INSIGHT
Paris Spring Stories
A recent trip to Paris to explore what was new reinforced the power of storytelling in amplifying brand loyalty…..emotively memorable narratives that we love to discover, love to return to, and love to spend time with.
The Samarataine store is unquestionably beautiful with detailed consideration given to the 360 degree vistas across and up towards the legendary glass ceiling, with lighting patterns mirroring those on the gorgeous hand laid terrazzo floor, exquisite attention to detail restoration of the art nouveau detailing, and change of pace between department it felt that there was insufficient commitment to integrating hospitality in a way , that could have energised the journey, and in particular fulfilled the sense of anticipation as you travelled up through the space to arrive at the crescendo of the story at the top of the building to delight and dwell in wonder at the iconic ceiling and restored exquisite peacock frescoes. This felt like a missed opportunity, to deliver an ending which justified the journey. Maybe the fact that 4 separate design businesses were involved meant a loss of a cohesion that potentially would have come from a single author.
Galeries Lafayette on the Champs Elysee used their central open atrium to much more dramatic effect, creating a sense of intrigue and creating a desire to discover on every level. Highlights were the integration of F&B and creating interest in every nook and cranny with the underside and rear of display areas jutting into the central atrium becoming destination pop ups, or intimate zones of discovery, encouraging vertical circulation. Here there was a bold single narrative thread , with lots of subplots, to integrate and retain interest, but with all great stories a real sense of completeness.
Our cultural stop was the Dior exhibition which felt more rooted in the magical world of Dior than the London exhibition, undoubtedly helped by being located in the iconic brand home. There were gasps of astonishment and delight at every corner. The creative use of projection mapping in the darkened spaces necessary for protecting vintage items to highlight and amplify intricate patterns was a particularly lovely touch.
The most magical was the display of ballgowns in the dusk to dawn setting that was almost fairy tale, evoking dreams and desires, in its enchantment and beauty.
This beautifully captured the retail principle of the third window, the visually arresting focal point that inspires curiosity and desire to find out more, and discover further.
The Dior store itself mirrored this sense of discovery on every level and every corner, from the garden style café on the ground, floor to the more occasion driven lunch experience on the first floor, the personalisation zone, and the rooms devoted to beauty. Although a true luxury experience, it equally felt welcoming and accessible for browsing and dwelling.
“The sense of detail, combined with virtuosic construction os Monsieur Dior - who dreamt of being an architect before becoming a couturier - “shock effects” as Christian Dior put it, with flamboyant reds that delivered an unexpected pop in the middle of the show.”
Other noteworthy stops was the discovery of Eye Show, a unique optical concept, where the open windows framed the views into the interior, with its combination of both clinical and earthy elements, with a layer of fashion sensibility, that created a sense of intrigue from the exterior to explore further, and learn more about the layers of the Eye Show narrative.
The APC Nazareth store exclusively devoted to pre loved APC product was a first for a brand that wanted to amplify and reinforce their sustainability credentials, clever use of recycled elements created an experience which retained the premium credentials of the brand in a way that felt brand aligned, with beautifully presented pre loved product, a new chapter in the APC story of their commitment to green credentials.
Rounding up, the creation of memorable theatrical moments in the Dior exhibition telling a story that we felt was also present in Galeries Lafayette, with its combination of old and new, and in Eye Show with its focus on textures and materiality, and APC’s giving new life and purpose to pre loved product, whilst the historical narrative did not fully come to life in Samarataine.
Emotively engaging storytelling which is driven by expressing the heart and soul of the brand is a powerful way to leverage a brand narrative in a way that creates truly memorable moments for customers to take away, cherish and treasure.
Storytelling was something warmly embraced by a cocktail bar find, Little Red Door, in the Marais. Each of the 8 creatively crafted cocktail was inspired by a particular grower/producer, with their individual provenance story detailed in a beautiful little hard back book, earning its places as one of the top 50 bars in the world.
