What's French for 'Single'?



Visitors to the famous Galleries Lafayette department store in Paris are getting a dose of Los Angeles glamour thanks to an in-store shop dedicated to L.A. label Single.

The 10’-by-12’ shop has been open since the beginning of the year and features racks of Single’s dresses and separates in original silk prints, including flirty party dresses, perfect for a night out in the city of lights, as well as the collection’s signature California-chic maxi dresses.

Single designer and founder Galina Sobolev said she’s pleased with the consumer response.

“Galleries Lafayette started carrying Single this January of 2009,” she said.

“The sales have been really great, and re-orders come in every four weeks. That is truly something in today’s economy!”

As an added bonus, Sobolev said, the collection is sold in euros at a higher price point than in the United States because of taxes, shipping and import duties.

Galleries Lafayette has long had a love affair with California brands, and in 2006, the 97-year-old art nouveau store hosted a store-wide celebration of all things West Coast.

Landing in one of Europe’s most iconic stores is certainly a prestigious honor, but Single’s in-store shop is part of a larger business strategy for the brand.

“We started doing business with Europe about four years ago, first with a distributor in London. That gave us great exposure and positioning in some of the coolest stores in London,” she said. “Then we moved into Belgium, France and Luxemburg—which positioned us in St. Tropez, as well as Paris.”

In late 2008, the company began working with a distributor in Germany.

“Overall, our European volume is now 20 percent of our total business,” she said.