Last month, the IADS attended the presentation of the State of Retail 2024 - Europe: Transition and transformation in non-grocery retail, a report carried out by Eurocommerce in collaboration with McKinsey. Usually dedicated to grocery retail, this report addresses key trends shaping the specialty retail landscape in 2025 for the first time. It combines market data with surveys of 30 European executives and approximately 15,000 consumers across six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom). The scope focuses on six retail categories: furniture and furnishings, DIY and hardware, consumer electronics, sporting goods, beauty and personal care, and pet care.

IADS Exclusive: Eurocommerce's State of Retail 2024 report

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IADS consolidated 2024 Holiday window displays from around the world in the latest Holiday window report. Have a look at how IADS members and other department stores are capturing the upcoming new seasons through their artistic and inspiring interpretations.

DEPARTMENT STORES WINDOWS, IN-STORE INSTALLATIONS, VISUALS & SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTS

IADS Exclusive: Department stores Holiday windows 2024

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*Known for its rapid economic growth during the past two decades, China is now navigating a period of moderated expansion. The current economic and societal landscape is marked by a complex interplay of challenges and opportunities: a significant real estate crisis, high youth unemployment rates, a shrinking and ageing population and newfound Asian pride. These factors are reshaping consumer behaviour and economic priorities within the country.

Despite these challenges, as stated by IADS' partner NellyRodi in their What's Up China conference held in Paris in October, there are sectors poised for growth, including sportswear, consumer health, and experiential travel. Understanding these dynamics and local macro-trends is crucial for businesses aiming to navigate the evolving Chinese market landscape effectively.*

IADS Exclusive: a look at trends and consumers in 2024's China

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The Drucker Forum, held annually since 2009, is a yearly opportunity to review management practice and question the state of research, a favourite combination from "management guru" Peter Drucker (1909-2005). The IADS attended the 16th edition of the Forum this month in Vienna. The theme was "the next knowledge work," questioning how organisations can deliver new value creation and innovation levels.

AI was obviously a centrepiece of the conversations, given the impact it has had so far on knowledge and innovation. While the overall conference themes were oriented towards knowledge workers, including researchers, scholars, and academics, it was interesting to relate them to the current situation in retail, where AI is seen as a transforming force for business models. Taking on what was discussed during the conference, AI appears to be, in fact, a pretext for more radical organisational transformations.

Paradoxically, achieving such transformation also does not systematically involve ground-breaking technological or intellectual innovation, as, many times, speakers were calling for a "back to the basics"movement in an updated way.

IADS Exclusive: At the Drucker Forum, AI is the opportunity for a radical organisational change

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising retail, impacting everything from customer service to supply chain management. Yet, as outlined in our recent IADS Exclusive titled "AI in retail: why culture, values, and strategic goals matter more than tech," successful AI adoption involves more than simply implementing new tools. It requires deep alignment with an organisation's broader mission, culture, and values. This exclusive further addresses one of the most critical challenges in AI deployment—the "black box" problem, which refers to the challenge of interpreting or explaining how complex AI models arrive at their decisions. This piece explores how retail leaders can ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical use. Retailers can fully harness AI's potential by focusing on governance, explainability, and innovation while avoiding the risks of opaque decision-making systems. A lack of clarity can impact both customers and employees, undermining trust and creating potential issues with compliance and fairness. Our focus here is on bridging AI's capabilities with clear, human-centred governance by prioritising transparency and informed oversight to channel AI's potential for people-first innovation.

IADS Exclusive: Navigating the AI maze in retail beyond the black box

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Last October, Manor gathered its business partners to introduce them to its new Men's and Women's fashion concept, unveiled in the newly refurbished Basel store and supported by a press release issued the same day. It was the first time that Manor conducted such an event, which reminded of what Boyner does to keep connected with its local suppliers and partners in Turkey./nbsp]

For Manor, an IADS member since 1968, it was, however, an excuse for a much more comprehensive update about every category, the company itself, and where the CEO, Roland Armbruster, sees it in the coming years. This is why the format took the shape of a keynote, modelled after tech companies, with Armbruster, CMO Sandra Kottenauer and CFO Thomas Stocklin, taking the stage solo one after another to discuss product strategy, omnichannel updates, belief in more stores, retail media, and enhanced cooperation with brands and suppliers. The session ended with a Q&A with the three top executives, moderated by Sandra Kanzig, Communications and Marketing Director.

