retail

Airports: a brand’s playground for capturing attention in minutes

13 April 2026 by Flora

As part of our retail tours, the Lemens & Partners team recently visited several airport retail spaces. What we observed is well worth sharing.

Airports are places like no other. Millions of people pass through them every year, every nationality, every generation, every social background. Some wander unhurriedly for an hour; others rush through the terminal towards their gate. In this environment, brands have only a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes, to make their presence felt.

What struck us on our most recent visit is that the smartest brands are not simply trying to sell. They are trying to leave a mark.

Marc Jacobs x Murakami: catching every eye

The collaboration between Marc Jacobs and artist Takashi Murakami floods the space with colourful, smiling flowers. You do not need to know the brand to stop in your tracks. The art direction does all the work, instantly. This is one of the most valuable functions of design in retail: creating a universal hook that reaches well beyond the usual target audience.

Marc Jacobs - aéroport Orly Paris Retail Tour

Hermès: turning a moment into a memory

On its stand, Hermès offered an unexpected experience visitors could draw onto a card using a pencil “gun”, producing a tattoo-like effect on paper. No purchase required. Just a moment, a gesture, and an object to take away or leave behind. You walk off with something physical and an emotion attached to it. That, in itself, is a masterclass in retail.

Nuxe: a four-step beauty routine, in an entirely pink world

Nuxe transformed its space into a full-on pink studio, giant teddy bear, boxing gloves, lockers, and a clear message on display: “Create your Nuxe workout routine.” Four steps, four products, one promise. The universe is immediately recognisable, the approach both playful and educational. Within thirty seconds, you understand exactly who the brand is and what it stands for. That is precisely the strength of well-conceived retail: qualifying its audience as quickly as it attracts them.

Le Marché Parisien (The Parisian Market): selling a cliché, selling a memory

A customised yellow Citroën 2CV, lavender, vivid colours, French products front and centre. For a traveller in transit through Paris, this stand distils, in just a few square metres, everything they imagine France to be. It is not simply selling a product, it is selling a taste-memory, a story to bring home. In an international airport, this kind of deeply identity-driven storytelling is remarkably effective. Whether it is a biscuit or a French chocolate, it offers the last opportunity for a visitor to bring a piece of their journey back to the people they love or simply to themselves.

Le marché Parisien - aéroport Orly - Retail Tour

These four examples, very different in their approach, share the same conviction: in a transit space, experience takes precedence over transaction. Whether through an artistic installation, a creative workshop, an immersive universe, or cultural storytelling, the brands that stand out are those that have designed their space as something to be lived not merely a shelf to be filled.

At Lemens & Partners, we support you in two ways.

Our bespoke retail tours allow you to explore the finest brand experiences from around the world to fuel your strategic thinking, inspire your teams, and identify trends before they become mainstream.

Our creative recruitment missions help you find the talent capable of conceiving and embodying those experiences within your organisation.

Two approaches, one shared conviction: the brands that make a difference are those that invest in creativity and in the right people.

Retail tour, recruitment, or simply a conversation? Get in touch: contact@lemensandpartners.com

How Are New Brands Integrating into the Parisian Market?

27 February 2026 by Flora

Founded at the end of 2024, Firn is one of those young brands that has moved quickly into the Parisian market. By the end of 2025, it had already opened two boutiques, in Le Marais and on Rue Montorgueil. Two high-footfall districts that are particularly sought after by emerging premium yet accessible brands.

Behind Firn bring a strategic partnership with Dr Fred Zülli, a pioneer in cosmetic research who has worked with major luxury houses. This choice is central to the brand’s strategy: to build on strong scientific legitimacy from the outset.

The range focuses on skin regeneration. The message is clear, direct and easy to understand. Firn reassures through science.

The brand offers effective products at accessible price points by reducing traditional marketing costs. Firn stands out through three key pillars: transparency, expertise and fair pricing.

The boutique, designed by architect and designer Rudy Guenaire, perfectly reflects the brand’s DNA.

The universe evokes the mountains, more precisely the Alps. The name “Firn” refers, in Old English, to compacted snow, a material formed from ice and snow in transformation. It is a direct metaphor for skin regeneration.

The space is neutral, with rounded edges and curved lines. The packaging follows the same logic, with soft shapes and clean visuals.

Firn integrates into the Parisian market through strong scientific consistency and an immersive yet minimalist retail environment. The brand positions itself between scientific luxury and contemporary accessibility.

Founded in 2025, L’Entropiste operates in a completely different segment: unisex luxury fragrance, made in France.

The name “Entropiste” refers to entropy, disorder and chaos. The boutique, located in Le Marais, embraces these codes, with dominant shades of red and black. The atmosphere blends glamour, tension and controlled disorder.

