Retail Strategy Best Practices, Paloma Sanchez Jewelry, from Paloma Sanchez, Founder and Owner of the Brand
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零售战略最佳实践，Paloma Sanchez珠宝——来自品牌创始人、负责人Paloma Sanchez
作为一位8岁男孩的母亲，Paloma Sanchez离开了工作稳定、前景广阔的珠宝奢侈品公司，于2008年来到中国北京，创立了个人品牌。凭借美丽、独特的产品，Paloma Sanchez珠宝如今在全球市场已拥有稳定的客户群体。我们有幸与Paloma Sanchez一同聊天，谈论热情是如何推动持续的质量保障，以及品牌的几个重要理念——勇气、探险精神和赋权。
Paloma Sanchez，Paloma Sanchez珠宝创始人、负责人
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
您什么时候创立的个人品牌，有怎样的品牌愿景？
我2008年在中国北京创立了个人品牌。作为一名专业的宝石学家，我在珠宝奢侈品行业工作了30年，深知奢侈品市场的客户需求。当时，中国的活力令人惊叹。国内的奢侈品市场十年前才兴起，由主流奢侈品品牌和传统产品主导。这些奢侈品珠宝被看作新兴中国精英与世界精英群体接轨的象征。
我想做点不一样的事情。我看到中国的文化精英在自身定位时，正迅速转向中国奢侈品的核心价值，即“奢侈品”在中国传统文化中的内涵——量身定制的服务，不可复制的艺术，以及一以贯之的奢华体验。我给自己定下的目标是，成为服务这个客户群体的第一人，创造一个富有创新的品牌，提供人们在别处无法获取的产品。因此，我的品牌愿景就是：专注于这个客户群，即成熟、勇敢、自信、寻找独一无二的珠宝来表达自我的人。我想创造有故事、有内涵的产品。
您如何描述自己的品牌定位，其核心价值是什么？
Paloma Sanchez珠宝系列的定位是奢侈品。品牌的核心特质和价值是艺术、勇气、赋权、真实和自信。所有的设计都由罕见、独一无二、手工挑选的博物馆藏品级宝石制作而成。珠宝的价值来自于珍贵的宝石和独特的设计。作为一名专业的科学家，我会自然而然地被宝石的独特性吸引；但是，创造力对我来说也是至关重要的。每件作品的灵感都有所不同：有的系列是我精心挑选喜爱的宝石而创造的；有的是数月创新研究和设计、追求完美的结果。
责任感和赋权对我个人来说非常重要，也是品牌的重要组成部分。我们在生产中没有雇佣童工。我能自信而肯定地说出这句话，是因为我会定期前往我选购宝石的矿场，与当地矿工保持联络。我和我的供应商保持着终身的友谊。
2016年，我所在的非洲女矿工协会和Paloma Sanchez珠宝共同建立了一条生产线，雇佣被抛弃的妻子和母亲。今天，我们在当地采购的大部分宝石都是由这些女性切割打磨的。
蓝晶石和钻石项链设计
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
您还拥有一条更为经济的产品线，即Marina系列，这个系列的品牌定位是什么？
是的，Marina系列是一条更为经济的珠宝产品线，共分为5个系列。所有珠宝都由我亲手设计，以金或银为原料。这让我们可以大量生产相同的产品，扩大品牌规模，而不是像Paloma Sanchez珠宝系列那样都是独一无二的作品。这个系列的客户通常更加年轻，因为这些产品更易搭配，可以在所有类型的场合下佩戴，兼顾优雅和休闲。
纹理系列戒指，Maria系列
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
您的所有系列都是自己设计的，那您的灵感来源是什么？
我的创作过程所受到的影响是非常抽象的，这些影响在不自觉中流入我的珠宝设计中。我的灵感来自于各种各样的生活经历：音乐、艺术、谈话、书籍，以及我的一切所见所闻。每一种经历都塑造着我，许多事情感动着我。一件新的珠宝的设计想法可能是自发出现的，也可能是在对其他想法长期的试验和试错后诞生的。
阿富汗罗马玻璃花瓶把手设计，梨形切割蓝托帕石，18k白金镶嵌，斯里兰卡蓝宝石
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
您是一名宝石学家，也是充满热情的宝石猎人，在世界各地寻找最美丽的宝石是怎样的冒险经历？
我的生活充满刺激的冒险，也结合了最精致的都市生活方式，这种对比深深渗透在品牌的每个方面。曾在多伦多遇到的一位法国记者称我为“宝石界的印第安纳·琼斯”（《夺宝奇兵》系列电影主角），我儿子更喜欢叫我“劳拉·克劳馥”（《古墓丽影》电子游戏主角）。我曾经去过全球最偏远的地区，从马达加斯加的红沙荒漠到哥伦比亚的青山群峰，穿过潮湿的斯里兰卡丛林到干燥的亚利桑那州沙漠，只为寻找大自然为我们保留的那些隐藏的宝藏。在去这些矿区的旅途中，作为一名女性往往需要付出更多努力。矿区通常由男性管理，而在农村妇女是不被信任的，对外国人更是如此。因此，我必须不断增加我的知识和专业能力。
当我回到北京时，我又换上最优雅的服装和精致的珠宝，参加都市的最高端的时尚活动。
全球独一无二、色彩变化绚丽的大块欧泊原石