IADS Exclusive: Manor details its new concept and strategy

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Singapore, officially known as the Republic of Singapore, is a member of the world's exclusive club of city-states, along with Vatican City and Monaco. Singapore was even identified in 2015 by the Financial Times as "the world's only fully functioning city-state", with its currency, a large airport acting as a worldwide hub, one of the busiest maritime ports, and fully fledged armed forces (a feature that the other two do not have). Singapore's numbers are astonishing: it was the 4th most competitive economy in the world in 2023, one of the world's very few countries to be rated AAA by S&P, Moody's and Fitch altogether (and the only one in Asia), the second densest city in the world after Monaco, the second country in the world in terms of being a business-friendly place. 100% of its citizens are equipped with smartphones (a feature that even South Korea, an ultra-connected market, does not reach).

Singapore's reputation in terms of productivity is well-established. Still, combined with tourism (Singapore is the 5th most visited city in the world and the second in Asia, thanks to its "City in Nature" positioning promoting sustainable tourism), it becomes a natural destination for anyone versed in retail. The state in its current form is 107 years younger than the first department store to have opened there, Robinsons in 1858, when Singapore's population was 80,000, of which 50% were Chinese.

Today, retail represents 3% of the national workforce and 1.4% of Singapore's GDP, serving nearly 6m inhabitants. Most of its iconic department stores are located on Orchard Road, which gives visitors the feeling of seeing double, given the ubiquity of luxury and fashion labels there. This situation raises some serious questions regarding the still-operating department stores (Robinson's closed for good in 2021): how are they differentiating? What is up-and-coming in such a competitive retail landscape?

IADS Exclusive: How Singapore's new shopping experiences give a glimpse of the future of retail

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IADS consolidated 2024 Fall window displays from around the world in the latest Fall window report. Have a look at how IADS members and other department stores are capturing the upcoming new seasons through their artistic and inspiring interpretations.

DEPARTMENT STORES WINDOWS, IN-STORE INSTALLATIONS, VISUALS & SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTS

IADS Exclusive: Department stores Fall windows 2024

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Department stores have experienced a decline in sales and prominence over the past decades. This decline is attributed to changing consumer habits and the rise of e-commerce, which has provided consumers with more convenient shopping options. Many department stores have struggled to adapt to these changes, resulting in financial difficulties and store closures. On the other hand, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands have revolutionised the retail industry by cutting out intermediaries and selling directly to consumers. This approach has allowed them to offer better prices than regular brands, personalised experiences, proximity with their community of customers and greater convenience. Many global brands have also considered adopting a DTC approach to grow margins and control their image and prices without withdrawing from department stores and multi-brand retailers altogether. However, this new business model puts additional pressure on department stores. Nike is the best example of the success and limits of the DTC business model, showing how partnering with multi-brand retailers is still very much relevant and efficient.

IADS Exclusive: Nike, a cautionary tale on the DTC business model

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The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) technology represents a dual-edged sword for the retail and department store sectors. While AI promises to revolutionise operations, its integration into the corporate fabric demands more than mere technological upgrades—it requires a strategic alignment with each organisation's unique culture, values, and broader objectives. As data becomes the new "gold" and advances in hardware capabilities make previously inconceivable AI applications possible, retailers are presented with tremendous opportunities and significant challenges. This article looks at how department stores can effectively use AI to boost operations and support their mission while considering the financial and risk challenges involved.

IADS Exclusive: AI in retail: why culture, values and strategic goals matter more than tech?

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IADS recently held a meeting on sportswear. Based on market research, NellyRodi and The Style Pulse presented the most innovative brands from different segments in sportswear including outdoor, activewear, athleisure, and more.

Check out our selection of these brands and the pictures by clicking the button below!

IADS Exclusive - Brand Roundup: Sportswear 2024

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Even though the department store changed its name to Galeries Lafayette more than 30 years ago, Annecy's residents kept on calling it Nouvelles Galeries. This is why Citynove (Galeries Lafayette Group's real estate arm) revived the old name to develop a shopping centre around the existing department store. But its drive-to-store strategy is fully anchored in today's retail: Citynove's president, Eric Costa, described it as a pilot project for the group. The goal is to adapt the department store format to the local market's realities, client expectations, and competition to create an optimal environment for the stores to evolve. This approach reflects the group's strategy of owning most of its stores, allowing for easier transformation and adaptation. Considered by Galeries Lafayette as an illustration of what tomorrow's department store could look like, the whole project aims at becoming a hybrid place where people come to shop and live. Officially completed in October 2023, here's what the place has to offer.

