Europe’s retailers are planning for another round of disruption
The risk to fashion retailers is no longer confined to Paris. After hundreds of stores were looted in Paris and other French cities, more strikes and demonstrations were being called for over three consecutive weekends. Protesters have also taken to the streets in Spain, Belgium and Portugal. In Italy, troops were sent to Milan ahead of expected demonstrations, and some stores in the city closed. The French unrest has brought together students and members of the Yellow Vests movement, whose protests center on the cost of living and inequality. Across Europe, demonstrations reflect local grievances, including concern about schooling and rising living costs. Looting can follow when crowds distract attention from stores; luxury brands are frequent targets, though sports and outerwear labels including Adidas, JD Sports, Arc’teryx and Pyrenex were also hit. For retailers, the immediate question is how to prepare for the next protest. Some Paris stores plan to close on Saturday, move staff to department-store boutiques that will stay open, secure merchandise in stockrooms and reinforce windows. Others are considering shared private security. Installing a metal shutter can require building approval because it changes a façade, so that option isn’t available on demand.
Most luxury stores in Milan’s luxury district, including Tiffany, closed and blocked their windows. Photo: Emanuele Roberto De Carli/NurPhoto via Getty Images
A Paris shopkeeper, who asked not to be identified, said the situation had turned violent even though their store remained intact. The business is preparing supplies for further looting, including street patrols. That level of preparation speaks to how exposed smaller operators feel: a damaged storefront or lost season’s inventory can threaten a business’s ability to reopen. Yann Rivoallan, president of the Fédération Française du Prêt à Porter Féminin, told Vogue Business that his organization is ready to help its members file insurance claims, pursue legal action if they lack insurance, and access psychological support for staff. The federation represents 600 premium brands, including Gerard Darel. Rivoallan described shopkeepers as isolated, facing damaged premises and the possibility of losing entire fall/winter collections, with little confidence they could afford another recovery. ### Store damage reaches major department stores The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which organizes Paris Fashion Week, issued a statement on Tuesday offering support to members and other affected businesses after damage and looting during demonstrations on October 17 and 18. It said it could help members with related procedures and had circulated safety guidance and contact information. Galeries Lafayette Haussmann was targeted the previous Saturday, though rioters largely failed to get inside. Some of the chain’s stores outside Paris were looted. The flagship has since limited its entrances to manage visitor flows and covered its windows with blackout stickers. The precautions come as it prepares to reveal its holiday windows on November 12. Printemps confirmed that several locations were affected. Its Lyon store’s ground floor was looted; the Haussmann, Lille and Rouen stores suffered exterior window damage but no break-ins. All reopened on October 19, and the company is weighing further steps to protect customers, employees and buildings. The costs are more personal for independent retailers. Sybille Roger-Vasselin’s Petite Mendigote store near Place de la République was looted on Sunday. Insurance assessment and window repairs will keep it closed for the week, adding to lost revenue. Roger-Vasselin estimated the stolen goods would amount to tens of thousands of euros and said insurance would not cover the full loss. She also described shopkeepers defending stores with iron bars and feeling abandoned by the state. One source of comfort, she said, was the flood of supportive messages, especially on Instagram. ### Resale platforms face pressure to remove stolen goods Stolen items began appearing on Vinted and eBay from Saturday. On Monday, France’s digital affairs minister Anne Le Hénanff called on resale platforms to identify and remove listings of stolen goods, and to work with authorities to identify and prosecute sellers. Vinted later said it had removed items it believed were looted, the BBC reported. Vestiaire Collective said its fraud prevention, curation and authentication teams had stepped up monitoring after the weekend’s events. The company is watching for unusual listing patterns in France and in relevant luxury categories, including newly created seller profiles. Where concerns arise, it said it may quarantine listings, restrict accounts and ask sellers for verifiable proof of provenance or purchase. That response lands as retailers head into the holiday season during a prolonged slump in the luxury and fashion industries. France and Italy are Europe’s two largest markets for soft luxury, and tourists may reconsider upcoming trips. Brands, meanwhile, must decide whether to continue planned events and promotions while stores face disruption. One executive summed up the mood: “This is the last thing we needed.”