After three days of media and VIP previews, the Macao branch of Galeries Lafayette is set to open to the public on Tuesday, becoming the fourth such store in China after Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.
The Macao venture is the result of a partnership between the French department store chain and Hong Kong-listed Forward Fashion Group, which operates over 200 retail stores in Macao, mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Philippe Pedone, the international senior vice president of Galeries Lafayette, noted at the opening ceremony on 26 January that the unveiling marked “an important step towards our ambitious goal of opening ten stores in China in the near future.” He said that Macao was chosen as a location because it is “evolving into a dynamic economic centre, harmoniously combining entertainment, retail and innovation.”
[See more: Macao’s reputation as a luxury retail destination ‘is only going to grow’, experts say]
Occupying an area of 35,000 square feet, Galeries Lafayette Macau boasts a seven-metre-tall indoor replica of the Eiffel Tower and houses over 100 international luxury brands, at least 10 of which are new to the Macao retail market.
The grand opening was marked by an evening drone show over Nam Van Lake, co-sponsored by UK beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury, and the launch of beauty brand Byredo’s Chinese New Year-themed pop-up.
Galeries Lafayette is located at the Yoho Treasure Island Resorts World Shopping Centre, which also features the Five Guys burger chain, Pop Mart designer toy store and a UFC gym.