Within the retail space, paintings echo the fragrances. The boutique becomes an art gallery. Customers do not simply come to purchase a perfume; they come to experience it.

The window display attracts, challenges and intrigues. It invites passers-by to stop. In a neighbourhood saturated with brands, this ability to capture attention is strategic.

The fragrances are unpredictable, surprising and full of character.
L’Entropiste does not aim to please everyone. It aims to leave a mark through a strong artistic direction, a powerful philosophical narrative, retail conceived as a manifesto, and the novelty that sparks curiosity.

L’Entropiste embraces contrast and character, attracting a clientele seeking exclusivity, emotion and identity.

Firn and L’Entropiste illustrate two different ways of integrating into the Parisian market:

Firn relies on science and accessibility.
L’Entropiste focuses on art, chaos and luxury desirability.

In both cases, retail is central, conceived from the outset as a strategic tool for establishing the brand within the market.

Retail tours have become essential for tracking trends, innovating and drawing inspiration. Lemens & Partners analyses global retail movements through the lens of your strategic challenges, observing what works elsewhere to help shape the retail of tomorrow.

We design and lead bespoke retail tours with our international experts. The field is an endless source of ideas.

Get in touch to organise your next retail tour.

What Lemens & Partners took away from its latest Retail Tour in Madrid

17 February 2026 by Flora

Madrid once again proves its retail dynamism. Across a range of locations from heritage brands and luxury houses to emerging labels, Lemens & Partners observed powerful concepts where design actively supports brand positioning.

On: performance brought to life

The Swiss brand On, founded in the Alps in 2010, has opened its flagship store on one of Madrid’s main avenues.

The space is minimalist, dominated by grey tones and glossy materials. The product takes centre stage. The shoe wall is designed like a library, with each model presented according to three clear criteria: cushioning, stability and responsiveness.

The message is straightforward: performance is explicit. Retail becomes an educational tool that reinforces technical credibility.

Loewe: the store as a cultural home

Founded in 1846, Loewe embodies Spanish artisanal heritage.

At Casa Loewe in the Salamanca district, the boutique feels more like a gallery than a traditional shop. Artworks, natural Spanish materials and carefully staged products create an immersive experience.

Every design element reinforces the brand’s identity, luxury rooted in craftsmanship and art.

Fashion accessories are integrated into three-dimensional displays that showcase the handbags like sculptural pieces.

Loewe sells heritage, craftsmanship and artistic culture. At a time when luxury must differentiate itself, the brand strengthens its cultural capital. The store becomes a brand manifesto.

Adolfo Domínguez: retail as a tool for renewal

The Spanish brand Adolfo Domínguez, founded in 1950, has been evolving its retail concept since 2021.

Garments are suspended in space. Natural materials dominate. Local artists contribute to the scenography.

The store feels open and breathable, reflecting a return to essentials and a more contemporary repositioning.

Retail Tour Madrid El Corte Inglés Givenchy

Retail Tour Madrid El Corte Inglés Miu Miu

El Corte Inglés: strong brand identities within a department store

Often compared to Galeries Lafayette in France, El Corte Inglés brings together many international fashion houses. During our visit, several worlds coexisted — two of which Lemens & Partners highlights:

Givenchy: the runway spirit
Sculptural figures evoke the staging of a fashion show.
The corner becomes almost theatrical, allowing the brand to express its couture universe even within a department store.

Miu Miu: an intimate lounge
Here, the atmosphere is completely different. Carpeted floors, pale blue walls and four armchairs facing one another create the feeling of a private salon.
The mood is calm, almost domestic.
Even within a large retail environment, the brand succeeds in creating a distinctive and intimate universe.

Gimaguas: minimalism and light

Founded in Barcelona in 2018, Gimaguas embraces radical simplicity.

Its Madrid flagship is white, bright and almost futuristic. The glossy ceiling reflects the space, while textured flooring and metal structures reinforce the minimalist aesthetic.

The clothes stand out strongly against this neutral backdrop.
The décor steps back to let the silhouette take centre stage.

Gimaguas speaks to a generation drawn to imagery and visual purity. Minimalism creates an “Instagrammable” yet highly recognisable environment.

Byredo: a journey through materials

Byredo’s boutique tells a story through space.

A red horse immediately catches the eye, referencing Sweden, the brand’s country of origin. Wooden shelving evokes Canada, while aluminium fixtures recall Italy.

Each design element suggests travel, culture and inspiration. The store becomes a visual narrative. Retail transforms into a powerful storytelling tool.

