Yellow Vests Disrupt Paris Fashion Shows and Retail

The Yellow Vests (gilet gialli) protests in France have disrupted the January 2019 fashion shows, with brands like Dior, Sacai, Loewe, Thom Browne, White Mountaineering, and Hermès still not announcing dates or locations for their scheduled Saturday, January 19 shows to discourage protester incursions. The anti-elite movement has caused looting and car fires, harming shopping on the Champs-Élysées, Avenue Montaigne, and Rue Saint-Honoré. Over six weekends, protests against Emmanuel Macron's economic policies have led to some of the worst civil unrest in France since the start of the century. While the number of protesters is decreasing, many stores remain closed on Saturdays, including those owned by Kering (Gucci, Balenciaga). The French Retail Federation reports losses of about €1 billion across all retail sectors. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire called it "a catastrophe" for the French economy. Small retailers saw December income drop 20-40% below expectations.