2014, or the year of the great re-launch of BHV by the Galeries Lafayette Group. The entity presided over by Philippe Houzé has indeed taken major action to amplify the BHV Marais and its surroundings. In early summer the Paris department store completed a renovation of its main building, in Paris' 1st arrondissement. This coincided with the revamping of its communications with a new name: BHV Marais.

More than just a publicity stunt, this new name is part of a project that aims to better integrate the department store into the district. As announced by Fashionmag.com on 14 June, the Galeries Lafayette Group, owner of numerous boutiques and premises in this part of Paris, has lured several men's labels to stimulate activity and attract attention to the 38,000 square feet of BHV Marais Homme.

As of the end of October, Nike will have its own 1,100 square foot space at 14-16 Rue du Temple. The brand with the swoosh is set to open a store dedicated to men in which it will sell its sportswear and sneakers. The space, which adjoins a BHV Homme entrance, was previously dedicated to the BHV store dedicated to floor coverings and has two beautiful 32 feet-high windows.

It will be a new point of reference in Paris for the American brand, which already has locations in the Marais at 12 rue des Hospitalières Saint Gervais between Les Halles and the Centre Pompidou, and which has just revised and expanded the surface area of its shop-in-shop at the Citadium Caumartin. With the arrival of the global sport giant, the BHV Marais should attract a wide panel of clientele.

Conversely, the arrival, planned for March 2015, of Fendi, Givenchy, Gucci and Moncler men's boutiques on Rue des Archives should create a luxury-oriented dynamic. In total, the four labels will cover a surface area of 8,600 square feet.

An ambitious gamble since this area, numbers 9 to 13, didn't have this placement until now. With the installation of these four big names, the BHV Marais also wants to attract a wealthier clientele which previously wouldn't necessarily venture to this part of the street.

The Group also owns other premises in this part of the Marais but for the time being there is no official project for any of them. Negotiations are underway though for Eataly, the successful Italian food market/mall concept, to occupy a several thousand square foot space.