Inside the Spring/Summer 2027 Buying Strategy at Galeries Lafayette

The season at a glance

As the spring/summer 2027 shows drew to a close in Paris, the mood among buyers was one of reinvention. After several seasons dominated by quiet luxury and minimalism, the catwalks have shifted towards something more expressive, more personal. Victoria Dartigues, director of womenswear and leather goods purchasing at Galeries Lafayette, spent the month travelling between London, Milan and Paris to see the collections first-hand. Her team also covered New York, with one buyer attending in her place. Over the course of a month, the schedule is intense: on average four shows and at least four appointments per day. Yet for Dartigues, these are not just appointments; they are moments of conversation that reveal where each brand is heading and how that aligns with the department store’s own vision.

The skirt takes centre stage

When asked about the first trends to emerge for summer 2027, Dartigues does not hesitate: the skirt is the key piece of the season. Prada made it the manifesto of its show, exploring every variation from the pencil skirt to the pleated skirt, from utilitarian to the most sophisticated. The trend was also prominent at Miu Miu, Dries Van Noten and Loewe. Alongside the skirt, the shirt and the light blouse – sometimes transparent or lingerie-inspired – are also key at Chloé, Dior and Victoria Beckham, while fluid trousers at Celine and The Row complete the picture. These are versatile pieces that allow for a personal wardrobe, balancing sophistication with styling freedom.

Accessories that speak volumes

For spring/summer 2027, accessories are not an afterthought. Belts and costume jewellery take centre stage, with the return of layering, pearls, colourful necklaces and unexpected combinations, particularly at Celine and Dries Van Noten. The scarf and bandana are becoming true elements of personalisation. Footwear, too, is rediscovering a feminine, joyful and expressive dimension, with heeled flip-flops, court shoes, bows and embellishments, especially at Loewe, Saint Laurent and Jil Sander.

A shift towards personality

After a period of understated luxury, the pendulum has swung towards something more joyful and sparkling. “After quiet luxury and minimalism, we wanted something more joyful and sparkling,” Dartigues explains. “It is a real return to personality.” Today, each house is asserting its DNA, and she finds herself talking less about overarching trends and more about the individual identity of each brand. Colour is a real risk, as it can be much more divisive, yet designers are willing to take those risks on quite commercial shapes. That matters, because the reality of business and the current context cannot be ignored. Where once a customer might have said, “this is the look of the season,” today they say, “this is my look.” That change, Dartigues believes, is what is interesting.

From catwalk to shop floor

How do these observations translate into buying decisions, especially when major brands operate concessions within Galeries Lafayette? Brands with concessions do their own buying, but meeting them in the showroom remains valuable for discussion. Each department store has its own specific clientele and customer profile, so Dartigues and her team can understand how brands build their buys and guide them based on what they know about their customers. What they see on the luxury catwalks informs their interpretation of every brand they encounter in the showroom, from still-niche designers to leading contemporary labels.

Identifying new talent

As for which labels might join Galeries Lafayette for spring/summer 2027, it is still too early to say. The teams are still in showrooms and there are brands and collections yet to be discovered. Once the showrooms are finished, the team will meet to deliberate on what they have seen and what each brand can bring. First comes prospecting work, then a pooling of ideas. They need to understand what one brand offers compared to another, how the offering is complementary and how to avoid cannibalising what is already on the shelves. For the most part, there is room for discussion until around 15 or 20 October.

Building the buying budget

The budget process is constant and forward-looking. There is a starting budget, and then several likely projections are made to align as closely as possible with the end-of-season landing. It is based on that landing that the budget for the following season is framed. The budget is first defined at department level, then allocated by brand, according to showroom timings and deliveries. For multi-brand spaces, especially those dedicated to young designers and seasonal discoveries, a budget reserve is always kept at the end of the showroom period, allowing the team to seize an opportunity when a proposal seems particularly interesting. By contrast, budgets for the major houses are very structured in advance. Each buyer must then calibrate them according to the weight of the merchandise groups and the different product lines.

The team behind the buy

Dartigues describes her role as translating the strategic vision of Galeries Lafayette for women’s ready-to-wear and fashion accessories. The aim is to assert the store’s position as the leading luxury and fashion destination, both at the Haussmann flagship and across the wider network, while optimising partnerships in terms of turnover and profitability. Buying is a team effort, involving four market managers and about 15 buyers. Together they work to create the best customer journey, aiming to surprise shoppers every time and make their experience unique enough that they want to return.

In a season defined by creativity and wearability, the buying team’s challenge is to balance the excitement of the new with the commercial realities of the shop floor. If the catwalks are anything to go by, spring/summer 2027 will be a season of joyful expression, and Galeries Lafayette intends to be ready for it.