New York, the open-air Retail Lab

You only have to stroll a few streets in the Big Apple to realize that retail here is a boundless field of experimentation, where the grandiose and the unprecedented rub shoulders. Some retail sages propagate the legend that a concept that works in New York and convinces its cosmopolitan population will find success elsewhere in the world. So what are the retail formats and propositions of the moment? How are Maisons et Grands Magasins reinventing the shopping experience? Buying a product or buying a moment?

Tell me stories

Whether it's made up of several chapters or takes place in a single setting, the story offered to each visitor seems inevitable. This second option is perfectly illustrated by French fashion brand Jacquemus through its New York flagship in Soho. A stopover in Provence is offered on the two levels of this small house, where every element brings the sensoriality of this region of southern France so dear to its creator. Lime plaster, rough-hewn wooden furniture, olive trees and skylights that let the sun's rays through into the various rooms all contribute to recreating the setting in which Simon Porte Jacquemus finds its inspiration. Visitors can then choose to sit in one of the linen-covered lounges and contemplate this unique set-up. If there's another immersive experience to remember, it's undoubtedly the one offered by the brand-new Printemps. Visitors find themselves immersed in an art nouveau universe, where wandering and contemplation are the guiding principles. Forget the archetypal department stores. Islands and curves have replaced rectilinear aisles, and lines of racks have given way to inspiring stagings. The most striking moment of the visit is undoubtedly the room, or rather the hall, reserved for shoes, where the shelves become sculptures, making each pair a major ingredient in the staging.

Usage first

In New York, excess isn't limited to department stores. Kim Kardashian, star of the social networks, proves this with the recent opening of the first flagship store for her Skims brand, located on the famous Fifth Avenue. Upon entering, a monumental 4.5-metre sculpture by Vanessa Beecroft greets us. Visitors are then invited to explore the different product universes spread over the five levels of this extraordinary boutique. Everything has been done here to ensure optimal navigation and independent discovery for visitors: product color monochrome displays in the upper section, educational and intuitive signage to help visitors understand product specifics, and fitting room reservations thanks to QR codes placed in all product areas. After Uniqlo, this is certainly one of the best usage experiences in ready-to-wear. But beauty is not to be outdone, as Californian cosmetics brand Hourglass has just inaugurated its first store in Soho. Here, the different product categories are clearly organized, with make-up stations on the periphery, for an efficient but perhaps not sufficiently inspiring shopping experience.

Sharing, again and again

At Héroïne, we've long been convinced that retail should be conceived as a medium. To do so, it must not only offer surprising spaces and original itineraries, so that visitors can share their visit, but also places conducive to encounters. Louis Vuitton's temporary flagship has succeeded in combining these two aspects. It all begins when you arrive at the majestic entrance, where the gigantic ostrich and giraffe adorning the facade are an invitation to take out your smartphone. The 3 trunk sculptures in the central atrium accompany visitors as they ascend to the upper floors, reminiscent of the original craftsmanship of the Maison au monogramme. But if there's one place in particular where New York high society flocks, it's the Café Louis Vuitton. In a hushed space overlooking ^57thStreet, refined, attentive service is offered. The ritual of "delivering" the muslin is undoubtedly the most sharable moment of the meal, unless it's your own selfie in front of the ceiling covered with logotype travel tags.

Again and again, New York surprises us with its audacity, inventiveness and, above all, the multiplicity of its retail approaches. This is a fine demonstration that there is no universal recipe for a winning retail strategy, but rather a diversity of proposals aimed at addressing targets with increasingly polarized and changing expectations.

Tribune also available on Journal du Luxe.