The Paris retailer is partnering with curator Pénélope Blanckaert to host an exhibit and its first live auction centered on Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo.

PARIS — While shopping can sometimes be an endurance sport, Le Bon Marché is introducing a new layer.

The Paris retailer will host its very first women’s fashion auction, partnering with Pénélope Blanckaert’s Penelope’s Auction House to sell archival Japanese designer fashion, including pieces by Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake.

Unlike conventional shopping, bidding can offer a little thrill of competition and connection that a regular purchase may not.

“When you win a piece at auction, the experience is even more exciting than simply buying something. You can tell the story of how you fought to get that particular piece,” Blanckaert said.

The sale will sit within “Super Japon,” a store-wide offering that spans everyday Japanese culture, from convenience store items to accessible gastronomy, which opened in August.

The items up for auction go on exhibit in the store on Monday for one week leading up to the Oct. 18 sale date.

For Le Bon Marché, the auction will offer a way to bring a specialist collecting market into a department store, creating an event that combines an exhibition, shopping and a live experience.

It will also allow the retailer to present brands outside of its conventional assortment, drawing on Blanckaert’s expertise and network of private collectors.

“The idea was also to build on the fact that Le Bon Marché has always been a pioneer when it comes to in-store experiences and curation,” said Le Bon Marché’s director of women’s fashion Isabelle Fine.

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