The Ladies’ Paradise is the department store run by Octave Mouret. The circumstances by which Mouret came to own the store are mired in gossip and rumor, including the suggestion that he killed his wealthy wife and that her blood was poured into the foundations of the store. Her portrait hangs on his office wall and watches over the rapid expansion of his business empire. The Ladies’ Paradise is the vehicle for Mouret’s ambitions, as he seeks to spread his vision of a consumer society. In this way, the store is a symbol of Mouret’s worldview. The store, like Mouret, is mired in scandal and rumor, but nothing is certain. Mouret’s womanizing is tolerated because the store makes so much money. Similarly, the store is built around Mouret’s view of women. He treats his customers as children, who cannot help but be attracted to shiny new objects and hand over their husbands’ money to acquire them. The store symbolizes Mouret’s influence in Parisian high society while also reflecting the way Mouret views women.

Mouret is told by numerous people that he does not need to make his store bigger, but he does not listen. He has ambitions to reshape society, which are reflected by the size of the store.