Walking in Covent Garden on Saturday late afternoon, I was struck by the hoards of people around. Having studied there in the 1980’s I’m very familiar with the Piazza, the surrounding areas and the changing landscape in retail. I’ve seen shops come and go and the whole area transform many times over.
Having said that, I was taken aback by the appearance of Dior, Chanel and Burberry. These luxury brands have each opened a beauty store in the Piazza. I soon realised that due to the gorgeous weather and impending Mother’s Day (yesterday) Covent Garden was jampacked.
Regular readers will know this is not my usual kind of post, but I was intrigued by the addition of these luxury brands. Curious about the Mother’s Day decorations, it got me thinking about the importance of the shopping experience and the sheer influence of these brand’s marketing budgets and campaigns.
Not one for wearing perfume (slightly allergic to it) I’m fascinated what big business it is. In the US the fragrance industry is worth around $5.2 billion. No wonder every celebrity is jumping on the bandwagon.
Let’s see how the established brands like Dior and Chanel do their thing. They do it rather well!
Love this Dior Mother’s Day flowers decoration.
Dior’s J’adore bottle is timeless……
….so is this spectacular campaign with the gorgeous Charlize Theron. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it! That dress!!!
This is a fun idea, showcasing their lipstick in a bag form. Of course, Dior bags are very sought after.
Detail of the bag above.
Chanel next door opened in May 2013 as a make-up pop-up. The store is designed to be fun, accessible and deliver a fully immersive experience. The idea was to introduce a non-intimidating retail experience, despite being a luxury brand. It’s meant to be playful, inspirational, combining the exclusivity and chic of the brand with a fun and informal atmosphere.
For Mother’s Day Chanel illuminated the iconic logo in a sequence of pinks and lavender.
Keira Knightley has once again been transformed into ‘Coco Mademoiselle’ for Chanel’s latest perfume advert. Since 2007 Keira has been starring as its iconic founder Coco Chanel, and her newest role is part of a series of mini films that see the mysterious Coco seduce and then mysteriously vanish from devastatingly good looking men.
Ironically, I saw Keira Knightley earlier on Saturday walking hand in hand in Dalston with her husband, looking relaxed and happy without a care in the world. She’s not very recognisable with shades on, really rather unassuming and does not seek attention. I like that about her.
A bunch of flowers I bought on Saturday. Consider them for you!
Do you wear perfume or aftershave (for my male readers)? Which brand? Happy belated Mother’s Day for those of you in the UK. See you Thursday x