Retail tours as a driver of inspiration

We design and lead bespoke retail tours with our international experts. The field is an endless source of ideas.

Get in touch to organise your next retail tour.

Valentine’s Day: A Platform for Retail Experience and Brand Strategy

11 February 2026 by Flora

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many brands are already activating their in-store communications. This period is becoming a powerful lever for customer experience, emotional connection and retail differentiation. In Madrid, several brands perfectly illustrate this shift through immersive window displays, emotional storytelling and interactive activations. Valentine’s Day is now positioning itself as a strategic moment within the commercial calendar.

One of the key elements widely used by brands is emotion.

Some brands, such as Havaianas, rely on video content displayed in their shop windows, telling the stories of different couples wearing their products. The objective is to create identification, immerse consumers in real-life moments and associate the brand with positive emotions.

This type of storytelling transforms a simple product into a symbol of connection, relationship and shared memories. In retail, emotion becomes a powerful driver of purchase.

Beyond visual merchandising, some brands no longer use their windows only to showcase products, they invite customers to interact.

Lonbali, for instance, installed red envelopes outside its storefront that passers-by can open to discover cards inside. A simple yet highly effective gesture, as it creates curiosity, encourages people to stop, take photos and share the experience, while generating a playful and engaging moment.

vitrine pretty ballerinas madrid saint valentin

Every year, this period also brings back the universal codes of Valentine’s Day, red hearts, love messages and warm visual atmospheres. These strategic elements anchor brands within a key commercial moment and trigger immediate emotional connection. When repeated along an entire street, they create a seasonal environment that naturally encourages impulse purchasing.

Vans Opens in Le Marais: More Than a Store, a Creative Community Space

29 January 2026 by Flora

At the end of November 2025, Vans opened a new store in Le Marais, at 14 rue du Temple. This famous Paris area is known for fashion and culture. With this new location, the California brand shows a new vision of retail: more about experience, community, and culture.

On Thursday, November 22, during Men’s Fashion Week, Vans organized a special event that caught a lot of attention. The brand hosted an exclusive giveaway and invited SZA, a major American artist (singer and songwriter), who has also been the artistic director of Vans since last summer. The event was a big success, both in the media and with the public, showing Vans’ strong ability to create excitement and engagement.

The store is almost 300 square meters and includes a large courtyard where events, meetings, and performances can take place. The design reflects Vans’ identity, inspired by skateparks, with raw materials and simple shapes.

The experience is enhanced by digital screens and lifestyle visuals that tell the brand’s story and highlight its cultural roots in skateboarding, music, and street culture. This is not just a store, you step into the Vans universe.

Beyond selling products, the store is designed as a real living space and a place for cultural expression. A rich program of events brings together creative communities, artists, and fans of the brand.

This is the only store in France offering the OTW by Vans collections, positioned at a higher-end level, as well as prestigious collaborations, such as the recent one with Valentino, released just two weeks ago.

The store is a community store, the second one in Europe after London. This choice clearly shows Vans’ ambition to make Paris a key city in its European strategy.

With this new store in Le Marais, Vans confirms a strong retail strategy: turning the store into a place to live, meet, and share culture, rather than just a place to shop. This approach matches today’s consumer expectations, focused on meaning, experience, and human connection.

Vans does not only sell products. The brand tells a story, builds a community, and strengthens its cultural presence in the heart of Paris.

Vans – 14 rue du Temple, Paris 4e
Monday to Saturday : 11am – 7.30 pm
Sunday : 12pm – 7pm

Swarovski: a golden pop-up facing the Arc de Triomphe

18 December 2025 by Flora

From 16 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, Swarovski unveils a temporary pop-up just steps away from the Arc de Triomphe. A highly strategic location in the heart of the Champs-Élysées, designed to capture the attention of passers-by, tourists and luxury lovers during the festive season.

PopUp Swarovski à Paris, près de l'Arc de Triomphe

From the outside, the pop-up stands out with its fully golden structure, visible from afar and reflecting light throughout the day and night. Rather than blending into its surroundings, Swarovski chooses to create a strong visual landmark, instantly recognisable within the Parisian landscape.

Inside, the brand’s codes are immediately apparent: gold finishes, carefully controlled lighting, geometric display cases and a precise, curated product presentation.

The pop-up showcases a festive collection built around iconic and celebratory figures, the Eiffel Tower, stars and a carousel. Symbols that are both deeply Parisian and universally associated with the magic of Christmas season.

From a retail perspective, this pop-up illustrates a highly effective strategy: a temporary format, an iconic location, an immersive scenography and a product offering clearly designed for gifting. In just a few weeks, Swarovski succeeds in creating a space that is desirable, visible and memorable.