October 20, 2026
Stores belonging to the most prominent fashion houses and luxury brands in France, led by Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Burberry, were subjected to widespread attacks and looting during the wave of unrest that struck the country at the end of the week, which presents the authorities with challenges to contain economic repercussions that may affect thousands of companies.
In the upscale Place Vendôme in central Paris, six masked men tried to break into the Louis Vuitton store, using a metal barrier to smash its glass facade, amid encouragement from dozens of crowds. Despite the failure of the attempt, one of the workers indicated that the security facades and good luck prevented the successful raid, pointing out in statements to the Financial Times that the participants in the attack “were not protesters, but rather people who went out to vandalize and steal.”
These actions were followed by a wave of protests denouncing the high costs of living and the lack of school funding, before they descended into acts of looting and vandalism in several French cities. Although the retail sector usually resorts to strict preventive measures in luxury commercial areas such as the Champs-Elysées Avenue, the protests deviated from the usual coordination between the police and unions, which led to a rapid security collapse.
Employees in the retail sector explained to the Financial Times that workers at the Dior store on Royal Street were forced to close the security curtains after the police retreated in front of the crowds. In the same context, the “Ralph Lauren” store opposite was destroyed, in addition to a store belonging to the “Kenzo” brand being looted.
The attacks extended to include other international brands. In Paris, the “Burberry” store was damaged, while the looting operations affected the “Louis Vuitton” and “Hermes” stores in the city of Marseille. The luxury jewelry store “Graff” on Place Vendôme was also closed after its facades were smashed, while the “Dior” store on Rue Saint-Honore continued its activity despite its facade being defaced with anti-police slogans. Video clips showed the deployment of private security personnel to protect the main “Dior” store on Avenue Montaigne, where they continued their duties for hours despite the protesters’ threats.
At the governmental level, and in parallel with security efforts to contain the unrest, the French authorities initiated urgent moves to prevent the resale of looted goods over the Internet. In this context, ministers held meetings with representatives of e-commerce companies and resale platforms, such as “Amazon,” “eBay,” and “Vinted,” in addition to the “Meta” and “TikTok” platforms, to discuss mechanisms for removing suspicious ads and identifying the sellers involved.
