How luxury brands pay without admitting it

The big French claws -dior, Chanel or Vuitton - are also faced with unsold problems.But there is no question of sulling their stocks with large advertising reinforcements.Discretion is to put.Overview.

"Vuitton never makes sales," repeatedly repeated Yves Carcelle, the former boss of the brand.In the very high-end, it is true, you will never see a gleaming poster in the windows advocating any markdown.And their spokesperson never answers journalists' questions about these subjects."In luxury, we do not discuss prices, because the price of luxury is that of timelessness.There is no question that he will make the yoyo "explains Jean-Noël Kapferer, luxury specialist and professor at INSEEC Luxury Institute.

However, and although they are reluctant to recognize it, Chanel, Dior or Hermès are, like their less high -end consumers, confronted with the problem of unsold.Less than their British or American counterparts, converted to "See Now, Buy Now", which consists in selling in store the models that paraded the same day.For Dior, Chanel and Hermès, it is always necessary to wait six months.These brands can thus anticipate and produce clothes depending on the attraction aroused by pre-sales.But with the accentuated rhythm of the collections, to which the pre-collections and other cruise collections were added, the big names of luxury are found with ever more important stocks to liquidate.

They will never use the term "sales"

So how do they get widespread without breaking their image?And how is it that in January, June and July, they too record with the French Federation of ready-to-wear turnover greater than other months?In reality, luxury claws multiply operations to sell accessories and clothes that have not found takers.It's just that they never work "the term 'sales'", underlines Philippe Jourdan, expert in marketing and founder of Promise Consulting.

Unlike American brands like Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein who have "no mood to use the Outlet circuit every day", according to Jean-Noël Kapferer, the big French houses are cautious.They require discretion more likely to guarantee their image of exclusivity.Some agree for example to entrust part of their stock to one of the only ultra-luxe factory stores in France, the Village Valley, near Disneyland.But they have negotiated that their name never appears directly in advertisements, nor on the site of this shopping center, reports Le Monde.They practice a single set rate, known in advance of their customers, generally located around 30%, and "do not give in the escalation", according to Philippe Jourdan.

Discounts not mentioned on the label

Sometimes, as shown in a hidden camera survey of France 2, there are some holders sold in stores.The discount is not displayed in the window or on the label.It is the sellers who surreptitiously inform the regulars."I can buy an article in sale while the person next to me will pay the same at a high price," said a loyal customer in the report.

But these sales that do not say their names, the most hype brands prefer to organize them outside their store.Hermès for his part, relocates its private sales, once a year, at the Palais des Congrès in Paris.An operation on which the luxury saddler does not communicate.Barely published a tiny insert late in Le Figaro.Whatever, word of mouth is enough to generate gigantic queues to Porte Maillot.

We try in the middle of the crowd

The shopping experience is not comparable to that experienced by customers in rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré.In a crowd that was little at the atmosphere of the historic shop, to enjoy 40 to 60% reduction, these ladies agglutinate in a large room where no Birkin or Kelly bag, but rather squares of whichThe reasons did not convince.

Same principle for Agnès B, in a warehouse of the 10th arrondissement.With always so much subtlety: buyers go out with their purchases in an opaque plastic bag, without any claw names on it.Or for Vuitton, who sends sms at the last moment to his loyal clients with the name of the place and the time of these sales -.

Chanel, for his part, retains his unsold people for two years, before offering them at Espace Champerret, in Chantilly.You can then buy a bag for 10 or 20% of its value, provided you make hours of tail, to try in the middle of the crowd since there are no cabins, and to give up 2.55, the emblematic bag which, not only does never go out of fashion but still takes value with time.

Last recourse incineration

Another method, always very selective: to darken unsold people with staff, during ultra-confidential sales.Or, have part of your merchandise to the handful of companies that share this market.Confidence actors from the Chiron boss, Maurice Goldberger, known as "Momo the cleaner", who are committed to selling confidentially at the other end of the world.

Last resort to get rid of stocks: pure and simple destruction.Challenges told in 2013 how Hermès asked a dozen employees subject to the secret of going to the incinerator of Saint-Ouen.There, while arriving trucks responsible for the most beautiful products manufactured by the craftsmen of the brand, they had to "verify that everything is actually destroyed and that no one uses in passing".A taboo practice, but visibly common in the luxury industry.According to Challenges, Chanel, Vuitton, Dior or Prada would do the same.