Paris is about to witness the return of one of its most legendary fashion landmarks. For the first time since closing in 2017, the Colette concept store will reopen—albeit briefly—inside the Grand Palais. The revival is part of Virgil Abloh: The Codes, a landmark exhibition dedicated to the late designer, opening on September 30th during Paris Fashion Week.
A fashion collaboration that defined an era
Curated as both installation and gift shop, the pop-up will channel the spirit of Colette’s original Rue Saint-Honoré boutique. Visitors can expect a mix of limited-edition merchandise, books, fragrances, and reissued products Virgil Abloh once designed for the store.
The project reflects the deep bond between Abloh and Sarah Andelman, who first crossed paths in the early 2010s. According to Andelman, speaking recently with GQ, their creative partnership was rooted in mutual respect and an openness to unexpected encounters. She described this reopening as both a tribute to Abloh’s legacy and a continuation of his desire to inspire a new generation through creative retail spaces.
Virgil Abloh and Colette: a shared legacy
With Virgil Abloh: The Codes, the Grand Palais will host not only a retrospective of one of fashion’s most influential figures but also a moment for Parisians—and the global fashion community—to revisit the energy of a store that shaped contemporary culture. For ten days only, Colette’s spirit will once again be alive, bridging past innovation with the present celebration of Abloh’s enduring impact.
As we await this much-anticipated return, we invite you to step into our interview with Sarah Andelman, co-founder of Colette, as she reflects on the store’s enduring legacy, the value of print in a digital age, and the art of cross-disciplinary collaboration. A true visionary, she reveals how creativity flourishes beyond boundaries.
