“It’s just starting to get cold!” : the luxury boutiques of Ecusson play the game of winter sales… all the same

Ventes privées et autres journées “privilège” ont donné une saveur plus fade aux soldes d'hiver. MIDI LIBRE – G. ITALIANO

On the eve of the first day of sales, most salespeople and managers of luxury boutiques were hanging the last tags on the most beautiful winter pieces. No flashy banners on the windows, discretion is required. It's finally the ideal opportunity to splurge on a luxurious or high-end piece without breaking the bank. 

High-end houses have revealed attractive discounts without waiting for sales. Attention lovers of luxury sales, from Boss to Zapa, from Hermès to Klub, -20, -30 but not yet -50, are displayed almost everywhere in the sector of rue Foch, a mecca of luxury in the Ecusson of Montpellier, but also passage Lonjon, rue Jacques-Coeur, etc.

In this last street in particular, we slowly enter the Hermès boutique where the squares are displayed more and more, under the admiring eyes of the buyers, some of whom emerge with their little orange bag hanging from their fingertips,   recognizable among thousands, and which makes you dream so much. Yet here, there are no flashy sales. For several editions, access has been reserved for holders of a nominative invitation, mainly in Paris.

Good advice, high-end premium

"In luxury, we are in timelessness!", we hear.  And therefore in full force, all the time, like at Hermès. Not for Mathieu, the manager of Finsbury shoes, a brand of elegant men's shoes priced between 250 and 400 euros; and accessories, which misses the bling-bling effect. "Luxury is often associated with purchasing a brand. But these tend more and more to entertain the imagination, to the detriment of quality. And durability is reflected, explains the man who also works to renovate designer accessories and shoes, which are sometimes more than 30 years old, because that they have sentimental value for their owner. We come here for "good advice, high-end premium", not for flashy luxury. -15, -30, "and up to -55%", the discounts started with confidential sales a month ago, on the permanent range.

A little further, La maison de la vision, born in Montpellier, praises the emotional power of glasses, not that of the wallet, "no sales with us!" , we assume without possible vagueness.

"It's just starting to get cold!", and everywhere, large stocks need to be liquidated. Cathy, manager of the Folie Douce lingerie boutique for 33 years on rue Foch, is not really concerned about seasonality "except summer for swimsuits, but one thing is sure, the sales really start too early!". Blame it on global warming, because in everyone's opinion, "there is no longer a season!".

Winter is just beginning

At Patagonia, the outdoor specialistoutdoor, however, we should pull the chestnuts out of the fire. The shop, closed since Monday, will only open this Wednesday, for those who want to ski in style, or just drink a chocolate on the terrace in a trendy down jacket!

"Private sales, and other floating sales that last all year have killed the real sales. It doesn't mean anything anymore. We really need to supervise them,” suggests Cathy. Here, we only devoted one day to a private sale, and that was on the eve of Wednesday. "There is no longer this craze!". Gone are the days of queuing for hours in the hope of snagging that rare piece. "I have a clientele all year round, anyway, but for some, it's the opportunity to treat themselves to one or two times a year,  a more chic model, of better quality and therefore more expensive".

Same observation at Jean Gaillard, Passage Lonjon, who dresses men with taste. "In addition to a regular clientele, we attract new people who take a step aside during the sales and will fall for a beautiful piece".

Regular customers buy all year round, excluding sales

Chez Lafaurie, passage Lonjon, where we find ourselves in an   "in-between”, qualitative and in good style, neither luxury nor cheap, Bérangère prepares its blue, red, yellow labels, conscientiously, "even if we are already on private sale, exclusively reserved to customers". Here, the sales "do not necessarily attract new buyers, it's rather stable!". Like at Gérard Darel where loyal customers don't rush during sales, "thanks to a non-aggressive pricing policy", but a few new faces still appear.

At Boss, (should we remember the address ?), the "star" from the store, Jean-Yves is busy on his hangers. "We've already gone through three promotional periods since Black Friday in November". He remembers the endless queues on the sidewalk, and the hundreds of packages piled up in the store, "reservations that we didn't have right to sell only on sales day. For him, as for many others, luxury sales are no longer what they used to be, we went from ten sellers to three in 20 years of existence. The Internet has been there…", he whispers.

In jewelry, sales "does not exist"

Champion of discretion, the Souleïado boutique which reserves two racks for sales, but you still have to ask which ones. In Barrière jewelry, there is nothing to find, sales do not exist, they are unique pieces, the collections are not renewed like in loan- à-porter", as evidenced by this splendid diamond solitaire pendant at 16,390€.

At Casamance, Passage Lonjon, the labels are still displayed upside down in the window. But we can guess by the transparency of pairs of shoes with two numbers instead of three.

Clearance at Belle et Fée which offers Max Mara, privilege days at Zapa, previews at Boss or Mauboussin… Private sales have already been there. The sales will increase until the beginning of February. There will be something for all tastes, of course, but perhaps not for all budgets! "Clear sale: everything at 250 €"… no, it’s not a joke!

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