Le Bon Marché through Martin Parr’s lens

In Le Bon Marché’s new ad campaign, “Vu au Bon Marché”, photographer Martin Parr revisits the store with his incisive eye. The playful and offbeat campaign takes a fresh look at everyday scenes inside Paris’ oldest department store.

Le Bon Marché and La Grande Epicerie have undergone a vast transformation since 2013. The Grande Epicerie building has been reorganized with new interior architecture and now welcomes a Home department. There is also a new two-level walkway between the two buildings. The main building is being redone in stages, creating Watches and Jewelry departments on the main floor and, on February 26, welcoming a spectacularly airy 2,000-square-meter shoes department bathed in natural light on level two. Work will continue into 2016 as the celebrated Left Bank emporium remakes its image.

With a bold architectural concept that encourages strolling and discovery, Le Bon Marché is a trailblazer, source of ideas and cultural space. Martin Parr has cleverly captured all these facets with his lens. In conjunction with the department store’s revamped communications, the photographer will shoot everyday scenes throughout the year with the signature “Vu au Bon Marché” (Seen at Le Bon Marché) or “Vu à la Grande Epicerie”. His photos will run the gamut of Le Bon Marché fans, from fashion and design addicts to foodies.

The campaign will run in Paris during key periods throughout the year, displaying Le Bon Marché’s passion for creativity in every form. “Artists and designers have always been our special guests. Asking Martin Parr to bring his quirky and incisive vision to this campaign is a perfect illustration of this,” says Patrice Wagner, Chairman and CEO of Le Bon Marché group.