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
您刚提到，宝石行业是一个男人的世界。这句话有什么含义？您遇到过什么样的挑战？
在这个行业中，男性和女性的职业轨迹通常十分不同。毕业即从事宝石行业的男性可以立即担任核心职位，但女性往往需要从底层做起。如果你并非来自一个已经在宝石行业建立名望的家庭，处境会更为艰难。作为一名女性和行外人，尽管我拥有该领域最著名学院的荣誉和学位，但我的职业生涯是从一家珠宝店的销售顾问开始的。我在不同的国际奢侈品公司努力工作了十年，期间展示了我作为宝石学家和管理者的能力，最终才在一家国际公司担任了领导职务。十年后，我得以建立自己的品牌，完成了我的梦想。
在有些地区，妇女一直被视为低人一等，或被认为不需要接受教育。在埃塞俄比亚，一个矿工以为我不会算账，还想向我解释如何用纸币付款。作为这个行业的女性，你必须做好不被重视的准备，并通过反复展示技能来赢得自己的地位。作为一个男人，你可以在工作之余与当地的商业伙伴去喝酒，以增进关系。但作为女性，这是不可能的。
此外，在哥伦比亚等一些国家，妇女不能在矿井内工作，因为人们认为这会带来厄运。
在埃塞俄比亚，与矿工们在一个欧泊矿外
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
尽管有这些挑战，您认为女性身份给您的品牌带来哪些优势？
我认为，作为一名女性，我更有能力将激情和热情注入到工作中。我绝不会在作品质量方面做出妥协。同时，激励和赋予其他女性权力对我来说自然是非常重要的，是我扎根内心深处的价值观。当然，作为一名女性，我也可以佩戴自己设计的作品，表达自身之美，展示我的珠宝，并鼓励其他女性。
您最喜欢的宝石是什么？
所有类型的宝石我都非常喜欢。欧泊石有着令人上瘾的魅力，它们拥有许多不同的颜色和色调。我也非常喜欢绿宝石、坦桑石和碧玺。
在埃塞俄比亚的矿工家中挑选欧泊原石
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
您如何实现长期以来对产品质量的承诺？
对我来说，这一承诺来自于我对工作的热情。我绝不会在质量上妥协，而且我将永远保持这样高质量的水平。
在实践方面，我们大量投资员工培训，以确保我们所坚持的质量承诺。我们的销售员都拥有专业背景，我们技艺精湛的工匠则会定期参加国际知名的大师培训研讨会。
建立重视设计、艺术和私享活动的强大客户群体极大促进了您的品牌发展。您与这些VIP客户群体合作的策略是什么？
我有三种类型的客户群体。第一类是具备珠宝知识的；他们从小就接触珠宝，通常非常清楚地知道自己想买的是什么。他们很谦逊，但同时非常成熟和自信。这种顾客往往有苛刻的需求，也最会欣赏他们所购买的珠宝。他们是品牌最忠诚的客户。随着时间的流逝，这些顾客中的大多数已经成为了我最亲密的朋友。
第二类顾客是奢侈品领域的新人。他们渴望成为其中的一员，但需要学习专业知识，来为他们带来佩戴我设计的珠宝时所需的自信。
第三类是由投资者组成的；他们中的一些人也能归入前面提到的两类群体。我为所有客户群体组织了许多私享活动，也组织过私人晚宴、音乐会等，以感谢VIP客户对品牌的忠诚。此外，我也会开设短期的宝石学课程，让客户有机会了解丰富的宝石和珠宝设计世界。
您在全球最繁华的城市如北京、迪拜和巴黎都开设了店铺。您在世界各地的客户有什么共同点？
我们世界各地的客户确实有相同点。首先，他们通常受过高等教育，非常自信。第二，他们对我们的品牌非常忠实，欣赏我们的创新精神。而且后来慢慢会出现这样一种情况，似乎有一群顾客，他们喜欢前去我在全球的几个店铺，收集来自世界不同地方的作品。看到北京的顾客分享参观我们巴黎展厅时拍的照片，或者反过来，巴黎的顾客到北京来，这真的很有趣。
您组织过一些令人印象深刻的系列发布活动和展览，并在路易威登和梅赛德斯-奔驰的北京城市指南中被提及。您最喜欢和最成功的营销活动是什么？
我每年都会组织一次大型展览，通常会选一个特定的主题。我最喜欢的展览之一是“Senses（感官）”。我们为客户创造了一场感官的体验。这个展一共组织了两次，第一次是在北京，之后是在温哥华。我们为400名客人带来了一场感官之旅。声音、嗅觉、触觉、味觉和视觉都受到了刺激，在宝石世界中创造了一种融汇五种感官的体验。
在温哥华举办的“感官”秀
图片来源: Vogue UK
另一个我非常喜欢的活动是，我们在塞维利亚当时欧洲最大的太阳能发电厂举办的时装秀。这是第一次有珠宝品牌提出对可持续能源的承诺。
2020年秋天，疫情席卷的前半年让人们经受了很多挫折和孤独。那时，我们在天坛组织了一场名为“希望”的珠宝展，强调了“独特性”这一概念，并以《小王子》中美丽而富有哲理的选段来激励观众。在小王子和他的玫瑰花之间的关系中，他认为玫瑰花不仅在全世界独一无二，而且是他在这个星球上唯一拥有的真正有价值的东西。我们用这种关系作比，以此表明，独特性只能由我们自己决定，而且对任何人的存在都至关重要，尤其是在挣扎和孤独的时候。因此，我们必须珍视自己所持有的珠宝，这些珠宝能够支持我们看待世界的具体想法。
您克服的最大挑战是什么？
我选择自己创立品牌，自由地表达和实现所有想法。然而，这意味着我只能依靠自己，没有人给我建议或支持，这是非常不容易的。
另一个挑战是如何维持一个稳定的团队。我们对团队中的每个人都投入了数年的培训。但在中国，员工经常每隔几年就会换工作。我也不得不承认，文化差异有时会让沟通存在一些困难。