IADS Exclusive - Nouvelles Galeries in Annecy: a case for tier-II cities department stores 

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*IADS member Boyner Grup unveiled its new strategy in 2022 to establish itself as a genuine "multi-brand lifestyle company". This came with a new approach to merchandising, including the introduction of more international brands, less reliance on private labels, the exploration of new categories, including F&B, the introduction of new types of marketing and events in Turkey, and the launch of a new store concept, in Cadde, on the Asian part of the city. We reported this new concept and its many innovations in a previous IADS Exclusive.

Since then, Boyner Grup has been relentless in its efforts to improve and expand this store concept to other locations, including the iconic Istinye Park. This commitment to innovation and improvement is a testament to the company's dedication to providing a unique and engaging retail experience. As the second major iteration of the store concept, it includes some evolutions based on the key learnings from the Cadde store, reviewed in this IADS Exclusive article.*

IADS Exclusive: Boyner evolves its new store concept in Istinye Park

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Last May, LVMH signed a deal with Alibaba, cementing the luxury group's omnichannel, data and digital capabilities. Through this agreement, LVMH will access Alibaba's technology and investments, especially in AI capabilities, allowing luxury brands to be more accurate and personalised than ever. This is not unexpected: LVMH and Alibaba had already partnered in cloud data management for five years before changing gears. In addition, Alibaba is considered as a "global partner" by LVMH in a context where data is key to properly addressing Chinese customers' needs, wherever they are in the world.

This is why the IADS interviewed Nicolas Cano, Fashion and Luxury Business Development Director at Tmall Luxury, a division of Alibaba, to understand more about the Alibaba ecosystem, how it completes LVMH's expertise in the region, and what the luxury behemoth gets from this deal. He has over 15 years of international expertise in the luxury sector. He started his career at L'Oréal in the Luxury Division as a Product Manager before joining LVMH in 2005. He worked at Dior Homme, Christian Lacroix as Commercial Development Manager for Europe,and then EMEA. In 2010, Nicolas joined the Chalhoub Group to develop the Chanel franchise network in the Middle East. In 2016, he took over the General Management of the Symphony Group, the Alabbar Group's retail branch, deploying an omnichannel strategy and opening exclusive concept stores in the extension of the Dubai Mall. Since May 2018, Nicolas Cano has held the Fashion & Luxury Business Development Director position at Alibaba Group. He leads the e-commerce distribution of major Houses on Alibaba's B2C platform, Tmall & Tmall Luxury Pavilion. Nicolas graduated from the L'Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Nantes (AUDENCIA).

IADS Exclusive: how Tmall fosters a new approach towards ultra-personalisation in luxury

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Sustainability is not just a buzzword; it's a pressing issue that demands our attention. Brands and retailers have put much effort into more responsible practices, but can they keep up with the increasingly stringent regulations? Are customers truly aligning their actions with their sustainability beliefs? IADS delves into the world of sustainability in fashion, exploring its meaning, how fashion brands and department stores can incorporate sustainable practices, and addressing the above questions.

IADS Exclusive: Sustainability in fashion

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*2023 has been a busy year for Magasin du Nord. With an unwavering commitment to meeting the evolving needs of its clientele, Magasin du Nord has introduced improvements and services such as BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick Up In Store) and harnessed cutting-edge technology through the implementation of smartwatch-equipped staff. New service lounges gathering all store services allowed Magasin du Nord to offer better and more efficient customer service. While retail operations were refined to achieve excellence in customer service and increase KPIs such as the conversion rate and the UPT, Magasin du Nord also launched layout changes and visual merchandising upgrades in their 3 most important stores (see the pictures review attached).

With the entire retail industry currently hoping that new technologies and approaches such as AI and retail media will help it reinvent itself, streamline, optimise operations and bring in new sources of revenue, the efforts recently made by Magasin du Nord (a company not shy when it comes to technological innovation) also show that to thrive in the new world, fundamentals have to be right. There is no point in building a state-of-the-art technological pyramid if the foundations are not well grounded.*

IADS Exclusive: The road to retail excellence

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IADS recently held a meeting on the women's fashion. Based on market research, NellyRodi and The Style Pulse presented the most innovative brands from different segments in cosmetics and beauty including must haves, on trend, hidden gems, and more.

