While PSG as both a club and a brand is rooted in Paris (which undoubtedly bolsters its fashion ambitions), there is an international outlook to much of its work. There are academies across the world, and the club operates 14 stores globally, from New York and Las Vegas to Tokyo and Hong Kong. This international focus helps explain the decision to open La Maison in London, and to work with local creatives on the programming. “You need to accept now that culture is global, that’s why we love to collaborate with not only French or Parisian people,” says Allègre. “Here, we will have a poetry session, no other club could do that. To us, it’s natural to highlight the local scene. Being a Parisian is not being born and raised in Paris, it’s about the mindset, it’s about the values as a city. That’s the expression of what we are, as a club, as a brand, as an entity.”
The La Maison pop-up is a new concept, but PSG is trying to emulate success from other parts of the world. Allègre references the club’s store in Los Angeles as a particular example. “What was really successful was the mix of different communities and people,” he says. “I hope that, with the program that we have this week in London, we will get the same kind of mix — that’s who we are. Paris Saint-Germain is an open family. You’re in it wherever you’re coming from, whatever you’re expecting from the club, on the sports side or the lifestyle side.”
Allègre is keen to stress the two-way nature of the fan relationship, something that emerged from the club’s research into the next generation of soccer supporters. As well as the cultural programming, there’s the opportunity to watch a PSG game in the space and a wellness focus that draws on its nutrition and training expertise. “We were thinking about how we can give an understanding of what the professional players are using in a training session,” Allègre says, pointing to nutrition, exercise classes, and wellness areas. “The idea is to use the methodology and know-how that we have, and try to give it back to our community of fans.”
Giving back to the fans and the community is Allègre’s vision for La Maison. This space is a way to showcase the world around PSG, and to give fans an opportunity to experience the diversity of the club’s creative side. It’s the same reason that PSG is expanding beyond the soccer world, moving into fashion, culture, and lifestyle. “You cannot retain fans if you have only transactional relationships, pushing them to buy something or pay for an experience,” he says. “It will not work like that. You need to take care of your family.”