Nicolas Houzé, executive chairman of the Galeries Lafayette group, also paid tribute to the teams on the ground. “Since the Yellow Vests movement, we have not experienced such an outburst of violence, which has had a severe impact on our stores […] Nearly all our stores were affected by this day of violence, with a particularly severe impact in Bordeaux, but also in Nantes, Rennes, Tours, Perpignan and Chambéry,” he also said in a LinkedIn post. “Beyond the destruction and the significant economic losses suffered by all retail stakeholders, it is also our country’s image, its attractiveness and its ability to welcome visitors in the best possible conditions that have been profoundly damaged.”
Thierry Guibert, CEO of Lacoste parent company Maus Frères, wrote on X: “When our Lacoste and Aigle stores are looted, like so many other businesses across France, it is not just shop windows that are being smashed. Jobs, years of hard work, expertise and the commitment of thousands of women and men are being put at risk.” He went on to call on the government “to mobilize, without delay, all the legal means at its disposal to put an end to this violence.”
UFIMH’s Le Louët added: “We are now asking for the support of the government, its administrations and all the political forces of our country, to condemn the looting and damage, to bring the culprits to justice and to help the victims: the ransacked companies. The UFIMH, all the organizations that make it up and all the structures it supports, will act together to limit the already considerable impact of the disastrous events that have marked France today.”
Student protests gained momentum during Paris Fashion Week, without significantly disrupting the event. The weekend’s violence comes as Paris prepares to welcome art professionals from around the world for Art Basel Paris, which opens to the public on Thursday. So far, the art fair and the many events surrounding it appear to be going ahead as planned. “At this stage, cancellation is not being considered, but very significant security measures are being put in place,” a spokesperson for Art Basel Paris said.
Tensions remain high. Several unions have called for a nationwide day of strikes and demonstrations on November 5.
Several luxury companies, including Moncler, Kering, Hermès, Zegna and Prada, are announcing their third-quarter earnings this week. The impact on French retail performance in the fourth quarter might be addressed during the earnings calls this week. France is a significant market in Europe, alongside Italy. France accounted for 8% of LVMH’s total revenue in the first nine months of 2026 and 9.2% of Hermès’s revenue in the first half of 2026.
Addressing the nation on Sunday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned “troublemakers from far-left fringe groups, joined by numerous criminals,” who “engaged in unrestrained violence in our cities.”