Check out our selection of these brands and the pictures by clicking the button below!

IADS Exclusive - Brand Roundup: Women's fashion 2024

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It is not every day that a retail CEO knows and plans his exit as the leader of a retail brand, but this is precisely what made Philip Mountford, the current CEO of Hunkemöller, an interesting guest speaker for the IADS 63rd General Assembly in London last November.

Philip Mountford's career in fashion retail spans significant roles across Europe and the UK. He started at Simpson Piccadilly as a purchasing director, then advanced to senior positions in renowned companies. As CEO of Moss Bros Group PLC, he led a major menswear retailer with an extensive store network and franchise partnerships with brands like Hugo Boss and Canali. He also held the Managing Director role at Gianni Versace, focusing on regions including the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia, and had pivotal roles at Nautica and Daks PLC. Most notably, as CEO of Hunkemöller, Europe's largest lingerie brand, he grew the business to an €800 million valuation, with e-commerce driving 40% of sales. Mountford is set to leave Hunkemöller in early 2024 after a transformative 15-year tenure. Before stepping down, he was able to address IADS CEOs and answer their burning questions with candid and open responses.

IADS Exclusive: Paris' Champs-Elysées and the Olympics

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*Paris' Champs-Élysées have a rich history. Originally designed in 1667 by Le Nôtre, the famous French architect created a long tree-lined promenade starting from the Tuileries Palace. In the 20th century, the avenue experienced spectacular growth with the arrival of major stores, cinemas, and famous cafés such as Fouquet's. These establishments attracted an international clientele, earning the Champs-Élysées the reputation of "the most beautiful avenue in the world" where something was always happening. Luxury brands opened stores, transforming the avenue into a high-end shopping area./nbsp]

However, starting in the 1980s, the avenue began to experience a period of decline, luxury brands gradually gave way to more mainstream stores such as McDonald's, Zara and H&M, leading to a gradual dissatisfaction among Parisians. Between 1990 and the 2000s, many shopping arcades, once the pride of the Champs-Élysées, were deserted. The avenue lost its lustre, failing to attract the sophisticated clientele it once did. Allowing easy access from the suburbs, the opening of the regional train also changed the avenue's visitor profile, reinforcing its mass consumption image. More recently, the avenue faced years of "yellow jackets" protests, strikes and the pandemic, which drove away potential customers.

But the renewed appeal of the most famous avenue in the world is confirmed: there is a Champs-Elysées Renaissance.

Welcoming 300,000 pedestrians on busy days, the avenue is transforming into a prime showcase for brands. As measured by Knight Frank, the avenue recorded 46 brand movements in 2022 and 2023, especially in the sports and luxury sectors: 46% were new store openings, and 54% were relocations, expansions, or renovations. The movements recorded over the past 2 years involved 24% luxury brands and 17% sportswear brands.

Who will win the attention of tourists coming to the Olympics? Considering their investments, luxury and sport-style brands seem best positioned. Moreover, in the long run, who will win the 110 million people passing through the Champs-Élysées each year? Will the Olympics bring additional business?*

IADS Exclusive: Paris' Champs-Elysées and the Olympics

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In early July, Hudson's Bay Company, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, announced a plan to acquire Neiman Marcus for $2,65 billion. This intention seems logical in a crowded market that calls for more consolidation.

Given the radical difference between the two companies, this would have already raised some eyebrows if the news had been limited to Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue merging. However, conversations revolved instead around Amazon and Salesforce being involved in this deal.

While the merger is under review by the Federal Trade Commission, and therefore, everything is still being determined, this planned merger raises many questions when considering the context. While the IADS does not pretend to have a crystal ball, this Exclusive aims to review everything at stake and assess the challenges and opportunities the plan opens

IADS Exclusive: What to ask ourselves, when considering the Saks / Neiman Marcus merger?

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*Day after day, retail analysts remind us that the in-store shopping experience needs to be reinvented to appeal to the younger, tech-savvy generations and lure them into brick-and-mortar stores. Indeed, innovative projects are sprouting worldwide, each pushing the boundaries of what a retail space represents by introducing fresh and novel concepts.

However, creating a compelling physical retail experience is merely half the battle. Many endeavours have tried and failed, not due to a lack of ingenuity but simply because their ability to communicate and highlight their inventiveness effectively was lacking. In the US, customers struggled to appreciate Showfields beyond the much-touted slide fully. Pioneering concepts like b8ta in Manhattan (now closed) or WOW in Madrid presented too many ideas simultaneously, making it arduous to convey their essence engagingly to customers.

