What: Lotte Department Store is expanding its experiential VIP program through a partnership with Galeries Lafayette, enabling top customers to enjoy luxury lounge access, hands-free shopping, and curated benefits in Paris.

Why it is important: By integrating exclusive global services and cultural touchpoints, Lotte and Galeries Lafayette are elevating the VIP experience and reinforcing their positions as leaders in luxury retail innovation.

Lotte Department Store has renewed and expanded its VIP alliance with Galeries Lafayette, Paris’s leading luxury department store, offering AVENUEL VIP members exclusive access to the Le Concierge lounge, hands-free shopping, fast-track tax refunds, and curated gifts in central Paris. This partnership, first established in 2010, is part of Lotte’s broader strategy to deliver differentiated, experience-driven benefits to high-value customers and to mark the upcoming 130th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations in 2026. The alliance reflects a shift in luxury retail from transactional shopping to curated experiences, with Lotte also partnering with Michelin-starred restaurants to further elevate its VIP offering. By integrating global services and cultural touchpoints, both retailers are setting new standards for customer engagement, loyalty, and cross-border collaboration in the competitive luxury market.

IADS Notes:

Lotte Department Store’s renewed VIP alliance with Galeries Lafayette reflects a broader trend in luxury retail toward cross-border partnerships and experience-driven customer engagement. As highlighted by Maeil Business Newspaper (July 2025), Korean department stores are increasingly evolving their premium offerings and customer experiences through international collaborations and exclusive benefits. The April 2025 coverage of Lotte’s premium lifestyle initiatives and strategic partnerships underscores the company’s commitment to attracting affluent customers with differentiated services. The Korea Herald (April 2025) further illustrates how Korean retailers are leveraging global alliances to create unique, memorable experiences that set them apart in a competitive market. Inside Retail (June 2025) provides insight into Lotte’s customer-centric transformation and innovation strategy, while Fashion Network (July 2025) details Galeries Lafayette’s focus on experiential retail and international appeal. Collectively, these developments show that both Lotte and Galeries Lafayette are setting new standards for VIP loyalty, blending luxury, culture, and service to create compelling value propositions for high-value customers and reinforcing their positions as global leaders in experiential retail.

Lotte announces a partnership with Galeries Lafayette