Lecture presented by Cecilia AUBER, Art and History guide.

Favored by the industrial and economic reforms advocated by Napoleon III, the second half of the 19th century saw the emergence of new forms of commerce: department stores.

These establishments, considered temples of modernity, led to unprecedented economic and social upheaval. Their commercial innovations contributed to France's entry into the consumer culture. Department stores also played a fundamental role in disseminating fashion, giving rise to the myth of the Parisian woman, the embodiment of the elegant, independent woman and ambassador of fashion.

The creation of their own art studios renewed the place of the decorative arts in French society, celebrating the taste for beauty in everyday life.