在多伦多时装周上，Paloma Sanchez与著名演员吉娜·托瑞斯（美剧《金装律师》主演），吉娜佩戴着Paloma Sanchez珠宝
图片来源: Paloma Sanchez 珠宝
您对其他品牌有什么建议？
我的建议很简单，也只是老生常谈：你要对你所做的事情有热情，知道自己的目标是什么。不要怀疑，不要过度思考，要带着勇气和信心向前奋斗。如果你是年轻人，失败也没关系，你会从中学习并成长得更加强大。如果你是经验丰富的专业人士，你可能已经发现了市场的空白，所以要运用专业知识以填补这一空白。在任何情况下，都要擦亮双眼，随机应变，同时不要忘记你的目标，始终相信自己秉持的核心理念。
您对未来有什么计划？如何规划未来5年Paloma Sanchez珠宝的发展？
我们目前正在努力扩大品牌规模，希望充分释放品牌潜力。我们计划明年第一季度结束前，在阿那亚开设一个展厅。我们也正在不同新的平台上线店铺，让世界各地的客户能够通过这些平台获得量身定制的服务，浏览品牌新的产品系列。此外，我们正在寻求扩大Marina产品线的生产，以满足疫情后人们不断增长的需求。
在品牌定位方面，我们预计Paloma Sanchez珠宝将在北京、巴黎和阿那亚的奢侈品定制珠宝市场上扩大份额。我们也正借助新的在线平台和世界各地的分销商，以扩大“更易搭配”的Marina系列的销售。关于公司的组织架构，我们正在努力实现自动化，推动团队发展，以便我能在2030年之前“退休”，无需再参与公司一线的工作。
我们如何帮助您
5 Star Plus Retail Design 公司是一家国际商业室内设计公司，在中国拥有强大的影响力，为商店、餐厅、展台进行概念设计和活动执行。希望了解更多信息，请联系我们office@5starplusdesign.com。
Retail Strategy Best Practices, Paloma Sanchez Jewelry, from Paloma Sanchez, Founder and Owner of the Brand
Paloma Sanchez, founder and owner of Paloma Sanchez Jewelry; Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
When did you start your brand and what was your vision?
I started the brand in Beijing, China, in 2008. A trained gemologist, I had worked in the luxury jewelry industry for thirty years and knew what customers in the luxury market segment were looking for. At that time, China was incredibly dynamic. The local luxury market, which had only emerged a decade before, was dominated by mainstream luxury brands and traditional products. Their jewels were used as a symbol of convergence for the emerging Chinese elite with their global peers.
I wanted to do things differently. I saw that the Chinese cultural elite was quickly transitioning back to the core values of Chinese luxury, to what “luxury” has always meant traditionally in Chinese culture: tailored service, irreproducible art, and consistent luxury experience. I set myself the task to be the first to cater to that niche and create a brand based on innovation with products that people would not get anywhere else. My vision for the brand was to focus on this niche market of sophisticated, courageous, self-confident women and men who were looking for one-of-a-kind jewelry products to express themselves. I wanted to create products with a story and meaning.
