Marking a significant milestone for the brand, Veronica Beard is set to open its first Paris boutique next month. Located on the corner of Rue Francois 1 er, in the Triangle d’Or luxury district, the store marks Beard’s sixth international boutique, joining stores in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver (which opens May 28) and London (Bruton Street and Sloane Square).
Overall the company has 36 stores, with the newest location having opened in Jackson Hole, Wyo., last Thursday.
Paris has long served as a source of lifestyle and cultural inspiration for cofounders and sisters-in-law Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard, making the city a logical next chapter for the brand. Following two successful pop-ups at Galeries Lafayette, the opening reflects the growing demand for the Veronica Beard label across international markets, and the brand’s continued global momentum. Additional European openings are planned.
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According to Swanson Beard, the company looked for a Paris location for about a year. “There were just a few streets that we were looking at and Francois Premiere was one of them. It’s the perfect size. We really love a corner. It’s just in a great footfall area. You’re between the George V and L’Avenue (on Avenue Montaigne), and there’s a lot of action going back and forth between them, and it’s a beautiful space. It has two floors and has a lot of light,” said Swanson Beard in an interview with Miele Beard. The space was previously occupied by a Givenchy men’s store.
“It’s just a jewel box. We wanted it to be beautiful but we wanted it to be manageable as our first [Paris] store,” Swanson Beard continued. The space measures over 2,335 square feet and is spread over two floors.
The first floor will feature the newest deliveries from the Collection and the jewelry, bag and shoes they’re pushing the most at that time. On the lower level will be a full display of accessories and shoes. There’s an open staircase between the two floors.
“It’s very luxurious. There are a lot of beautiful European fabrics that we’re using. I think it’s probably our fanciest store in terms of the materials that we’re using. Downstairs we have these very large dressing rooms, and the whole thing is covered in velvet,” said Swanson Beard.
“As our international business continues to grow, Paris felt like an important city for the brand to establish a presence. Our recent activations confirmed strong interest in Veronica Beard, and this opening is an exciting step that allows us to engage with both local customers and international travelers in a meaningful way. We are excited to continue building our community of women around the world,” said Stephanie Unwin, president of Veronica Beard.
The store features an open, light-filled layout designed to feel both inviting and refined. The space is layered with rich tones, textured materials, and objects, many of which were sourced by Swanson Beard from Paris flea markets like the Puces de Saint Ouen and local antique shops. The space is designed to feel distinctly Parisian while remaining true to Veronica Beard’s signature aesthetic.
All of the brand’s stores are designed in-house by Carolina de Neufville. Together with the Beards, they create spaces for each location that reflect the local city’s vibe. “Every Veronica Beard store is different,” said Swanson Beard.
In terms of merchandise at the Paris location, Miele Beard said, “Paris will probably mimic New York, but we’ll have exclusive products and do events around bespoke, and monogrammed [items]. I’m looking for a dickey collaboration. They have such incredible knitwear in France, but they don’t have a dickey jacket. I think this is a huge opportunity for us to have this category there. It’s a reason to come to the Paris store to get them. We’re trying to come up with some concepts around the jackets and the bespokeness to them.”
When the store opens June 4 it will feature mostly the June delivery. The store will eventually have a staff of seven people. Beard has an international team based in Paris who will manage the store from there.
Asked to describe the customer they’re targeting, Swanson Beard said, “We see our customer being very similar everywhere. There are some nuances in every country. What’s been so fun, whether it’s opening in the U.K., or Canada, or having these events in Paris, the thread that runs through all of it is that women are busy and that time is their greatest luxury. They want to look chic, and they want to do the things that they love, and so that’s the commonality.”
She added, “Women love to be dressed, and they love coordinated sets, and they wear sneakers with trousers, not with jeans. There are just some style and cultural nuances that are different, and as we go, we learn and get better over time,” said Swanson Beard.
Miele Beard expects the store to attract the Parisian customer, along with American, Middle Eastern and Asian consumers who are visiting Paris. “It’s kind of a gateway to Asia. It’s a global reach,” she said.
As for what other international cities are on their wish list, Swanson Beard said they’re focused on this opening for now.
Swanson Beard said when they opened in London almost three years ago, there was a learning curve. “It took a beat to get that store going and the team going and brand awareness. We’re excited to work on France and Paris, and just meeting amazing women in the city.”
Miele Beard said the brand builds its customer base through the local community. In London, they sell in Harvey Nichols and Harrods. In Paris, the only place where the brand has been available is Galeries Lafayette, which they just entered this past year.
Swanson Beard said they expect word of mouth and community events to draw in customers.
“Bringing women together is our strength as a brand,” said Swanson Beard. “Each woman we meet grows this community bigger and bigger.”
When they started in London, people told them that they don’t do community events there. “But I think people really do want to come together,” said Swanson Beard. Hosting events for charitable causes has been one of the strengths of the brand, and they will look to do that to grow their community in Paris. “It’s really been a cornerstone of our brand,” said Swanson Beard.
Veronica Beard plans to file for B Corp certification at the end of the year, and Miele Beard said that sustainability is very popular in Europe.
The Paris store is located near such stores as Zimmermann, Chanel, James Perse and Frame, which is opening soon.
Asked what they anticipate will be bestsellers, the cofounders said the dickey jacket and dresses. “The dress business is up 50 percent. They’ve been selling like crazy,” said Swanson Beard. She also said novelty denim, the bags and their anchor bag are also expected to be bestsellers.