On October 7, Sephora’s Parisian flagship store in rue de Rivoli hosted the first French edition of Sephoria, an event created in the USA in 2018 by the brand to offer its customers to “dive” into its universe. Unlike any other event that the retail industry is likely to come up with, this one was ticketed, which is far from being a detail. Pay to enter a store, and suddenly you get a glimpse of the future. Especially when the principle is rather unexpected: 45 euros (that’s right, but 35 for Sephora Gold card holders) in exchange for the promise of a bag of beauty products of far greater value… Spend more to earn more. Clever. It’s worth noting that sign-ups opened at the beginning of September, which says a lot about the degree of impatience visitors were in…
And visitors were not disappointed. Between the myriad of beauty brand stands, each more Instagrammable than the last, the opportunity to meet brand managers through masterclasses, photocalls, hair and make-up bars and other meeting points, there was enough to make you lose your head. It was a real festival, with a carnival atmosphere and DJ sets… Some brands seized the opportunity to release their new products, and Sephora to present the beta version of its future immersive platform. Due to be launched in Europe in early 2024, customers will be able to create their avatar, move around in a virtual world, receive advice and discover the attending brands’ universes. Looking forward to tomorrow.
Everything that happens in the virtual world is bound to end up in the real world. Sephoria is a case in point, offering beauty-loving Instagrammers the chance to extend their passion IRL. Late in September, Galeries Lafayette and Elle magazine organized Tellement Mode! a three-day event dedicated to new trends, held in a 150-square-meter space on the third floor of the boulevard Haussmann store, featuring debates, conferences, masterclasses and even a wellness class with a “serenity expert”…
Little by little, retail chains are moving beyond the strictly commercial realm to reincarnate themselves as places and moments for festive encounters. Audience share at the service of market share.