Paris, Bourgogne and South-West : three radically different environments, all in France, in which our Salon International de la Lingerie contributors have succeeded in growing a sustainable business. Both chic and erotic, Les Rituelles, run by Aline Tran, has established itself as the number one spot for daring lingerie and arty treasures in the 18th arrondissement of Paris. In the heart of Bourgogne, Audrey Marie’s Venaray-les-Laumes store Jolie Chose is the place to go for modern, quality plus-size lingerie. As for Marina Villa, she has taken over Galicia, an institution in the southern town of Pau, and has been revamping its image to the great pleasure of a new generation of customers. Whether it’s loyalty, advise or expertise, each of them gave us her take on how to successfully run a business.

It’s (almost) all about social media

Aline Tran, Les Rituelles, Paris : A solid online presence is vital. Lots of women visit my store after spotting a product on our socials or on our website. The 18th arrondissement is very touristy so I also have seasonal visitors, with whom I need to build a bit more storytelling, teaching them about the history of the place and giving more information about the products. These are two different approaches, but both require to involve customers in our own story.

Audrey Marie, Jolie Chose, Venaray-les-Laumes : in a rural area such as mine, the customer base is pretty limited. TikTok and Instagram have enabled me to reach a much wider audience, who don’t hesitate to come from afar after spotting my products on a video. They’re looking for an expert eye that can’t be found online, so once they arrive in store, technical and psychological care is capital. Our expertise and knowledge is key to building loyalty.

Marina Villa, Galicia, Pau : When I took over the store five years ago, I wanted to attract a younger audience. A website and a strong presence on social media were mandatory. Today, our core customer base is between 40 and 60 but goes from 35 to 80. My online presence has enabled me to really diversify the range, and therefore diversify my products selection as well.

Fitting and advising are the backbone of success

Aline Tran : You have to demystify sizing. Every woman who walks in is convinced that she knows her size, and has a hard time getting out of her preconceived ideas. You have to take the time to explain that each brand sizes differently, and that the only important thing is to wear something in which you feel comfortable, adapted to your body shape.

Marina Villa : The customers who visit our store have often been badly advised, in shops that work in chain and where the sales assistants are not experts. This can lead to some skepticism about the quality of our advice. We need to restore their trust, even if it means spending a whole hour with them in the fitting room.

Audrey Marie : They also need to understand that lingerie is about technique and analysis. I’m able to scan each customer’s body and understand what type of cut she needs. Of course, I always make them try on several styles, to make them realize that there’s always a solution that fits. Being friendly and funny also helps !

A curated selection is (not always) obvious

Audrey Marie : You can find pretty much anything online, where you can easily be confronted to body-shaming, when a proper store offers a careful selection whatever the sector. A lot of my customers look for large sizes, a segment that has often been put aside. So I try to offer them modern and colorful styles that sort of shake up this old-fashioned image.

Aline Tran : Beyond brands, we offer stories and atmospheres. In a store like mine, customers are not shy and sometimes come looking for exclusive pieces to feed their collections. You have to be able to satisfy their needs, while also offering more commercial styles.

Marina Villa : There are brands that you have to offer, because some customers come specifically for them. But you also have to let them express their desires. If women in an E cup are looking for bras without underwires, why should we argue with that ? Our role as retailers is to support, without ever dictating.