International News - Galeries Lafayette picks Bordeaux for Homme first

French department store Galeries Lafayette has opened its first Lafayette Homme store outside Paris.

The new Bordeaux store has opened in a four-storey former Marks & Spencer site and will be a testbed for shops in other French cities. The store replicates the environment of the original store in Paris, with brands including Hugo Boss and Versace.

The retailer reported a fall in profits of 14 per cent for the first half following a slump in sales at the department stores. Management is now deciding if or when to exercise an option to sell its stake in Monoprix to Casino for EUR1.2 billion (£789.5 million) after it saw sales surge at the supermarket.