PARIS — Los Angeles-based Reformation is deepening its well-heeled footprint in Europe with the Thursday opening of its Paris flagship. The Marais spot marks a milestone in Reformation’s global retail expansion as it eyes further growth.
Set on a corner of prime real estate at 20 Rue des Francs Bourgeois, the two-story space captures the brand’s California roots blended with a little French “je ne sais quoi.” Designed with the Paris-based Le Cann architecture studio, the store captures what Reformation calls its “sexy, playful, yet refined and elevated” ethos. The decor balances California cool with Parisian polish, Art Deco touches with an apartment feel.
Terracotta flooring, vintage furniture reupholstered in a velvety soft pink, Murano glass fixtures and the brand’s signature line-doodle-animal rugs by Les Éditions de Tapis reflect a mix of sophistication and humor. A yearlong revamp of the space includes a new staircase that was personally sketched by chief creative officer Lauren Caris Cohan as a symbol of the brand’s hands-on approach.
All artworks displayed in the boutique were created by women artists based in France — Galatée Martin, Milène Sanchez, Morgane Pasqualini and Renske Linders — as a tribute to the brand’s feminine aesthetic.
“When you enter a new market, it’s really making sure you put your best foot forward,” Reformation chief executive officer Hali Borenstein told WWD. “In Paris in particular, there’s much more of an appreciation for aesthetics and trying to position yourself the right way. We are an L.A.-based brand, and we want to make sure that’s clear, but we also do want to make sure we tailor the brand for what’s right for that consumer.”
A look on the accessories area in Reformation’s Paris store.
The brand did extensive market testing to finetune its approach for France.
The store is part of Reformation’s broader strategy to establish itself as a sustainable fashion leader in Europe. French consumers, known for their emphasis on longevity and timeless style, represent an ideal audience for Reformation’s design philosophy.
“Sustainability messaging is especially resonant in France, potentially even more than in the U.S.,” said Borenstein.
The brand’s focus on wardrobe staples designed to last more than one season aligns closely with French values of quality and restraint, she added, with bestsellers being LBDs and twists on classic pieces.
Reformation’s international expansion roadmap follows data from its online sales, which launched in France in 2023.
The brand first enters new markets launching sales online, investing one to two years in e-commerce and marketing before opening physical stores. Its Paris store is Reformation’s ninth international outpost, following successful launches in the U.K. and Canada. A second Paris store is already under construction for 2026 and the company has an eye on additional European markets.
“They’re both quite established now and doing really well. We will continue to double down on those markets, and in 2026 we do expect more stores in both of those markets and then in greater Europe, which is kind of the beginning of a new frontier for us,” Borenstein said.
Pink velvet couches inside Reformation’s Paris flagship.
While e-commerce remains its dominant channel, physical retail has become increasingly important for growth, particularly with consumers under 28.
“Gen Z is definitely over-indexing on in-store, retail experiences,” said Borenstein. The generation that grew up with digital shopping wants immersive IRL touch and feel, and often view it as a social event to share with friends. Reformation’s retail outposts then become places for customers to socialize, try on clothes, interact with associates, serving as brand conversion hubs. Borenstein’s data shows that its Net Promoter Score jumps 10 percent when a physical store is opened in a city.
Older shoppers, by contrast, lean more toward online convenience as a time saver, she noted.
At the heart of Reformation’s retail ecosystem is its proprietary Retail X technology platform, which captures granular, real-time customer data that tracks fitting room activity, product interactions and associate engagement to help managers understand conversion rates, pinpoint fit issues and optimize assortments.
By analyzing behavioral data, Reformation can align inventory to local preferences while maintaining its small-batch production model with limited runs that can be replenished quickly to minimize overproduction and waste.
The staircase was imagined by chief creative officer Lauren Caris Cohan.
Recent tariff pressures have presented headwinds and impacted margins, but Reformation has opted to absorb most costs rather than pass that on to the customer, Borenstein said.
“Tariffs have certainly been a challenge, but from an expansion standpoint, it hasn’t changed anything,” she added, with U.S. expansion in secondary cities such as Charlotte, N.C., on the radar.
Diversification of its sourcing has accelerated in 2025 amid the backdrop of tariff turmoil. “Our supply chain is super agile, which is how we built the business,” said chief sustainability officer Kathleen Talbot, noting that supplier numbers have increased sixfold this year as part of a regionalization push.
The brand is exploring European sourcing for categories like sweaters, currently produced in Asia, and shoes and handbags, currently made in Brazil. This shift would aim to shorten lead times and reduce tariff uncertainty while maintaining the company’s certification standards for recycled and low-impact materials, Talbot said.
Despite the tariff pressures and general climbdown on ESG commitments in the U.S., the company is not backtracking on its environmental roadmap.
“Sustainability is built into the business model. It’s not something that gets pulled out when times get hard,” said Talbot. “You can either respond with knee-jerk, short-term thinking, or you can really consider what you stand for as leaders and as a brand.”
Textile recycling has expanded significantly. Reformation now takes back all its products for recycling, even if it must sit on some materials until proper recycling tech becomes available in the future. The change from a confusing two-tiered system has increased customer awareness and satisfaction.
The brand launched its first 100 percent recycled sweater this year with 95 percent recycled cashmere and 5 percent recycled wool — a garment the team didn’t even think would be possible a few years ago. But suppliers are becoming more and more willing to work with recycled fibers. New tech could soon allow the recycling of difficult fiber blends, and the company is continuing to invest in R&D.
Reformation’s Paris flagship in the Marais.
Collaborations also remain a cornerstone of the brand’s strategy. Reformation is launching its second jewelry collection with Clare Waight Keller and continuing its partnership with French-American model Camille Rowe, which has been a “blowout success,” said Borenstein.
Some collaborations, such as its Valentine’s Day boxers and T-shirt collection with Pete Davidson, serve more as cultural moments.
“He is not someone who will sell a lot of dresses for us, as you can imagine, but it was incredibly valuable for making us kind of part of that zeitgeist,” said Bornstein. “The brand is famous for fun.”