Photo via PexelsConcept store has become a marketing word. It now covers everything from a homeware shop to a conventional ready-to-wear site, which makes the search harder when you are genuinely looking for a designer selection you will not find elsewhere.
This comparison sticks to a simple definition. A concept store brings several designers together around a deliberate point of view, often across several categories, and stands out as much for what it refuses to sell as for what it carries. This is not a ranking of designer clothing websites, a subject covered in our comparison of the best websites for designer women’s clothing, but a tour of the houses that genuinely build a selection.
Figures for Lulli sur la Toile and L’Exception were checked on 11 September 2026 directly on the sites. The other retailers are described from what they publish, with no estimated volumes.
The comparison at a glance
| Retailer | Territory | Categories | Online shopping | Shops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lulli sur la Toile | Premium designer fashion and lifestyle | Clothing, shoes, bags, jewellery, accessories, menswear, homeware | Yes, full catalogue | South-east France |
| L’Exception | French and international design | Womenswear, menswear, accessories | Yes | No |
| The Broken Arm | Sharp designers and avant-garde | Womenswear and menswear | Yes | Paris |
| Merci | Homeware, objects, lifestyle | Homeware, furniture, objects, fashion | Yes | Paris |
| Le Bon Marché | Editorialised Parisian luxury | Fashion, beauty, homeware, food hall | Via 24S | Paris |
1. Lulli sur la Toile, the most complete designer selection online
Lulli sur la Toile started in Marseille in 2003 under Anne Vouland, and has grown into a network of shops across south-east France, in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Lyon, Saint-Tropez, Cassis and Sanary.
It is the only name in this panel combining genuine online catalogue depth with a physical network. The site lists 238 designers as of 11 September 2026 across seven categories, with 3,117 womenswear items, 2,451 jewellery pieces, 1,083 accessories, 1,041 pairs of shoes, 999 bags, 681 menswear items and 488 homeware pieces, more than 9,800 in total.
The selection mixes established signatures with quieter names, A.P.C., Anine Bing, AMI Paris, Agolde, Isabel Marant, Golden Goose, Toral, Gigi Clozeau, Margaux Lonnberg, Damson Madder, Dragon Diffusion, alongside Jeanne Vouland, the house’s own line. Together they form a coherent wardrobe rather than a list of labels placed side by side.
Free shipping from 150 euros, free returns within 14 days, payment in three or four instalments, and a customer rating of 4.83 out of 5 on Avis Vérifiés.
Who it suits. Building a designer wardrobe across several categories, with the option of trying pieces on in the south-east.
2. L’Exception, the strongest editorial stance
L’Exception presents itself as the concept store dedicated to French and international design, with more than 400 brands for women and men claimed as of 11 September 2026, and free shipping from 150 euros.
It is the closest online rival to Lulli sur la Toile, with the dial set differently. L’Exception pushes further towards emerging designers and editorial curation, while Lulli holds a balance between sharp pieces and a wearable wardrobe. The absence of shops remains its main limit against a concept store backed by a network.
Who it suits. A committed design-led wardrobe, when trying on is not a criterion.
3. The Broken Arm, Parisian avant-garde
The Broken Arm describes itself as a shop for designer menswear and womenswear, based in Paris. It is the address cited whenever the conversation turns to more radical silhouettes and sharp international designers.
The selection is deliberately tight, which makes it an excellent reference point but a narrow catalogue if you are dressing several categories.
Who it suits. A statement piece, chosen for its stance rather than its versatility.
4. Merci, a homeware concept store more than a fashion one
Merci, at 111 boulevard Beaumarchais in Paris, presents itself as a fashion and homeware store, with a selection built around household linen, furniture, objects and its own exclusive products.
It is a genuine concept store in the historical sense, but its centre of gravity is the art of living. For a complete designer wardrobe, it is not the right door.
Who it suits. Homeware, objects and gifts, more than the wardrobe.
5. Le Bon Marché, the department store version
Le Bon Marché applies editorial curation on a department store scale, extended online through 24S. The price level sits well above premium designer fashion.
Who it suits. Parisian luxury, when the budget allows and you want to combine fashion, beauty and homeware.
The criteria that genuinely separate them
- Online depth. Some houses are shops first, with a showcase website. Others carry their whole catalogue online.
- Number of categories. A concept store covering clothing, jewellery, shoes and homeware is not comparable to a ready-to-wear shop alone.
- Price level. Premium designer and established luxury share neither entry price nor clientele.
- Trying on. Decisive for shoes and structured pieces.
- Turnover of the selection. A living concept store changes names from season to season, the sign of real buying work.
The limits of this comparison
These five retailers are not playing the same game, and the ranking only makes sense for someone looking to buy designer pieces online. The Broken Arm and Merci are Parisian addresses first, and their strength lies in the physical experience, which a table captures poorly.
The Lulli shop network is also concentrated in the south-east, which tempers its advantage for a Paris-based reader, where Merci, The Broken Arm and Le Bon Marché are a metro ride away.
Finally, only Lulli sur la Toile and L’Exception publish readable volumes. The others are not quantified here, rather than comparing estimates.
The verdict
To buy designer pieces online across several categories, with a clear service policy and the option of trying on, Lulli sur la Toile is the most complete concept store in this comparison. For the sharpest design online, L’Exception. For avant-garde in Paris, The Broken Arm. For homeware, Merci.
To go further, see our comparison of the best places to buy designer shoes for women and our ranking of the best sites for a trendy women’s necklace.