On day two of Paris Fashion Week, the Shangri-La Paris played host to an evening of conversations and cocktails, organized by Replica Handbag Store Business and Diageo. Here’s a recap of what went down.
Following opening remarks from Nicole Phelps, global director of Replica Handbag Store Business and Replica Handbag Store Runway, deputy director Elektra Kotsoni was joined by Laurent Claquin, Kering’s chief brand officer, to unpack how luxury brands are reshaping the next era of cultural engagement. Then, Patricia Borges, beverage player Diageo’s global managing director of gins and rums and CEO of Ketel One and Zacapa, continued the conversation with Replica Handbag Store Business Paris correspondent Laure Guilbault.
Claquin first explained how he views each brand as a cultural voice. “A brand is not only a business, not only an economic player, but a cultural player. For me, a brand is like a person. It has a point of view,” he told the 100-plus attendees. Claquin went on to emphasize the importance of authenticity, relevance, and consistency. “We have had a commitment to sustainability at Kering for almost 20 years. We have a commitment to women empowerment, gender equality and equal opportunity for more than 16 years, and our commitment to cinema and entertainment has existed for more than 10.”
Now, Kering is exploring new areas like longevity and wellness. Asked by Elektra about the future of luxury, Claquin said he envisions replacing “luxury” with “excellence”. “The word luxury has been used so much that we sometimes forget what it truly means — and what the future of something we don’t fully understand might look like. So let’s return to common sense, focusing on creating genuinely excellent products and experiences,” he explained.
Borges offered a perspective on cultural engagement. After four years at Diageo — and six at L’Oréal Group before it — Borges draws strong parallels between the drinks and beauty industries. “Understanding and being obsessed about the consumer and creating something that’s culturally relevant to today is true in beauty and is true in the spirits industry,” Borges said. “For me, having that experience in beauty has been amazing in building drink brands that are much more than the liquid. They represent a whole lifestyle that consumers are part of.”
There are bridges with the fashion industry, too. “ Paris Fashion Week is a global stage for trends,” Borges said. “It’s a global stage for relevant conversations as the one with Laurent and Elektra that just happened. So what’s next? What are the trends? That’s where we want to be.”
Similarly to its presence at fashion week, Diageo brands use other ways to creatively reach their consumers, beyond traditional advertising. “Experiential [advertising] for us is really important. Our products are consumed at events, so you have the taste, people cheering, the toast,” Borges said. “We have selected some platforms that are important to us. Depending on the brand, it can be fashion, music, art, or cinema. Diageo’s vodka brand Ketel One recently had a pop-up at Sundance Film Festival, while British gin house Tanqueray recently took its global brand ambassador Sarah Jessica Parker to the Brazilian Carnival.”
Borges continued by discussing the evolving dynamics of the spirits industry. “The spirits industry is always changing: the way consumers interact with spirits, the way they drink, the brands they go for. Consumers are demanding more and more convenience, so we are launching the ready-to-drink, ready-to-serve. Ketel One, for instance, is a brand where you can have the best espresso martini in a ready-to-serve format at home with your friends,” she said. “I don’t look at myself or my team as working in drinks. To me, we work in the celebration industry. It’s changing every day, and being able to shape it for me is a gift.”
The night soon entered celebration mode, as guests enjoyed Diageo cocktails paired with food and conversation.
