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An Eclectic Mix
Fashion-forward designers entice vacationers to shop for jewelry at The Breakers Palm Beach in Florida.
By Joyce Kauf
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| Toby Pomeroy |
Location, location, location. It’s the frequently cited mantra of how to attract customers. But what do you do when the setting is an iconic oceanfront resort and your customers are on vacation enjoying the sun and the sand? “It’s all about making the collections the stars,” explains Ellen Akwa, manager of Mix at The Breakers® in Palm Beach, Florida. Steps away from the Atlantic, this hotel boutique carries both fashion and designer jewelry.
In the mid-1990s, the resort-retail concept emerged as hotels recognized the market potential of a captive audience of affluent guests as well as business travelers. An early proponent of this trend, The Breakers launched both its own and independent specialty boutiques carrying an array of merchandise, ranging from apparel and accessories to signature products bearing its logo. The 700-square-foot Mix, which opened in 2008, is located off an arched, palm-tree-lined courtyard of shops.
“Right out of the box, we were very cognizant about the need for balance between fashion and designer jewelry,” says Akwa, pointing out that the store’s opening coincided with the economic downturn. Even given the less-than-auspicious timing, the store proved to be a success, in large part because Akwa, who has retail experience in the luxury market, recognized that the traditional retail formula had to be adapted for this specific setting.
Selling at a resort presents different challenges — as well as opportunities — than a traditional retail environment. Mix posts its strongest sales during high season, which runs from Christmas through Easter and Passover. The customers are transient; they do not return to browse week after week. Their buying pattern is also different. Akwa explains that the hotel guests generally shop between 3:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. — after they are done with their resort activities and before dinner.
“You have to keep their attention for three to four days. It is essential that you have the right product at any given moment that someone wants it because it is such an impulsive buy,” Akwa stresses. Unlike the fine jewelry world, there are no special orders. “They want it now,” she emphasizes.
“It’s all about stocking the right brands,” according to Akwa. The majority of the high-season customers are from the northeastern part of the U.S. “They are very brand savvy,” Akwa points out. “They like to buy a brand they know, but want something different from that brand that they cannot find anywhere else,” she elaborates. As a result, craftsmanship and originality top Akwa’s designer selection criteria.
Akwa seeks to be a designer’s most important selling partner. Ippolita is Mix’s best-selling line but when Akwa first introduced it, the jewelry was carried in far fewer stores than it is now. Gucci, Jamie Joseph, Links of London, Nava Zahavi, Toby Pomeroy, Rina Limor, Shaesby and Stephen Webster are among the designer lines that Mix sells. The boutique will also carry Alexis Bittar’s newly launched fine jewelry collection.
Akwa makes a conscious effort to ensure that designers do not “overlap” in style. For example, she looks to vary the assortment by selecting jewelry that does not resemble Ippolita’s bezel-set signature style or the 18-karat gold horse bit that is synonymous with Gucci. She is also increasing the number of designer lines as the economy improves. Mix’s average price point of $750 reflects a new retail reality of lower price points, even for luxury hotel boutiques.
Lighting is a key design technique. “It’s an uplifting environment,” says Akwa. Natural light flows through the windows and the boutique is lit with LED lighting. The interior decor is subdued in neutral shades of gray and beige. The minimalist design lets the jewelry take center stage. To further keep the focus on the jewelry, standard display cases are used, but there are no designer-specific cases or designer displays. “It eliminates the problem of arguing with the designers over the real estate they command in the store,” Akwa explains.
“We like to create the unexpected,” Akwa elaborates, citing the use of custom-designed Lucite bars in gunmetal gray to display earrings and sculptor-designed glass bars to show bracelets. “We bring other design elements into the cases to try to offset the simplicity of the displays,” she notes.
“It’s all about being approachable. The theme is casual resort elegance,” Akwa continues, pointing out that even at this historic grand hotel, lifestyles have changed as the more formal atmosphere has given way to a more relaxed luxury. “My challenge is always to bring in the new and different. Sometimes it is a risk, but I buy what I hope they are interested in,” Akwa concludes. Article from the Rapaport Magazine - February 2014. To subscribe click here.
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