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Art, design, history, beauty and immersive experiences arrive at El Palacio de Hierro Polanco to celebrate 200 years of relations between Mexico and France. Statement attended the opening, and here is what we think is worth seeing — and why you should experience it before the season ends.
Some celebrations are meant to be observed. Others are meant to be explored.
To mark 200 years of relations between Mexico and France, El Palacio de Hierro has transformed part of its Polanco flagship into a journey through some of the cultural codes that have connected both countries for generations: art, fashion, architecture, design, beauty and, of course, l’art de vivre.
The relationship carries particular significance for Palacio itself. Of those 200 years of shared history, 138 have unfolded alongside El Palacio de Hierro, a company whose origins are closely linked to French entrepreneurs Joseph Tron and Joseph Léautaud.
Statement attended the opening of L’Art de Vivre Totalmente Palacio, and after experiencing the different installations firsthand, one thing became clear: this is much more than a seasonal campaign displayed across the store.
There are experiences here genuinely worth stepping inside to discover.
If You Visit Palacio Polanco, Here’s What You Shouldn’t Miss
1. Start with the installation by Agathe Singer and Sofía Castellanos
One French artist. One Mexican artist. Paris and Mexico City separated by thousands of miles, yet connected through the small moments that make everyday life surprisingly similar.
French artist Agathe Singer and Mexican artist Sofía Castellanos begin with a charming premise: while it is 10 a.m. in Mexico City and someone is having their morning coffee, it is already 6 p.m. in Paris, where someone else might be pouring a glass of wine.
Their installation explores friendship, conversations, flowers, sunsets and those everyday coincidences that continue to exist even when two people live an ocean apart.
Why it’s worth seeing: it may be one of the simplest and most human interpretations of the entire celebration. Instead of trying to explain two centuries of history, it finds the connection between both countries in something much more recognizable: everyday life.
On view from August 14.
2. Yes, Step Inside The Selfie Experience: L’Art de Vivre
We’re only going to give you a small preview here.
The experience unfolds across nine themed rooms, each reinterpreting different aspects of France through architecture, sound, fashion and design. And while the name might suggest that the experience is primarily designed around getting a great photograph, there is much more happening behind the scenes.
There are references to recognize, details to notice and spaces where it is worth stopping before reaching for your phone.
Our advice: don’t walk through it simply looking for your next photo opportunity. Look first. There is a narrative behind what you are seeing.
And that is all we are going to reveal for now.
Statement will be returning to this experience separately because it deserves a story of its own.
Open from August 14 through September 27. Registration to enter is available via QR code upon arrival at the store.
3. Discover Why France Is Much Closer to Palacio Than You Might Think
This may be the stop that surprises visitors who know El Palacio de Hierro as a department store but are less familiar with its history.
De Barcelonnette a México: Una historia de origen looks back at the community of French entrepreneurs from Barcelonnette who arrived in Mexico toward the end of the 19th century and became part of the transformation of Mexican commerce.
Among them were the founders of El Palacio de Hierro.
The exhibition explores this connection through history, architecture and cultural memory, revealing how French influence in Mexico went far beyond aesthetics and helped shape the way the country shopped, dressed and experienced modern retail.
Why it’s worth seeing: after visiting, the Mexico–France celebration feels much less like a theme selected for a season and much more like something embedded in Palacio’s DNA.
Open from August 14 through September 28.
There’s Another Reason to Come Back in October
One of the most interesting things about the program is that not everything happens at once.
Beginning September 30, the experience evolves with two new additions.
4. Pineda Covalin Brings Mexican Design into the Conversation
From September 30 through October 29, Pineda Covalin will present a special proposal bringing Mexican design, identity and craftsmanship into dialogue with the French traditions of design and savoir-faire.
It is an opportunity to see how two seemingly different creative languages can share something fundamental: the ability to transform culture into objects we wear, use and preserve.
5. Enter the World of Guerlain
If fragrance, design or the history of France’s great maisons fascinates you, this will likely be one of October’s highlights.
From September 30 through October 29, Palacio Polanco will host an exhibition dedicated to Guerlain, exploring the house’s heritage, its emblematic bottles and the savoir-faire behind its olfactory creations.
And there is something we particularly like about this one: the opportunity to look at perfume beyond its scent.
The bottles, visual codes, materials and craftsmanship of a maison also tell a story about France.
So, When Should You Go?
Our recommendation is simple: twice.
Visit Palacio Polanco before September 27 and you can experience the Agathe Singer and Sofía Castellanos installation, discover the Barcelonnette exhibition and step inside The Selfie Experience.
Return between September 30 and October 29, and you will encounter a second chapter led by Pineda Covalin and Guerlain.
Rather than trying to see everything in a single visit, it makes more sense to experience L’Art de Vivre Totalmente Palacio as a season.
Statement Tip
Give yourself time.
Don’t turn the visit into a race between installations and shopping. Walk through the spaces, look for the connections between Mexico and France, and pay attention to the way Palacio uses architecture, objects, sound, fashion and design to tell each story.
Because perhaps that is the most interesting part of this celebration.
After 200 years of relations between Mexico and France, El Palacio de Hierro is not attempting to summarize two cultures.
It is inviting them into conversation.
And some of those conversations will only be there for a few weeks.
What You Need to Know
L’Art de Vivre Totalmente Palacio
Where: El Palacio de Hierro Polanco, Av. Moliere 222, Polanco, Mexico City
Season: August 14 through October 29, 2026
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Statement – Alan González S. ©
