Sinful Suppers:
The YSL Dining Affair
Saint Laurent has always been about pushing boundaries “why stop at fashion?” Elevate your dining experience to a masterpiece of sophistication, where every meal is draped in elegance and artistry. Saint Laurent is redefining the landscape of luxury living by venturing into high-end dinnerware, merging its signature bold aesthetic with timeless craftsmanship and exclusivity.
More than just function, Saint Laurent transforms tableware into an extension of personal style sophisticated, statement-making, and unapologetically chic. Through Parisian heritage, strategic collaborations, and immersive brand experiences, the maison seamlessly blends haute couture with the art of dining, positioning itself as the definitive luxury lifestyle brand.
About Project
Client:
Duration:
Saint Laurent
10 Weeks
Topic:
Brand Expansion
Role:
Project Lead
Team:
Solo Project
Problem Statement
?
How can Saint Laurent leverage its brand equity, awareness, and heritage to create a fashion driven luxury dinnerware collection that reflects its consumers' identities and serves as the first step toward a full lifestyle brand?
Secondary Research
My research methodology encompassed analyzing Saint Laurent through various lenses—library and industry databases (to establish a foundational understanding), social media (to capture contemporary influences), company websites (to examine corporate messaging), and major publications (to incorporate expert perspectives)—ultimately aiming to understand its market potential and brand identity, and growth opportunities within the luxury industry and the dinnerware sector specifically, which I identified as a promising avenue for brand expansion and a strategic step towards Saint Laurent's evolution into a comprehensive lifestyle brand.
Primary Research
Key Insights
To gain a deep understanding of user needs and preferences, I conducted extensive primary research through consumer surveys, informal interviews, and expert consultations. This process was essential in uncovering key insights about the brand and consumer behavior related to dinnerware, ultimately shaping my ideation and marketing approach.
Luxury brands can maximize success by adopting an omnichannel approach (given its impact on UHNWI spending), leveraging personalization to meet consumer demands, and ensuring future portfolio growth through iconic products that resonate with target clients and adapt to trends such as opulent tablescaping.
How might we,
craft a Parisian-chic, modern dinnerware collection that seamlessly extends Saint Laurent's fashion heritage into a luxury lifestyle experience, leveraging personalization, exclusivity, and innovative retail strategies (both experiential and digital) to cultivate 'must-have' status and resonate deeply with consumers?
Target Consumer
To effectively define our target consumer, we undertook a comprehensive research approach, focusing on a deep understanding of Saint Laurent's core consumers: who they are, how they behave, and what they desire. This was crucial for retaining their loyalty. In conjunction, we researched our indirect competitors to identify opportunities for strategic market space expansion, encompassing aspiring spenders while remaining true to our core consumer base
Strategic Plan
Building upon our research, the next pivotal step involved ideation and conceptualization, where we developed a comprehensive strategy and plan encompassing distribution, marketing mix, promotional expansion, and a detailed launch and rollout. This stage is paramount, as it establishes direct consumer interaction and necessitates meticulous management of every touchpoint to ensure a cohesive and impactful brand experience
Retrospect
This project proved to be a significant learning experience. I gained valuable insight into the complexities of product development and decision-making, as well as a greater understanding of financial considerations. Through this process, I enhanced my resilience, design thinking abilities, presentation skills, attention to detail, strategic planning capabilities, and other essential competencies, contributing to substantial professional growth.