospitality. This initiative reflects Breuninger’s broader commitment to experiential retail, where creative collaborations and curated experiences are used to foster deeper connections with customers. The campaign’s emphasis on craftsmanship, creativity, and partnership is in line with the retailer’s recent efforts to integrate cultural elements, hospitality, and digital innovation into its multi-channel approach. By prioritising memorable, multi-sensory events, Breuninger continues to set itself apart in the competitive department store landscape, reinforcing its brand identity and customer loyalty through meaningful engagement.

IADS Notes: Breuninger’s recent event with Monocle in Seefeld, celebrating the launch of its autumn/winter campaign, is emblematic of the retailer’s ongoing commitment to experiential and narrative-driven retail. This approach is consistent with the “Read my Style” event in Düsseldorf (August 2025, Lokal Büro), which merged fashion, literature, and urban culture to create a multi-sensory experience that deepened customer engagement. The curated collaboration with The Paradise Now (May 2025, Fashion Network) further demonstrated Breuninger’s focus on local partnerships and immersive brand experiences, while the opening of the Hamburg store (April 2025, Horston) highlighted the integration of hospitality and curated services as part of its omnichannel strategy. Breuninger’s transformation into a digital multi-channel retailer (October 2024, CIO) underscores the leadership’s role in driving innovation and customer-centricity across all platforms. The AMI Paris pop-up café in Munich (April 2025, Fashion United) exemplifies how hospitality, fashion, and local culture are blended to create unique, memorable moments for customers, reinforcing Breuninger’s position at the forefront of experiential retail.

Breuninger partnered with Monocle for an event in Zürich

What: John Lewis launches J. Lewis, a premium menswear own-label collection featuring high-quality European and Japanese fabrics, available online and in select stores.

Why it is important: The multi-channel and value-driven approach supports John Lewis’s ongoing transformation and strengthens its competitive edge in premium fashion.

John Lewis has introduced J. Lewis, a new premium menswear own-label collection that marks a significant step in the retailer’s fashion evolution. The 23-piece capsule, designed in-house and crafted from European and Japanese fabrics, is positioned as a contemporary addition to John Lewis’s expanding own-brand portfolio. Available both online and in 11 department stores, the collection features standout materials such as Italian yarns, Japanese denim, and Portuguese cotton, with a focus on natural fibers and exceptional craftsmanship. The range, priced between £35 and £400, is tailored to offer a sophisticated yet accessible wardrobe, reflecting a soft, seasonal palette. This launch is part of John Lewis’s broader strategy to elevate its fashion credentials, enhance customer experience through multi-channel availability, and reinforce its value proposition in the premium segment. By prioritizing quality, design, and accessibility, John Lewis aims to attract discerning customers and further differentiate itself in the competitive UK retail landscape.

IADS Notes: John Lewis’s introduction of the J. Lewis menswear line builds on its recent strategic initiatives, including the Editions collection and exclusive collaborations like the PS Paul Smith capsule, which have driven growth in tailoring and reinforced the brand’s premium positioning (Fashion Network, May 2025; Drapers, April 2025). The multi-channel launch and considered pricing mirror successful approaches from earlier in 2025, while substantial investment and leadership vision continue to underpin the retailer’s ambition to expand its share of the UK’s premium fashion market (Drapers, July 2025; Retail Gazette, August 2025). These developments collectively highlight how John Lewis is leveraging innovation, craftsmanship, and omni-channel strategies to strengthen its competitive position.

John Lewis unveils new menswear own-label