Le blog de Nestore

A DNVB stepping off the screen to stand out

Online, DNVBs are multiplying. Eco-friendly fashion is no exception: brands look alike, acquisition costs keep rising, and standing out on social media has become an expensive exercise.

Surprise drew a simple conclusion: for premium knitwear, the screen has its limits. The feel of mohair, the drape of a sweater, the quality of a finish are experienced in store, not on a product page.

Physical retail thus became a strategic lever with a twofold effect. It lets the brand connect directly with its customers, and build awareness where e-commerce hits a ceiling.

Perfectly chosen addresses

Surprise's first goal: brand awareness. The brand first set up shop at 95 rue Vieille du Temple, then at number 119 on the same street. Anything but a random choice.

Rue Vieille du Temple is the heart of the Upper Marais. Constant foot traffic, a premium setting, and high-spending customers with a taste for designer brands. Exactly the target audience for premium knitwear.

At this address, the shop window works like a billboard campaign: every passer-by becomes a first point of contact with the brand. For a DNVB, that is visibility no online ad budget can match at this cost.

Surprise then repeated the experience at 47 rue du Four, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Another bank of the Seine, another clientele, and a new opportunity to gauge demand for the brand outside the Marais.

The pop-up store: a lab to take the time to grow

Opening at the right time

Online, DNVBs are multiplying. Eco-friendly fashion is no exception: brands look alike, acquisition costs keep rising, and standing out on social media has become an expensive exercise.

Surprise drew a simple conclusion: for premium knitwear, the screen has its limits. The feel of knitwear, the drape of a sweater, the quality of a finish are experienced in store, not on a product page.

Physical retail thus became a strategic lever with a twofold effect. It lets the brand connect directly with its customers, and build awareness where e-commerce hits a ceiling.

Expanding the range without pressure

This controlled calendar freed up time and cash. Surprise used it to develop new products that depend less on seasonality. An essential step before considering a store open all year round.

Learning the neighbourhood, street by street

With Nestore, Surprise approached each pop-up as a real-life test. Within a few seasons, the brand learned:

• which streets in the Marais really work for it;
• where its customers are, and when;
• what its customers expect, thanks to their direct in-store feedback.

All on a controlled budget and with no commitment to a commercial lease. Test & learn in its most concrete form: each opening informs the next decision.

Today: permanent stores, opened with full knowledge

Drawing on these lessons, Surprise has opened several permanent stores in the Marais. The neighbourhood it got to know through pop-ups has become its home turf.

The difference from a traditional opening? The commercial lease is no longer a gamble. Locations are chosen based on observed results, the range has been expanded, and the customers are already there.

The pop-up store did not replace the permanent store. It prepared the way for it.

What the Surprise case teaches us

Surprise's journey illustrates a deeper trend among DNVBs: physical retail isn't decreed, it's built. Three levers made the difference:

• location, chosen for the target clientele rather than mere availability;
• timing, aligned with the product's seasonality;
• method, built on testing, customer feedback and decisions grounded in the field.

Thinking about moving from e-commerce to brick-and-mortar?

Contact our team to find the location for your next pop-up.

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