Developing the Paris Hilton Handbags shop concept included a visit to Paris’s private Beverly Hills home and the assistance of focus groups from three continents. Three years after approving the final concept a total of 30 branded shops are in operation throughout the Middle East, Asia and South America.

1. COMMERCIALISING IDEAS
EN/29 JULY 2011/
DEVELOPING THE
PARIS HILTON
RETAIL SHOP
CONCEPT

2. 01 > COMMERCIALISING IDEAS/EN/29 JULY 2011/Developing The Paris Hilton Retail Shop Concept
DEVELOPING THE
PARIS HILTON
RETAIL SHOP CONCEPT
the internet is playing an increasingly important role – on
Developing the Paris Hilton retail shop concept
February 2011 Paris Hilton had more than three million
included a visit to Paris’s private Beverly Hills followers on Twitter.
home and the assistance of focus groups from
three continents. Three years after approving the The magnitude of Paris’s brand is well known to Jens
final concept a total of 30 branded shops are in Gregersen – Director of Brand and Sales Strategy at Paris
operation throughout the Middle East, Asia and Hilton Handbags and Accessories. For several years he
South America. has been in charge of introducing the product range in
new markets around the world.
As the Paris Hilton Handbags brand expanded into the Jens Gregersen explains “Paris Hilton’s brand is based on
Middle East in 2008 the need for a retail concept be‐ a real person, her preferences and lifestyle—and as she is
came evident. Until this market continuously covered by the me‐
entry the product line was only dia the distance between her and
sold via multi‐brand shops and the fans is lowered significantly
department stores in other parts in the eyes of the fans, they feel
of the world. Defining a unique they know her.”
Paris Hilton shopping experience,
which could appeal across age As the work on defining the retail
groups and in different geo‐ shop concept began in 2007 Jens
graphical areas was by no means was the first to stress the impor‐
an easy task. tance of focusing on making it an
experience to enter a Paris Hilton
Experience Economy shop—it had to not just reflect
Consumers are increasingly more the brand image of Paris Hilton
demanding when shopping both but also give the consumers the
because of higher purchasing sense of being close to Paris her‐
power and because of a larger self — he explains further “the
variety of brands available. But biggest initial challenge working
even more importantly, providing with new partners—in this case
goods and services only don’t cut an interior design team—is to
it anymore. According to Pine and make them realise that they do
Gilmore in their book titled Work not necessarily know the brand –
Is Theatre & Every Business a at best they have a media based
Stage customers expect experi‐ opinion of her ... it is not a brand
ences and transformations—the defined and moulded by a mar‐
writers discuss the need for busi‐ keting department.”
nesses to orchestrate memorable
events for their customers. As the long terms strategy was to
open shops beyond the Middle
Commercialising a Celebrity Brand East Jens Gregersen shared his main challenge profes‐
Paris Hilton is said to be the world’s most photographed sionally working with the Paris Hilton brand worldwide,
woman and just about everybody seems to have an opin‐ “Celebrity brands are automatically subject to localisa‐
ion about her. Her reputation and brand is to a high de‐ tion—a fact the interior design team had to consider in
gree acted out and experienced in the media, of which order to make the concept globally suitable ... the same

3. 02 > COMMERCIALISING IDEAS/EN/29 JULY 2011/Developing The Paris Hilton Retail Shop Concept
behaviour and opinions expressed by Paris tend to be and products on display.
perceived differently from country to country – or culture
to culture.” Experience the Paris Hilton Shop Concept
As such, in the research phase the handbags team As of February 2011 a total of 30 free‐standing mono‐
formed focus groups in four very distinct geographically branded Paris Hilton shops are found worldwide, the ma‐
areas, America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The jority these are located in the Middle East but are also
members were asked to write down all adjectives that found in Indonesia, the Philippines, Mexico, Venezuela
came to their mind when thinking of Paris Hilton. These and Chile. Stay updated on new shop openings via the
words were then categorised in positives, negatives etc., Retouch Brands website and Paris Hilton’s Twitter.
and then analysed for patterns. It quickly became obvi‐
ous that all focus group members
could agree on Paris Hilton being
glamorous, fashionable and sexy.
These words were communicated to
the interior design team and became
the pillars in the development of the
Paris Hilton Handbags and Accessories
shop concept.
Join Me on the Catwalk
Within a couple of months a design
concept titled Join Me on the Catwalk
was presented to Paris. Join Me on the
Catwalk was a further interpretation
of the Paris Hilton brand, it underlined
the fact that Paris is a celebrity whose
life is on constant public display – in other words, her life
is a 24/7 catwalk—whatever she does, says and wears is
immediately reported by the media. Paris Hilton’s point of view
Paris’s immediate reaction was that she identified herself From the initial brainstorm meetings Paris Hilton
with the expression and supporting ideas but being an stressed that “when people go shopping in my shops I
expert in her own brand she suggested some corrections want them to have a great time. I want them to feel like
to ensure the final design was in alignment with her self‐ they’re having fun while shopping and that they want to
perception. Paris wanted to balance the conclusions of come back again.”
the focus groups with her own voice, she wanted the
interior design team to take their brand proposition one After one and a half year of development process, Paris
step further, and so she invited them to study her private Hilton could for the very first time actually enter and
Beverly Hills home. experience the result of all the creative energy and
specialized focus put in the concept. As she explains:
Based on this study it quickly became clear to the team “When I first entered the shop in Dubai, I was
that the originally chosen futuristic lamps had to be re‐ overwhelmed. It was great to see all of my
placed with chandelier – a style found throughout Paris’s handbags and accessories all together. The store is
home. Another obvious change was the need to use wall‐ inviting and a fun place to be. You could shop in there for
paper with a romantic pattern. Paris loved the changes hours!”
and immediately approved the final retail shop concept.
The result of the work is a predominantly white, curvy
The Join Me on the Catwalk is conceptualised in the furni‐ and feminine concept which direct all attention to the
ture which are rounded and connected on the floor, giv‐ products on display – as Paris expressed it: “It’s really
ing the impression of a floating and continuous path – fashionable and sleek. It reflects the décor of my house,
the “red” carpet of life. Paris’s trademarked silhouette in very feminine and neat. It’s very “me”.”
the form of a 1:1 mirror was an obvious feature to in‐ (Courtesy of Retouch Brands).
clude and is found in all shops worldwide.
Overall the concept is a very light and feminine expres‐
sion kept mainly in white and grey – making sure that it
do not compete for attention with the artwork posters