Let's examine two prominent large-scale projects that have successfully reinvented the retail experience in recent years: K11 Musea in Hong Kong and The Hyundai in Seoul. Both aimed to revolutionize shopping for younger generations, but how did they manage to articulate and bring to life their innovative concepts effectively*

IADS Exclusive: K11 and The Hyundai demonstrate that reinventing the retail experience is not enough

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In the last few months, brands have been rushing to open stores on Avenue des Champs-Elysées, hoping to catch a chunk of tourist wallets, especially the ones coming for the 2024 Olympics. Sports brands are no exception and tend to settle in retail spaces in the avenue's central and lower sections. England-based retailer JD Sports chose another option and opened its new global flagship store in the avenue's upper section (number 118), across the street from the Louis Vuitton flagship store and not far away from Saint Laurent and Cartier. While the store was opened by Brazilian soccer legend and Nike brand ambassador Ronaldinho in April 2024, the group said it will be "continuing its run as the globally recognised king of the high street. JD's new store offers the brand's latest innovations in digital technology and merchandising and will provide visitors access to all the hottest brands and latest launches."

JD Sports was founded in 1981 in Bury, in the North West of England, with one shop, John David Sports. The JD group now accounts for more than 3,300 stores worldwide, including 100 in France and 29 JD Sports stores in the Paris region only. In terms of sales, JD Sports claimed in March 2024 to outperform a challenging market with a 4% like-for-like sales growth in the financial year ending 3 February 2024, reaching £10.5 billion, with an 8% organic growth. The profit before tax is expected to reach £915 million.

The retailer's new flagship store aims to provide an immersive shopping experience to customers and establish itself as one of the sports champions on Champs-Elysées. Who will be the customers visiting the store? What will they find there to differentiate themselves in the crowded area?

IADS Exclusive - JD Sports' new flagship store on Paris' Champs-Elysées Avenue

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After years of speculation, Dover Street Market, the renowned fashion concept store founded by Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons and husband Adrian Joffe, finally opened a new location in Paris. Located in the Marais area, the new store is the 7th location to open over the last 20 years after Tokyo, London, Beijing, New York, Los Angeles and Singapore (not to mention Dover Street Market Parfums opened in Paris in October 2019). Kawakubo and Joffe After took over the building in 2019, but soon after, they decided to wait until the pandemic was over and tourism normalised to open the store. From 2021 to 2023, the gorgeous 17th-century Hôtel de Coulanges (once the house of French writer Madame de Sevigné) temporarily housed a non-profit cultural hub ("le 35-37", after the street number the building is located at) hosting art exhibitions, fashion shows, temporary fashion markets and art performances. All these events supported the anticipation and excitement around the space opening and secured a break on taxes and rent. After this long delay, the much-anticipated store finally opened to consumers on Friday, 24 May 2024. What can one expect from this latest Dover Street Market family addition? Paris is seen as the fashion capital, but will the store succeed in the long run?

IADS Exclusive - Dover Street Market Paris: the rebirth of independent fashion?

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The IADS was thrilled to attend the 2024 Viva Technology conference last May in Paris, eagerly seeking out key trends and exciting startups that could bring value to our members. VivaTech 2024 broke new ground with record-breaking attendance of 165,000 visitors, a 10% increase over last year. The event buzzed with energy, attracting 13,500 startups from over 25 business sectors and over 2,000 investors. One hundred twenty countries were represented, solidifying VivaTech's central position on the global tech panorama.

At VivaTech 2024, the interaction between startups and tech champions highlighted a significant trend in the tech industry. The event not only emphasised established tech companies' dominance but also showcased the boundless innovative potential of startups.

Key themes included artificial intelligence, retail, climate technology, and mobility solutions. Despite the prominence of major corporations, the event still celebrated start-ups. VivaTech 2024 facilitated connections between startups, investors, and corporate partners, promoting an ecosystem where emerging companies could flourish alongside tech champions. This balance indicates that while tech champions are undeniably powerful, the startup dream is far from over. Startups continue to be essential drivers of innovations, especially in niche markets and emerging technology sectors. Our non-exhaustive review below highlights the most relevant retail trends we spotted this year for our members.

IADS Exclusive - At VivaTechnology 2024, AI starts to be used in concrete and exciting use cases for retailers

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