6 June 2017

AMSTERDAM- After the launch of the Lafayette Plug and Play innovation platform in 2016 – an accelerator dedicated to retail and fashion created in partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center – the Galeries Lafayette group pursues its innovation strategy and becomes a corporate partner of the Plug and Play – Fashion for Good accelerator, alongside its founding brand partners Kering, the global luxury group, C&A, the global fashion retailer and the C&A Foundation. Based in Amsterdam (Holland), this accelerator is part of the “Fashion for Good” initiative launched by C&A Foundation, which has six complementary programmes in the area of innovation, collaboration and community. The accelerator programme identifies and invests in textile start-ups with the aim of fast-tracking sustainable innovation within the apparel industries.

With this partnership, the Galeries Lafayette group consolidates the virtuous ecosystem started with Lafayette Plug and Play to serve start-ups that are committed to a more innovative and sustainable fashion. This partnership will enable synergies and sharing of “best practices” between the partners and start-ups of Plug and Play – Fashion for Good and Lafayette Plug and Play. The start-ups will also benefit from an enlarged European network supporting their business development.

The first batch of start-ups are due to complete their mentoring with the Plug and Play – Fashion for Good accelerator, Kering and C&A, with a “Demo Day” on July12th 2017. Starting the following day with a “Selection Day”, the second programme will end on December 7th. Applications for this new batch are open on www.fashionforgood.plugandplaytechcenter.com/apply.

C&A also joins Lafayette Plug and Play as a corporate partner to connect with the start-ups of the Parisian accelerator programme.

Lafayette Plug and Play is currently conducting its second start-up batch, ending on June 20th with a Demo Day taking place at the accelerator’s headquarters, rue de Paradis in Paris. A new call for applications for the third programme, which will run from September to December 2017, is open until June 30th, 2017 on www.lafayetteplugandplay.com.

Press contacts

Alexandra van Weddingen
Corporate Communications VP – Galeries Lafayette group
avanweddingen@galerieslafayette.com
+33 1 45 96 68 44

Dounia Agharbi
Operations, Marketing and Communications Manager – Lafayette Plug and Play
dounia@lafayetteplugandplay.com

Allison Romero
Public Relations & Video Marketing Manager – Plug and Play Tech Center
allison@plugandplaytechcenter.com

Fashion for Good Communications team:
communications@fashionforgood.com

About Galeries Lafayette group
A leading city-centre retailer with proven fashion expertise, the Galeries Lafayette group is a family-run private group,with 120 years’ history in commerce and retail. A key player committed to creation and a major private employer in France with 14,000 employees, the Group is committed to setting the standard as a multi-channel, innovative, ethical and responsible retailer that puts the customer first and is actively engaged in promoting the French “Art of Living”. With retail sales of Euros 3.8 billion, the Group enjoys international recognition through its iconic brands: Galeries Lafayette, BHV MARAIS, RQZ – Royal Quartz Paris, Louis Pion, Guérin Joaillerie, InstantLuxe.com and BazarChic.
More information on groupegalerieslafayette.com and on Twitter @Galeries_Laf

About Lafayette Plug and Play
As the first innovative platform fully dedicated to retail and fashion industries, Lafayette Plug and Play is a startups accelerator created by the Galeries Lafayette group in partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center. Located at the heart of Paris, Lafayette Plug and Play aims to support the development of French and international startups disrupting retail and fashion, by creating an innovative ecosystem around these industries. As part of its two annual classes, Lafayette Plug and Play offers entrepreneurs a tailored and supervised three-month programme. More information on lafayetteplugandplay.com

About Plug and Play – Fashion for Good
As a joint venture between the world’s largest accelerator Plug and Play and the global fashion initiative Fashion for Good, the Plug and Play – Fashion for Good accelerator unites stakeholders from across the textile industry to find, invest in, and accelerate startups that fast-track the transition to a sustainable apparel industry.