What: A luxury store is not only for shopping anymore, but can also involve dining, drinking, having a cultural experience, or showing off on social media.

Why is it important: Social media and pop culture increasingly turned luxury brands into key signals that “you are living your life well.” This desire to spend time with the brand coincides with the need to sustain and increase the traffic in the stores. For large brands, the increase in productivity of existing stores has become as important as opening stores and it starts with generating additional traffic.

Flagships are key places to host the most exclusive clients, who need more than amazing products and a VIP salon but experiences that will make the moment memorable. The “right” experiential feature is the alchemy of a specific narrative that both fits the brand DNA, and the flair of the specific store location, as it creates the sense of cultural depth that makes for a truly satisfying lifestyle experience. Cafés, art galleries, concerts, barbers, clubs, and experiences that are meant to be relived several times are recommended.

Experiential flagships are the next big thing