Tell us more about your company’s history, client profile and USPs
Founded in 2020 by Rémi Le Druillenec, an expert in retail for over 15 years, and Quentin Obadia, a designer and Art Director in high jewelry, Héroïne is a Paris-based design and brand experience consulting agency. Our team of 25 people is composed by consultants, strategic planners, account managers, retail designers, service designers, graphic designers and architects.
Convinced that Experience must above all serve a brand’s overall strategy, we developed the R.O.X.™ method (for “Return On eXperience”) to measure and drive it. Based on 5 pillars – Immersion, Usage, Proof, Service, Sharing – and their associated KPIs, this method allows Héroïne to audit and issue strategic recommendations and design unique experiences. Our main concern is to understand a brand’s community to program the journey and the experience they are about to live.
Héroïne accompanies its clients from all industries such as watchmaking and jewelry, fashion, the beauty industry, wines and spirits. The agency works with Maisons such as Cartier, CHANEL, Bottega Veneta, Amouage, Hermès and Moët & Chandon.
What services are you offering and which are your key markets?
We work on all facets of Experience, thanks to our 3 areas of expertise: Strategy, Design and Experience Education. In short, at Héroïne, we imagine our clients’ brand Experience strategy, create client journeys with its features, and inspire and train their teams (from C-level to retail teams).
To give you more detail on each expertise:
Strategy: We are convinced that Brand Experience must above all serve the brand’s global strategy and must therefore be measured and monitored. That’s why we developed the brand experience platform, a truly client-centric tool to understand a brand, its community and define the means to activate them. To do this, we define client and visitor journeys and touch points, qualify their functions in the brand’s ecosystem (social networks, campaigns, pop-ups, boutiques, etc.) and analyze and measure the performance of the delivered brand Experience, using the R.O.X.™ method.
Design: We imagine and develop memorable and engaging discovery journeys through narrative architecture by defining the overarching concept of the Experience and give it shape on a specific scale. We also work on how best to segment and stage product offerings through Visual Merchandising. Finally, we create discovery rituals, to turn product discovery into a signature moment.
Experience Education: We inspire and accompany C-Level executives on various Experience challenges with a clear strategic roadmap. We also train teams to support and create an emotional connection between the brand and its community within and beyond boutique walls.
Key markets: We work across all continents, mainly in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America. Our clients are mostly at Head Quarter levels.
Has there been an increase in physical (brick & mortar) retail outlets? (post pandemic)
Absolutely, physical retail is back! The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) predicts that physical retail will make up 85{37471d21a8c4ca072ce05e5c1dfbdaec01ff2ef8391827b0199be0aecce32fae} of total retail sales in 2024, marking the strongest growth pace since the post-pandemic rebound of 2021. The pandemic could have finished it off, it’s true, but it actually accelerated transformations and created new behaviors: new client desires, journeys, demands… To survive, brands must go through a true revolution and move away from purely transactional-focused boutiques to offer more and propose unique physical experiences.
Successful retail today is strategic, it’s meant to be engaging, memorable and impactful.
Bain’s latest 2023 report shows spending on experiences recovers historical highs, with consumers reapproaching luxury beyond products, fueled by a sense of urgency for social life and travels. Brands are now recognizing the value of in-person experiences, and we accompany them in defining their objectives, and making their vision reality.
What about pop-ups / ephemeral retail spaces? What about immersive retail spaces?
In addition to offering the possibility of renewed experiences that are both surprising and limited in time, pop-ups are real strategic levers for brands. Pop-ups are very often used to help brands express themselves to a wider community, and thus overcome that infamous barrier to entry in a luxury store.
Not surprising that we’ve seen brands experiment more and more with these formats, since according to a Capital One study, pop-up shops generated up to $80 billion in annual revenue in 2023; projections indicate that market value will exceed $95 billion by 2025 indicating a shift towards more dynamic and community-centric retail strategies. Indeed, we are all looking for beautiful and memorable stories to live.
Pop-ups & more generally immersive retail are a unique opportunity for brands to bring delight to their community. To offer them a special moment, sometimes far away from their daily life, to bring emotions and create exceptional memories.
How do you see the future evolution of digital / AR?
The integration of digital and augmented reality (AR) will continue to transform retail. These technologies will enhance shopping experiences with personalized and interactive elements, merging the online and physical worlds. We’re already using it in some of the concepts we create for brands, but only if it makes sense with the project.
We love the possibilities AR offers, but to be efficient and make a long-lasting impact, it needs to be thought out within the brand’s strategy and objectives. Digital, AR or even AI should be considered as tools and never viewed as a final purpose.
To what extent do you follow trends? What about innovation ? – tell us more about trends.
We’re always looking at the latest trends and innovations, members of our team go on frequent retail tours to check out the latest stores or pop-ups to see if there’s anything interesting coming out. Our R.O.X.™ methodology allows us to create experiences that foster strong emotional connections within a brand’s community, going beyond mere transactions. It’s our guiding tool to assess experiences.
We also look at sustainable and ethical practices as key innovation areas. Today, brands and consumers alike are more conscious about their environmental and social impact. By incorporating sustainable materials and practices into our retail designs, we not only meet these client expectations but also contribute positively to the brand’s reputation.
We have some convictions for the future of retail:
- Emotional retail, where the conversion between the brand and its client is key
- Retail as a media, to increase the brand awareness and build a strong brand community
- Programmable retail, a renewed experience at each visit.
Are retail concepts different from market to market? To what extent brands adapt their retail design to each market?
Creating a global retail concept can help to guarantee a brand’s consistency in every country. Nevertheless, thinking about the local specificities and adapting brand experience to different markets is essential for an efficient global network.
Indeed, while we ensure that our experiences are scalable to communicate a coherent message and maintain consistency across all formats, the specific experience we offer is tailored to fit the unique preferences and behaviors of each market.
For instance, we created a global pop-up concept for Rémy Martin’s 300 year anniversary, then we developed a special format for Chinese New Year.
This approach ensures that while the core brand identity remains consistent, the retail experience feels relevant and appealing to local consumers, thereby enhancing client experience and loyalty across different markets.
Which are the key professionals you rely on for luxury retail projects?
Because we create out of the ordinary and unique boutiques, we work with various extremely specialized partners that are capable of bringing our unique designs to life. To give you an example, Euro Expo helped us make the iconic sphere in AMOUAGE’s Oman flagship.
Another partner, for digital assets, is Byzance World. We designed an interactive consultation concept through a table and interactive wall. We needed hidden technology to ensure the magic of the moment. Byzance team helped us realize it.
Which are your most representative projects?
Working with AMOUAGE has been one of our most creatively and strategically challenging adventure. AMOUAGE is an independent Omani House of High Perfumery, renowned for creating some of the world’s most finely crafted fragrances.
For the past 3 years, AMOUAGE chose Héroïne for its expansion and the development of an international network of boutiques. Each boutique tells a new brand story, through engaging, memorable and shareable experiences.
Placing experience at the heart of its brand strategy has enabled AMOUAGE to achieve +49{37471d21a8c4ca072ce05e5c1dfbdaec01ff2ef8391827b0199be0aecce32fae} sales (YoY) in Q1 2024, all regions combined.
Rémi Le Druillenec, Cofounder CEO Héroïne
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