Inside Luxury Retail
Take an insider’s look at Charlotte, N.C.’s luxury retail scene as we explore the evolving art of clienteling, the personalities behind the counters, and what it really means to experience luxury today.
It’s honestly been a long time since I’ve dilly dallied in the mall, and this weekend I decided why not?
Reading fashion magazines and watching runway shows is all fine and dandy, but seeing and feeling the fabric, the quality of the design, and actually holding the item just hits differently. There are two main areas for general luxury shopping in Charlotte, N.C.—SouthPark Mall and Phillips Place (excluding specialty shops like Thirty-One Jane, Capitol, etc.). My first stop was the glorious SouthPark Mall (I’m kidding—glorious is a stretch, but it is the place for fine goods).
I headed to Nordstrom—who, in my opinion, have the safest parking options—and made a beeline for the contemporary women’s wear department. There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the quality of the brands they carry and the caliber of store associates, but honestly—that’s everywhere. That’s retail politics for you. I made my way to the back of the store near the café and did my rounds and wasn’t helped until Zimmermann’s new resort wear caught my eye. Nothing about it was particularly grand, but it was special enough to get my creative gears turning and prompted me to take a closer look at the rest of the collection—which, again, wasn’t grand, but definitely worth the look.
As I was browsing, a black Golden Goose peacoat caught my eye, and I went in for a closer look. She was 50% virgin wool and 35% mohair, which honestly surprised me…..this level of quality coming from Golden Goose? Definitely one to keep on my radar. A really chic man by the name of Paul came up to me and said, “Isn’t she good?”—referring to the jacket. You know us fashion girls, we give life to our clothes (lol, not literally, but you know what I mean). I turned around and said, “Yes, yes… she is.”
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand Single-Breasted Cocoon Coat
He then asked if I’d like him to unlock the zip tie so I could try her on. Of course, I couldn’t turn that offer down. He kindly walked me to the back suite, where I tried her on—and now she, she was grand. Nothing more, nothing less. Just grand.
After a quick try-on, Paul went into the product details: the care, fit, and fabrication. People like him are why retail is still alive—the subtle comment that says, I see you, paired with the white-glove service of an intimate try-on experience, topped off with product knowledge I didn’t even ask for but absolutely adore hearing. Top tier.
Now, the jacket was a little over $1,200, so of course I had to think about it. Paul gave me his card and told me to keep him updated on my thoughts and to reach out if I had any other requests. “Fabulous Paul” is what I saved him as in my contacts.
Next, me and my silver kitten heels click-clacked into Louis Vuitton—ugh, sigh. Sigh, because the whole waiting in line situation is so unappealing. Like, I get that they only want a certain number of people in the boutique at a time, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m waiting to be vetted into a club or a five-star restaurant (five-star… yeah, that was subtle shade).
Anyway, I finally get in where I’m greeted by the front of house associate. I always appreciate when stores have a designated greeter- it makes everyone feel welcome while also helping the team keep eyes on the floor. I make my way over to the Beaubourg high boot that I saw on Moda Operandi a while back.
Like I mentioned before, I love product knowledge, so I wanted to quickly connect with an associate to get more details on the fit and the pocket of fabric on the inside. An associate coming back from his lunch break was directed to help me, and I asked him whether the pocket of fabric could be used as an extender.
Please read the asinine dialogue below.
Me: “Hi, could this pocket of fabric be used for an extender you think”
LV Associate: “No, yeah no, there is no extender”
Me: “Oh, yes I know the boot doesn’t come with an extender….
LV Associate: Cuts me off and replies “No its just the boot, the boot just comes as is”
Me: “Yes, I understand, I’m just wondering what the extra interior pocket of fabric is used for”
LV Associate: “You know I honestly am not sure, you know some people use for an umbrella, you know things they want to keep close, like a wallet, ect”
And yes, yes he was serious.
Me: Subtle pause of confusion “Oh, ok, thank you so much” walks away chuckling because WHAT!! WHO KEEPS AN UMBRELLA IN THEIR CALF?? That’s not even possible!
Anyways, after doing a second of research, I found that the extra pocket of fabric is there for the double-zip feature, which allows the LV logo to peek through when partially unzipped. It’s a good little moment. See below.
*Note; I’m including their monogrammed reversed bucket bag that caught my eye. It gave me a little bit of nostalgia and was one of the few things I liked in there.
Louis Vuitton Reverse Monogram Cannes
As soon as I walked out, a stunning mauve suede Gucci bag caught my eye—I had to make my way in. One thing I truly appreciate about the Gucci store is the visuals: the pastels, florals, and overall merchandising are a breath of fresh air and make it an enjoyable space to be in.
I browsed for a bit while a couple of associates circled me like vultures, waiting for me to ask a question. I finally approached the mauve bag I had my eye on, and a sweet man by the name of Weldon came up and immediately pulled it down for me. Weldon was very chic, and you could tell he knows his stuff.
I asked him for the style name of the bag, and he went straight into product details—the make, silhouette, and care tips. Loved. We quickly transitioned into a full fashion conversation: the new creative director, the art direction, and the overall concept for the new collection, even asking a few questions about me as he walked me through a few of the new arrivals.
He stayed in my orbit while still giving me the space to browse freely—retail 101. Aspiring retail girlies… take notes.
I circled back to these darling Horsebit ballet flats—they were perfect for the season. Not too flashy, but a truly good flat. They also had the shoe in a heeled version, but it didn’t catch my attention as much, I think the fact that it was a block heel really through me off.
Weldon gave me his virtual card and insisted we stay connected. It’s interesting—there seems to be an equal mix of retailers using virtual cards and physical ones. That shift alone says a lot about where luxury retail is headed—less transactional, more relational, and increasingly digital. It’s no longer just about the sale in the moment, but about maintaining a presence in someone’s world long after they’ve left the boutique and honestly, that’s where the real luxury experience begins.
The state of retail is changing—some for the better, some for the worse, who’s to say. What I do know is that it always starts with the people.
Stay tuned for Part Two as we slowly unwrap the art of true luxury service.
xoxo Editor-In-Chief MP
