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Author: Juliette Lagrue
Pop-ups are coming to luxury hotels
It's no longer a secret that, in order to attract new customers and conquer new markets , the creation of pop-up stores has become, in recent years, a distribution strategy adored by brands. And today, brands are going even further by creating pop-up hotels .
What is a pop-up hotel?
Brands are setting up temporary locations in hotels . Like Tara Jarmon did at the Ritz last year, or Ba&sh at the Royal Manceau, or Valentino at the Costes Hotel for Fashion Week. Le Meurice has even introduced “M-Days” for events like Mother's Day or the end-of-year celebrations, where the hotel welcomes designers into a dedicated space.
And right now, you can find the La Double J brand at the Bristol, which we'll tell you about a little later in the article.
We know that location is a key factor in the success of a pop-up store.
But then how can we explain that brands are turning to hotels which are by nature rather off-centre from the shopping streets?
One of the advantages is having the setting and decor of hotels at your disposal . When it comes to large hotels like the Meurice, the Bristol or the Ritz, brands benefit directly from the prestige of the hotel . Beyond the decor, the brands benefit from the notoriety of these influential places in the capital. Indeed, events taking place in these large hotels attract journalists and see articles flourish .
Of course, hotels are not necessarily on busy streets, but this is not a necessity since customers are already present in the establishment. When brands choose hotels, it is primarily to reach a foreign clientele who are generally very fond of French fashion and sensitive to privileges . What could be better for these tourists, who covet their items months in advance, than to be able to touch and buy their French fantasy right in their hotel.
Another segment of the clientele is professional and wealthy . They stay in hotels for professional reasons, and generally do not have time for leisure. Through pop-up hotels, boutiques will come to meet them, in their establishment, and will then be able to indulge in some pleasures .
When Ba&sh chose the magnificent Palace Royal Monceau in 2018 to set up its pop-up store, it was to, as you might have guessed, meet its customers where they were staying. This high-end brand, which expresses luxury, boldness, and femininity, has boosted the daily lives of the Royal Monceau and its customers.
The Bristol has also launched a pop-up store in its hotel. In its lobby, a space is dedicated to designers. Currently, you can find the ready-to-wear brand La DoubleJ until October 20th . This brand, created by former American journalist JJ Martin, is a regular in the pop-up store concept, but this is the first time it has set up shop in a prestigious hotel.
The space is rather cramped, making us think it's reserved exclusively for hotel guests. And it must be admitted that you have to be brave enough to enter the Palace; you might feel like you're intruding, a little too chic and prestigious for the curious.
But as soon as you step inside the pop-up store, you'll be amazed. La DoubleJ's colorful, vintage products blend seamlessly into the Parisian Palace's vintage decor . If you weren't familiar with the brand, you'd almost think it belonged to Le Bristol; you'd quickly identify with it.
And for hotels, it's royal, the arrival of brands allows them to obtain new services and benefits for their customers . And at the same time, the brands offer a modern and chic style allowing them to rejuvenate the image of the old Parisian Palaces .
Everyone wins: hotels create experiences in their establishments without any real investment, and the conditions for brands are better than in a boutique and at a lower cost.
The phenomenon of the ephemeral is not about to stop, to the point that hotels themselves are becoming ephemeral.
Last summer, the AccorHotels group launched a pop-up hotel project , renovating old shipping containers. Now, by partnering with Flying Nest, they're planning to create completely temporary villages to promote new destinations.
But AccorHotels isn't the first to launch pop-up hotels. A British company , The Pop Up Hotel, is already present in the temporary accommodation market. You can find them at festivals and corporate events, and you can even use them for private events like weddings. Pretty handy, right?
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