How would you describe the positioning of your brand? What are the core values?
The Paloma Sanchez Jewelry collection has a luxury positioning. The core characteristics and values of the brand are art, courage, empowerment, authenticity, and self-confidence. All designs are created with rare, one-of-a-kind, hand-selected museum-quality stones. The value of the jewelry pieces comes from the preciousness of the stone and the unique design. As a professional scientist, my attention is naturally drawn to the uniqueness of gemstones; however, creativity is essential to my identity. For that matter, the inspiration for each piece changes: some collections are the result of an exquisite selection of personal favorite stones; others are the result of months of creative research and design to capture the essence of an ideal.
Commitment and empowerment are very important to me personally and are a big part of the brand. All our products are child-labor-free. I can say this with absolute confidence because I regularly travel to the mines where I source gemstones and get to establish personal relations with the miners involved. I have lifelong relations with all my suppliers.
In 2016, the African Women Miners Association, of which I am a member, and Paloma Sanchez Jewelry, built a production line to integrate outcast wives and mothers from mining regions into our sourcing network. Today, most of the gemstones we source in the country have been cut or faceted by one of these women.
Design for kyanite and diamonds necklace
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
You also have a more accessible line, the Marina Collection. How is this brand positioned?
The Marina line is our more accessible jewelry line, we have five collections. Designed by myself, the products are based on gold or silver. This allows scaling the brand by producing a larger quantity of the same pieces as opposed to Paloma Sanchez Jewelry which is all one-of-a-kind pieces. The consumers of this line are typically younger since these pieces are more versatile and. can be worn on all types of occasions, in elegant and casual situations.
“Texture” Ring, Marina Collection
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
You design all collections yourself. What are your inspirations?
