In the fashion industry, wholesale retailers who can create careful curation and a well-designed customer experience are doing well. Gaetan Goiran works for one of these companies with a strong identity: the Lulli Concept Store, a multi-brand company based in France with branches in Marseille, Toulon, Lyon, Cassis, Sanary-sur-Mer, Aix-en-Provence and Saint- Tropez. Present in retail and connected to the latest brands, the managing director and communications director knows both future trends and customer wishes.
Which SS24 women’s collection impressed you the most? Which one is becoming a commercial success?
Gaetan Goiran: Two shows particularly touched me, those from Rabanne and Zimmermann, two brands that are fortunately available at Lulli. I have a vision of a very poetic and sensual show at Zimmermann. The show took me away, I saw angels on their way to heaven, it was incredible! What attracted me to Rabanne was the stylistic ability to reinvent oneself with identity codes. It felt like we were in the Middle Ages, but in the future. Always immersed in their DNA from start to finish, with a reinterpretation by the talented artistic director Julien Dossena. For me both will be a hit, the pieces will remain it-pieces in the long term, that’s for sure! The T-shirt dress with the signature metal skirt will make a splash, that’s for sure.
Which product categories will be particularly popular in the 2024 season?
In my opinion, the micro bag remains a must-have accessory; we can find it at Ami, Marni, Ganni. And then there is the undeniable return of the ballerina in all its forms, iconic and ultra-feminine, to be discovered at Ayede, Miista and also Repetto. Not to mention the maxi coat that Liberadd, a Korean label, has come up with perfectly. Otherwise, in summer we find ourselves in the continuity of tailoring with a variation of the shirt: shirt, crop shirt, with collar, without collar.
There is also a lot of decoration on the dresses: sequins, embroidery, and so on. I feel like we layered some pretty basic things: we take a white shirt, but we embellish it with a maxi embroidery. We came to embellish the classic side of some pieces.
For me, the woman of summer 2024 is the Miu Miu woman: a bold, explosive little look that exudes optimism.
How have consumer preferences changed? What are they looking for in the store?
Today we find ourselves in a difficult economic situation. What customers are looking for above all is to create a bond, to have a positive moment, something that takes them a little out of the present. Of course we sell products, they come looking for a trend or whatever, but today customers need concreteness, security and values above all. At Lulli we are lucky to have a range of incredible brands, but above all we try to convey goodwill and not judgement.
We claim to be department stores on a human level, with a welcome and a connection with our customers, because I think that is the most important thing today. And then of course there is the dictates of brands, trends and social networks. Of course, it’s easier to sell sneakers when you have New Balance on the shelf, it’s reassuring, it’s a safe bet, it’s trendy. You know when you wear it it will go with any outfit. Of course there is that aspect, but everyone knows that. I would rather emphasize what makes the difference. Fashion is good for morale, but at the same time bad for the environment. We know that everyone is trying to do their best. Today, when we buy jeans brands, we have a conscience Background, because we know how to wash the jeans. It didn’t exist before, we didn’t even try to understand it. Today people are proud – especially big brands like Citizens of Humanity or Golden Goose – that their water is recycled.
“We are here to do business (…) to make good sales, but not at any price and not in any way.”
I think it adds value. We are here to do business, we agree, we are here to make good sales, but not at any price and not in any way. After all, we don’t claim to be the savior of anything, we don’t save lives, we sell clothes. But despite all this, we know what is going on around us and when I encounter a brand, I need more information than before: how long the house has been around, how it is produced, who works there, is it a family business and so on . These are things that weren’t so important before. And I noticed – I’m lucky enough to also work in the store – that customers are sensitive to this. They are becoming more and more attentive and when they pay for something they need a little extra service because as I said, economically it is not easy for everyone. We are fortunate to be in a field that will continue to exist and that makes us keep trying, even if it is more complicated than at other times. You get a lot of love and attention in the store. And these are things that we have to continue to cultivate, even if we just make fashion.
How do you choose a new brand?
The funny thing about Lulli is that of course we have big brands and big partners, but we also have a lot of small designers who are just starting out, whether it’s jewelry or whatever. It is a great opportunity for them and often, above all, a human encounter.
I am often approached by brands and always have a modicum of curiosity to see what they do and respond to them. Because it’s not easy when you start, you don’t have a name, you don’t know what tomorrow will bring. So I always tend to look. It starts with both a human story and the expectations of our customers, who ask us: “Why don’t we have this brand?” Why can’t we find this brand in this city? All of this leads to thinking about contacting brand X or Y. But above all, it is the idea of offering the best product in the right place, telling a beautiful story, making people dream.
I am pleased to be able to introduce the new Patou to former Patou customers. Because the house remains the same, but the codes have been revised by Guillaume Henry to be in tune with the times and always very fashionable. We also carry Clarks. In principle this has nothing to do with Lulli. But I spoke to the sales manager at lunch, he explained to me the history of Clarks – which I didn’t know, although everyone knows the brand. He told me that it is a company that has been owned by the same family for 300 years, that they invented the right and left shoe, that the brand has been worn by the biggest fashion icons and all without any marketing. I find that remarkable.
So there is always a different context. It’s about giving a new brand a chance to get our customers to discover something. It’s a mix. There is a lot of human and sentimental stuff around it.
How have economic, social and political factors recently impacted your customers’ purchasing decisions?
As I said, we don’t save lives, but we have a very strong human connection. We are the new “hairdresser”, because hairdressers are being lost, now there are only chains. We remain a constant. We now have twelve branches in very targeted cities. We are a place to live. We sell perfume, furniture , we don’t put any barriers on ourselves. We are a real concept store!
We are six to eight months ahead in purchasing. When I start looking at what’s happening in the news, I honestly don’t buy anything anymore. So I try to stay on my path by telling myself, “Don’t worry, do your job, make sure your teams are there and behind us and have a friendly smile,” because we are lucky , to be in a segment that hasn’t been affected too badly. We’re not in the luxury segment, luxury is exploding, but we’re not low-end either. We’re looking at the present, a class of customers who are doing pretty well and if we offer them a better deal, a better reception than elsewhere, they will continue to come. We have a network of physical stores that works very well, even digitally.
What influences us the most after that, and we must use it as a strength, are social networks, especially Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok. They are real work tools. It has broken down some barriers because brands can be contacted directly. As long as they have a little taste, you can quickly tell whether a brand has potential. There is also the influence of media and cultural trends. For example, the exhibition on Basquiat and Warhol, which I inevitably know will at some point reflect communication or cultural news. It is our job to also use the incoming information.
Can you tell us about Lulli’s collaborations and partnerships for the Spring/Summer 2024 season?
Lulli enters a new era and enriches its catalog of brands called “designers”. In addition to Isabel Marant, Zimmermann, Patou, Marni, this year we are very excited to collaborate with Rabanne, whose SS24 show was incredible, or with JW Anderson and Proenza Schouler for a new shoe collection. These new collaborations mark a new twist for Lulli next summer. But we want to continue to offer a broad and accessible range, because Lulli is aimed at all women.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.fr.