Printemps Welcomes Spring in New York City

On the first day of spring, March 20, historic French luxury retail destination Printemps (appropriately, named after the French word for spring) opened doors for VIP guests to its first-ever New York City location. Covering 55,000 square feet over two floors of One Wall Street, a historic Art Deco fixture of the Financial District, Printemps New York was richly imagined by Parisian architectural designer Laura Gonzalez, who wove the landmark building into a glass-and-steel extension from the ‘60s.

Drawing inspiration from the archives of Printemps Paris, Gonzalez married the French retailer to the design nuances of the distinctly New York spaces. The centerpiece of the Printemps New York experience is known as the Red Room, which houses the store’s shoe department within a spectacular envelope of original red ombré and gold mosaic walls put in place by 20th century muralist Hildreth Meière. Here, amidst the slender double windows and 33-foot-high ceilings that once defined the former Bank of New York, a forest of towering eco-resin stems with cut-out metal flowers holds product, and also curls into a whimsical canopy.

Jean-Marc Bellaiche, CEO of Printemps Group, has explained that their goal with Printemps New York was not simply a department store, but a concept that brings together hospitality, dining, and programming underscored by a French-inflected retail experience. As such, the site includes ten uniquely designed areas—five of which are food and beverage outlets (including a casual cafe, a cocktail bar, and a fine dining restaurant named Maison Passerelle), as well as wellness treatment rooms, and even a clothing repair section. 

Throughout, patterns and textures collide and converse, from pink moiré wallpaper and pastel frescoes to floral carpets and monochromatic patterns and one flowing, futuristic tunnel. A mirror-clad pink marble staircase brings it all together. No two rooms feel similar—a design decision that encourages visitors to check out what’s around each corner.