How much and in what Way has the Pandemic Influenced the Retail Evolution?

«These last few months have been challenging for everyone. As often happens, great opportunities arise from adversities. And this is why retail has changed. The key word is phygital: buying in person is still fundamental and extremely important but, faced with the intermittent closures to which we have been obliged to adapt, stores have had to integrate the potentialities that the digital world offers. In Vhernier’s case, chats and video-calls have proved to be highly efficient and, thanks to those, through a specific platform, customers have been able to book live appointments with the boutiques to view our collections and make their purchases. At the same time, we also launched the new vhernier.com website where on-line purchases have been available for several months now. The website offers jewelry both for immediate purchase and to order. In regard to ordered items, once the order has been placed, the customer receives timely updates on the manufacturing stages. In this context, a distinctive design is a huge asset. Above all, because it makes the product more memorable and, therefore, much more desirable. It is also true that, precisely due to this uniqueness, it must be described and displayed in an exceptionally comprehensible manner, with no detriment to its magic. That is why we have created a portfolio of photographs and video clips for our collections so that items can be seen from every possible angle, and, above all, each one’s extraordinary wearability is revealed: Vhernier creations are designed to communicate with the body and the space around them and it is fundamental for us to convey this so very significant element. And that’s not all: while developing traditional channels in a digital key and enhancing product shapes and materials is crucial, in order to win the challenge that this new context poses, you also need to share a world that goes beyond the product. You have to demonstrate how jewelry is still relevant today. That is what we have done with our recent Coucher du Soleil collection, an absolutely innovative line in its ability to combine gold, bronze and diamonds, and also with the new Mon Jeu, Vhernier’s reinterpretation of the chain. Storytelling videos and clips were made specifically for both collections explaining how these items fit in with present day and are appropriate for these new times, marked by a different everyday life and characterized by change.»