At TRAJECTRY, we believe the future of luxury lies in creating spaces that do more than sell—they must inspire, connect, and narrate a brand’s most intimate story.
This vision guided our keynote at the China New Retail Summit 2025, where we shared insights on how physical retail is fast becoming the ultimate stage for cultural engagement and community building.
Physical retail is no longer a backdrop for commerce. It is the battleground where brands win hearts—through experiences that invite customers into their world and create lasting emotional bonds.
One luxury fashion house we partnered with recently reimagined its flagship store as a cultural hub, hosting rotating art installations alongside exclusive capsule launches. The result was not just higher footfall, but a deeper sense of belonging for its community of clients.
China’s luxury landscape is leading this transformation. Brands are experimenting with formats that merge high-touch service with cutting-edge technology, including:
We’ve seen this firsthand with a leading jewelry brand that piloted a “phygital” pop-up in Shanghai, blending tactile discovery with digital customization. The activation not only drove strong sales but also created shareable moments that lived on across social platforms.
Retail staff are no longer just sales associates. In China, they are evolving into Key Opinion Sales (KOS)—influencers in their own right who build trust, engage audiences on platforms like RED, and extend the brand experience far beyond the store walls.
The definition of retail is expanding. Luxury brands are now designing experiences in ski resorts, countryside retreats, beach destinations, and wellness escapes. These initiatives take the brand out of the mall and into customers’ lives, meeting them where they seek meaning and leisure.
One example: a heritage fashion label transformed a mountain resort into a branded après-ski lounge, creating a setting where storytelling, lifestyle, and product seamlessly converged.
Our work with brands highlights four guiding principles for success in this new era:
The challenge—and the opportunity—for luxury brands is clear: to design retail environments that connect emotionally, drive business impact, and share stories with honesty and intimacy.
At TRAJECTRY, we are proud to partner with brands on this journey, helping them imagine, design, and activate retail that feels as meaningful as it is memorable.
✨ Special thanks to the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai and OUTFORM for providing the stage to exchange these ideas.