The influences of my creative process are very abstract, and the way in which they flow into my jewelry designs is mostly subconscious. My inspirations come from all kinds of life experiences: Music, art, conversations, books, and basically everything I see and hear. Every experience shapes me, and many things move me. The idea for a new jewelry piece may appear spontaneously or come after a long process of trial and error with other ideas.
Design for Roman glass vase handle from Afghanistan, pear shape cut blue topaz set in 18kts white gold, and sapphires from Sri Lanka
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
You are a gemologist and passionate gem hunter. What do adventures of finding the most beautiful pieces around the world look like?
My life combines the thrills of adventure and also the most exquisite cosmopolitan lifestyle - I believe this contrast deeply permeates every aspect of the brand. A French journalist in Toronto once referred to me as the Indiana Jones of Gemstones, my son prefers Lara Croft. I travel to some of the most remote areas of the globe, from the red sands of Madagascar to the green mountains of the Colombian Sierra, through the wet Sri Lankan jungle to the dry deserts in Arizona, on the quest to find those hidden treasures nature holds for us. During these trips to the mines being a woman is often a burden that one needs to deal with. Mines tend to be run by men, and rural populations often regard women as unworthy of their trust, especially if foreign. For that matter, I have to keep pushing my knowledge and expertise.
When I return to Beijing, I combine my most elegant attire with delicate jewelry and attend the “chicest” events in town.
Exceptionally huge opal with an amazing play of color, unique in the world
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
You mentioned once that gemology is a man’s world. What does that mean exactly, and what were some of the challenges that you have encountered?
The career trajectory for men and women in the trade is usually very different. While men who graduate as gemologists usually have immediate access to core positions in the trade, women are often expected to climb the ladder from the bottom. This is exacerbated when you do not belong to a family already established in the gem business. As a woman and industry outsider, I started my professional career as a sales consultant in a jewelry store despite holding a degree with honors from the most prestigious institution in the field. It took me ten years of hard work in international luxury firms to demonstrate my capabilities as a gemologist and manager to finally hold a directing position in an international firm. Ten years later I was able to establish my own brand and accomplish my dream.
There are regions where women are traditionally seen as inferior or expected to be uneducated. In Ethiopia, a miner assumed I could not count and wanted to explain to me how to pay with banknotes. As a woman in this industry, you have to be ready not to be taken seriously, and repeatedly demonstrate your skills to earn your place. As a man, you go for drinks with your local business partners after work to strengthen the relationship. As a woman, this is not possible.
Moreover, there are countries like Colombia where women are not allowed to work inside the mines because this is seen as bringing bad luck.
Outside an opal mine in Ethiopia with the miners
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
Despite these challenges, what were some of the advantages that you being a woman, brought to your business?
I think that as a woman, I am in a better position to channel my passion into my work. I am absolutely uncompromising in terms of quality. Inspiring and empowering other women comes natural to me and are values that are close to my heart. And, of course, being a woman, I can wear my pieces, pull off a glamorous look, showcase my brand and encourage other women.
What are your favorite gemstones?
I love all types of gemstones. Opals are addictive because they come in so many different colors and shades. I also really like emeralds, tanzanite, and tourmalines.
Choosing opals at a miner's home in Ethiopia
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
What are you doing to uphold your promise of quality over time?
For me, the promise of quality comes from my passion for the work. I could never compromise on quality, and I will deliver this level of quality forever.
On a practical level, we invest a lot into the training of our staff to ensure we can uphold our promise of quality. Our retail staff is exclusively composed of trained gemologists, and our skillful artisans follow regular training seminars from some of the best masters in the world.
Establishing strong communities that value design, art, and private events worked extremely well for your brand. What is your strategy for working with your VIP customer community?
I have three types of customer groups. The first group is very knowledgeable; they grew up surrounded by jewelry and tend to know exactly what they are looking for. They are sophisticated and self-confident while remaining humble. This customer tends to have demanding needs but truly appreciates the jewels they buy. They are most loyal. Most of these customers through time have become some of my closest friends.
The second type of customers are newcomers to the luxury scene. they are eager to be part of it but need to acquire the knowledge that will bring the self-confidence required for my jewelry.
