Breakfast at Hermès

Remember that line in Breakfast at Tiffany's when Holly Golightly talks about Tiffany's store, she says "nothing very bad could happen to you there"?

She likes the quietness, the dignity, and the overall uplifting effect the store has on her mood. She even declares "If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!". She recognizes the store as some sort of heaven, a refuge, a place she feels comfortable enough that she would call it home if she could.

Note what she says, it is the way the store makes her FEEL... Her character probably never bought anything from Tiffany, yet she's one of its best ambassadors because she is emotionally attached, and all she wants is to be able to buy something one day.

All everybody ever wants from others is to feel important. Call it love, consideration, valorization, acknowledgment... It's all the same, people want to be at the center of attention, even for a minute, and it's even more true when we consider brand experiences. There is so much choice nowadays, even in the luxury segment, that it only seems logical to think that brands would fight for our attention and show more love to the shoppers in order to seduce them.

I have to confess I have my Holly Golightly moments whenever I step into an Hermès store. Something about the way store staff is greeting everyone, the atmosphere, the way products are displayed and how sales consultants talk about them... And I have this feeling whether I am the Sèvres Paris store, or the HuaiHai Rd. store in Shanghai, it always feels like Hermès. I personally never bought anything from the brand, but when a sales consultant takes up to ten minutes of her time to tell me about the design of a scarf or the shape of a plate, without even trying to sell it to me, I am bound to feel important. My opinion of the brand is forged by all these little visits: I learned about the product and I learned about the brand philosophy and dedication. Poet Maya Angelou said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Indeed I will never forget how Hermès makes me feel important, and I will certainly buy something one day because I already am in a relationship with the brand that is not based on ephemeral advertising or a one-shot product launch... No sparkles or special discounts could do it. My relationship with Hermes is based on human connexion and emotions. A lasting and more authentic relationship.