Dive Brief:
- Beauty brand L’Occitane en Provence debuted its third virtual store on Thursday in celebration of Ramadan, according to a press release emailed to Retail Dive.
- The virtual store mimics a Middle Eastern-inspired house and emphasizes gifting, togetherness and self-reflection. It includes a Ramadan beauty calendar, exclusive gift sets and a skin care questionnaire that recommends products to help shoppers address skin dehydration issues commonly found in customers fasting during the period.
- The store is in partnership with virtual reality tech developer Emperia and will end once Ramadan is over. Through the immersive experience, users can shop with friends and family, share the experience on social media and receive a discount for sharing.
Dive Insight:
L’Occitane isn’t the first to launch a Ramadan-themed virtual retail experience. For example, Snap launched Snap Ramadan Mall in 2022 to commemorate the holiday. This year, Ramadan is expected to begin at sundown on March 10 and end at sundown on April 9.
Virtual stores have caught on more broadly across retail, with J. Crew launching a virtual holiday store during the winter holiday season.
Virtual store developer Emperia has created immersive e-commerce experiences for companies including Lacoste, Tatcha and Bloomingdale’s, as well as a multimetaverse hub for Tommy Hilfiger during Metaverse Fashion Week.
L’Occitane’s online shopping experience lets the user navigate a Middle Eastern house designed by Jeddah, Saudi Arabia-based artist Bayan Yasien. Each illustration in the store depicts L'Occitane products and captures moments from the preparation of iftar to celebrations of Eid. According to the company, the project centers on warmth, love, security and shared moments, “all symbolizing holiday traditions.”
“We are thrilled to step into our customers' homes during this holy month, aiming to transcend traditional boundaries and to transform moments into lasting memories by launching our captivating virtual reality experience for the launch of our Ramadan Village,” Mariana Rodrigues, marketing director of L’Occitane Middle East, said in a statement. “We believe in weaving immersive storytelling and unique experiences that resonate with the spirit of this holy month, creating a profound connection with our valued customers.”
The virtual store comes shortly after L’Occitane Group announced the appointment of Laurent Marteau as the company’s new CEO after it announced that his position of managing director and the role of CEO would be combined. Per the company, the combined role “sustains the company’s transformation into a geographically balanced, multi-brand group.”
