Like many European retail types, I’ve been at the inaugural NRF Europe show in Paris this week.

Now I’m not going to comment too much on the show itself. Partly because I have nothing to add that hasn’t already been said (in summary: decent first show, lots of agentic AI chat, etc.) and partly because I wasn’t there much.

Instead I was pounding the beautiful streets of Paris, running a store tour for our great friends at Jumpmind and just generally checking out new stores in the city of romance, good taste and low tolerance for Brits with strong accents trying to speak French (c’est moi).

Here’s what I found, and what I thought…

Big statements on the Champs-Élysées

The Champs-Élysées has some fabulous new openings. 

Renault, now the avenue’s only car showroom, is an extraordinary new space that’s architecturally remarkable and conceptually bold.

Much like pioneers Lynk & Co, this space really isn’t overly focused on cars. Instead, it features a cafe that runs through the centre of the space, games, events and various heritage elements. 

It’s quite clearly an attempt to premiumise brand perception in a market that’s now saturated with affordable car brands. A smart move that may well pay off.

Newer still (opening early September 2025) was RH’s latest space. If you’ve seen others in Boston, Chicago, New York or elsewhere, it will feel fairly familiar. If not, the size, scale and glamour of the whole thing will be quite eye-opening – especially given that this is a brand that still sells furniture in mall outlet stores across America. 

As ever, it delivers and would be a fabulous place for a drink or dinner.

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