Retail in Asia

Featured

4th edition of Luxury Symposium

awardees

On 20th January 2020, The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong and Macao hosted the 4th edition of the Luxury Symposium entitled “Disruption and challenges: Where luxury goes next.”

This year the venue selected for the event was, Centricity in Chater House, thanks to the partners Hongkong Land.

SEE ALSO : EXCLUSIVE : Best Retail Experience Award 2019 – Winners

The event was opened by the President of the Luxury & Retail Committee of The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong and Macao, Alain Li, CEO for the Asia-Pacific region of luxury goods powerhouse Richemont.

Alain Li focused on the definition of disruption to provide the context to the discussion of the status of luxury across the region. Additionally, the content included discussions on the current situation in Hong Kong.

Before kicking off the content, Alexis Bonhomme, Vice President Greater China – Commercial at Farfetch, the major sponsor, greeted the audience of over 200 attendees.

Daniel Zipser, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company, gave an overview wtih facts and figures on Chinese travellers and their contribution to the worldwide luxury business.

Cyril Drouin, Chief eCommerce Officer, Publicis Commerce Greater China, provided the audience with concrete examples of platforms used in China and becoming more and more popular beyond the borders to attract Chinese consumers.

He particularly highlighted how the dichotomy between luxury and the internet is no longer and how partnerships between luxury brands and giants such as JD.com and Alibaba are more and more frequent.

Farfetch
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

Benjamin Vuchot, President Asia, Sephora, presented Sephora concept and highlighted their omnichannel approach as a given in today’s world and announced their objective to become a media source for customers to read about beauty and product reviews.

Alexis Bonhomme proposed a new paradigm from creativity to commerciality and proposed Farfetch as an accelerator of brands.

Alexis Bonhomme
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

Moderated by Anson Bailey, Partner KPMG, Head of Consumer & Retail ASPAC; Zoe Cheng, Head of Growth, Cosmose; Carson McKelvey, CEO, Tofugear; Tim Wu, board member and program director, Eureka Nova (New World Group), a panel on retail innovations provided some examples of current brand activations to enhance customer experience.

Phototaking
The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong and Macao

Raymond Chow, Executive Director, Commercial Property, HongKong Land with Alain Li, CEO APAC, Richemont discussed a new way of looking at landlord-tenant relationship in Hong Kong as a consequence of 7 months of social unrest.

Moderated by John Mefford, Managing Director, Accenture Interactive APAC with Teresa Muk, Head of Brand, Swire Hotels; Isabelle Zhuang, China President, Luxury Business Institute; Billy Ip, Principal, Woods Bagot, the panel focused on customer experience, from store design to quality of service. Indeed, technology was described as a tool at the disposal of staff, who represent the main key to customers.

John Mefford
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

Lastly, Simon Nyeck, Director, Centre for Excellence in Luxury, Arts & Culture; ESSEC Business School with Elise Gonnet Pon; Managing director of APAC, L’ ECOLE, School of Jewelry Arts Supported by Van Cleef & Arpels; Angela Shum, Brand General Manager Greater China; Cha Ling, LVMH, discussed the evolving definition of luxury ad key features emphasizing on storytelling.

After the event the winners of the Best Retail Experience Award were called on stage for photo-taking with two representatives from the jury: Julia Liotard-Vogt, Business Group Business Development Director and Sophie Leconte, Executive Director of The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong and Macao.

Best Retail Experience Award 2019 – Awardees

Category:

  • Omnichannel – luxury or lifestyle

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd

With their UNBOXED by Singtel, a revolutionary AI-powered unmanned pop-up store launched in Singapore in June 2019.

singtel
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

Category:

  • Permanent brick-and-mortar experience – luxury or lifestyle
  • Sustainable – luxury or lifestyle

K11 Concepts Limited 

Double awards with their concept K11 MUSEA.

K11 MUSEA holds green building certifications, including U.S. LEED Gold Level Certification and Hong Kong BEAM Plus (Provisional Assessment – Gold level) Building Certification.

K11
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

 

K11.2
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

Category:

  • Pop-up brick-and-mortar – luxury or lifestlye

L’Oréal Malaysia Sdn Bhd

With their concept Love Playground by Kiehl’s in Malaysia.

L'Oreal
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

After the photo-taking, the attendees moved to the terrace to start the networking moment greeted by Sophie Leconte.

After party
Source: French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

Congratulations to The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong and Macao and looking forward to the next edition.