French Department Store To Offer Striptease Lessons

Proving that the French have nothing in common with our English prudish nature, French department store Galeries Lafayette has bought in professional help to ensure its customers make the most of their purchases. The venerable department store group opens the world's largest lingerie department, a 27,000 sq ft sals area, at its flagship Paris store this weekend. In an added-value approach, the store has hired two professional striptease artistes to teach its customers how to maximise the impact of their new look.

The half hour lessons will include tricks of the trade such as removing lingerie without snagging it on your high heels. Galeries Lafayette insists that the lessons will be conducted in the best possible taste. One of the instructors, Lea, told Le Parisien newspaper: "These classes are for women who want to play seducer - to spice up their relationship or to surprise their partner - but who don't know how to do it."

However, the plan has upset a French feminist group, which is threatening to demonstrate at the Paris store at the weekend. British retailer Selfridges sparked similar controversy when earlier this year for their Bodycraze promotion, they had body piecing available on the ground floor, and as an in-store art exhibition, naked people travel up and down the escalators.