PARIS, FRANCE – OCTOBER 23: Shops on the Champs-Elysées are barricaded ahead of protests scheduled for October 23, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Luc Auffret/Anadolu, Getty Images)
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Luxury boutiques in France boarded up their typically flashy windows and added security guards ahead of Saturday’s new protests, but some plan to close after rioters looted stores across the country over the weekend.
Chanel handbags and Hermès scarves draw thousands of international shoppers to France, a key source of income for brands facing weak demand.
But after last week’s events, when rioters destroyed and looted hundreds of stores in Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux, some decided it was too risky to stay open.
Rolex retail stores and De Beers stores near the capital’s famous Place Vendôme will remain closed on Saturday, staff said, while managers at stores such as Richemont’s IWC said they would decide whether to close early depending on the intensity of the protests.
Groups such as UNEF, France’s main student union, and the Yellow Vests, which emerged as a powerful anti-establishment movement in 2018, plan to march through central Paris later Saturday to protest the high cost of living and cuts to public services.
I don’t feel well
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced on Friday that his ministry would deploy 70,000 police officers, supported by specialized units, to prevent the violence that erupted last week.
But staff at LVMH brands Louis Vuitton, Dior and Bulgari said they were not taking any risks and that security had been stepped up at their stores near Place Vendôme that day. Additional private security is also planned to supplement the nearby police presence.
This photo shows two French gendarmerie vehicles driving through a blocked street near the Elysée Presidential Palace and the French Ministry of Interior ahead of a demonstration in support of purchasing power, protection of public services, fiscal and social justice as part of a nationwide mobilization call bringing together former members of the yellow vest movement, trade unions, high school and university students in Paris on October 24, 2026. (Photo by NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty Images)
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Nearby department store Printemps has also added security staff, carried out safety repairs and added security measures to strengthen the store’s windows and entrances, according to a store spokesperson.
Hermès finance chief Eric du Arghouet said this week that the company had tightened security measures at its stores in France, adding that it was too early to say how much of an impact recent events would have on the business.
An image-conscious industry cannot afford to expose itself to any more negative publicity. Gloomy consumer sentiment around the world and sluggish tourism due to the Iran war contributed to the disappointing quarterly report. LVMH, hermes and kering this month.
Lidiya Shevchenko, a salesperson at a Graziella Bracciarini store, said she doubted many people would try to visit the store anyway during the protests.
“When it comes to shopping, I think mood is just as important,” Shevchenko said.
One tourist who has already been postponed is Cambodian Jerry Ray, who bought some items from Louis Vuitton on the Champs-Elysées earlier this week.
“We enjoy shopping in France, but after experiencing the protests (last Saturday), I think it’s 50-50 whether we will go back next time,” Ray said.
