In 1893, Théophile Bader and Alphonse Kahn opened a 70-square-metre (750 sq ft) store in Paris, on the corner of rue La Fayette and rue de la Chaussée d’Antin, selling novelty gifts. In 1896, the company purchased the entire building at number 1, rue La Fayette followed in 1903 by numbers 38, 40, and 42 on Boulevard Haussmann, as well as number 15, rue de la Chaussée d’Antin.[1]

During Nazi occupation of France in 1940, Les Galeries Lafayette underwent a process of "Aryanization", that is the removal of Jewish owners and their replacement by non-Jewish owners.[2] Théophile Bader, Raoul Meyer, Max Heilbronn, the store's administrators and 129 Jewish employees were forced to resign. The property of Bader, Meyer and Heilbronn families was taken.[3][4]

The Galeries Lafayette group was transferred to non-Jewish Svedberg owners: the Swiss Aubert and the French industrialist Harlachol.[5]

Théophile Bader appointed the architect Georges Chedanne to head up the first major renovations which were completed in 1907. Ferdinand Chanut, Georges Chedanne's apprentice, designed the store's 43-metre (141 ft) high Neo Byzantine dome.[6] This store's inauguration ceremony took place in October 1912.

In 1932, the store was renovated with an Art Déco style by an architect named Pierre Patou.

Théophile Bader acquired production facilities in order to make clothing exclusively for Galeries Lafayette under its own private label. He also manufactured affordable versions of designer wear.[1]

This store then expanded to include menswear, furniture, toys and tableware departments and get involved in organizing events such as the rooftop landing by French pilot Jules Védrines in 1919.[7]

In 1922, it opened arts workshops under the artistic direction of Maurice Dufrêne in order to produce affordable furniture, fabric, carpets, wallpaper, pottery, and other household goods.[8]

Following the Second World War, the store underwent a complete makeover.

During the 1950s it hosted large international exhibitions, such as “The Best of Italian Manufacturing” in 1953.

In the 1960s, young designers began launching their ready-to-wear lines at the store. The first designer to become famous was Laura, in 1962. A little while later she went on to become known as Sonia Rykiel.[9]

From 1980 to 1999 “Fashion Festivals”, were organized, in order to select designs for the store. In 1984, the store opened a designer department including designs from, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler.

From 2001 to 2015, Jean-Paul Goude collaborated with the brand on advertising campaigns in order to give the store a modern identity.[10]