The third category is made of investors; some of them fall into either of the previous categories. I organize many private events for all customer groups and private dinners and concerts to award my VIP customers for their loyalty. In addition, I organize short gemology courses to give our customers the opportunity to understand the rich world of gemstones and jewelry design.
You have opened stores in some of the most buzzing cities like Beijing, Dubai, and Paris. What do your customers in different parts of the world have in common?
Our customers around the world do have similar characteristics. First, they are usually highly educated and very self-confident. Second, they are very loyal to our brand and appreciate our spirit of innovation. Something that I have seen emerge through time is that there seems to be a group of customers that likes to travel to several of my stores to collect pieces from each part of the world. It is always interesting to see Beijing customers sharing pictures of their visit to our showroom in Paris or vice-versa.
You have organized some impressive collection launch events and shows, and have been mentioned in the Louis Vuitton and Mercedes-Benz City Guides for Beijing. What are your favorite and most successful marketing activities?
I organize a very large show with a specific theme each year. One of my favorite shows is probably “Senses”, a sensorial experience that we created twice, first in Beijing, then in Vancouver. We took 400 guests onto a sensorial journey. Sound, smell, touch, taste, and sight were stimulated to create an experience of the five senses in the world of gemstones.
“Senses” Show in Vancouver
Image Source: Vogue UK
Another event I really love is the fashion show we organized in Europe´s largest solar power plant at the time in Seville. This was the first time a jewelry brand showed its commitment to sustainable energy.
In the autumn of 2020, when there was a lot of frustration and loneliness after the first half year of living with Covid, we organized a jewelry show called “Hope” at the Temple of Heaven. We emphasized the concept of uniqueness and used a beautiful, philosophical excerpt from the Little Prince to inspire our audience. The Little Prince´s relationship with his rose, which he saw not only as unique in the whole world, but also as the only truly valuable he had on his planet, was used as a metaphor to express how uniqueness can only be determined by ourselves and is essential to anyone´s existence, particularly in times of struggle and solitude. Therefore, the jewels we hold must be something that we cherish, and that support our specific vision of the world.
What are some of the biggest challenges that you have overcome?
I have chosen to build up the brand on my own in order to realize every aspect without compromises. This means, however, that I need to rely on my own and have no one for advice or support, which is not always easy.
Another challenge is the maintenance of a stable team. We invest several years of training into each person on our team. Unfortunately, it is very common for employees in China to change their job every few years. I also have to admit that cultural differences sometimes make communication more challenging.
Paloma Sanchez with Actress Gina Torres (Suits) wearing Paloma Sanchez Jewelry at Toronto Fashion Week
Image Source: Paloma Sanchez Jewelry
What would be your recommendations for other brands?
My recommendation is simple and very much the cliché: You need to have passion for what you do and know your goals. Don’t doubt, don’t overthink, and go ahead with courage and confidence. If you are young, it is ok to fail, you will learn and grow out of it stronger. If you are an experienced professional, you have probably spotted gaps in the market so put your expertise to work. In any case, keep your eyes open and remain flexible while never losing sight of your goal and remaining loyal to your core values.
What are your plans for the future? How do you envision Paloma Sanchez Jewelry in 5 years?
We are currently working on scaling up the brand so its potential can be fully unleashed. We plan to open a showroom in Aranya (by the end of next year´s Q1. We are also finalizing our new online platform where our customers from around the world can receive tailored services and access our new online collections. In addition, we are looking to expand the production of our Marina line to meet global post-pandemic growing demand.
In terms of brand positioning, we expect Paloma Sanchez Jewelry to increase its share of the luxury tailored-made jewelry market in Beijing, Paris, and Aranya. We are also expanding the retail pret-a-porter brand, Marina collection, through our new online platform and distributors around the world. Concerning the company´s organization, we are working towards automatization and team development in order to allow myself to retire from active work in the firm by 2030.
How We Can Help
5 Star Plus Retail Design is an international commercial interior design company with a strong presence in China developing and executing concepts for stores, restaurants, exhibition stands, and events. For more information please get in touch with us at office@5starplusdesign.com
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