From Stilettos to suites

The world-famous French-Egyptian luxury shoe designer, Christian Louboutin, opened his very first hotel in Portugal. The hotel 'Vermelho', which means red in Portuguese, is a nod towards the iconic red colour from which Louboutin's shoe soles are made. The new hotel is as stylish as the shoe brand’s stilettos and oxfords and will attract undoubtedly the attention of fashion and design lovers.

The common thread

The striking interior consists of a mix of modern and classic elements in which the use of red is central. Throughout the hotel, there are numerous details that refer to Louboutin's shoe brand and accessories. For example: heel-shaped tables in the lobby and the iconic red soles are incorporated into the carpets & floors of the hallways.

The hotel has been designed to propagate the values and aesthetics of the Christian Louboutin brand and to offer guests a unique and luxurious experience, which seamlessly matches Louboutin's shoe brand image.

In this way, Vermelho, Louboutin's hotel, can be seen as a branded environment: a space designed and decorated in the style of a particular brand. In this case, the hotel is a space that reflects the characteristics of Louboutin's shoe brand. Louboutin's hotel in Melides, Portugal, has 13 rooms that immerse you in the creative spirit of the legendary shoe designer. Each room of the three-storeyed accommodation radiates Louboutin's character and vision.

Building a strong(er) brand

By creating a unique and memorable brand experience, Branded Environments can help build brand loyalty, increase brand awareness and boost sales. By allowing the public to connect with the brand, they are encouraged to become more involved in its developments.

Besides hotels, physical shops, ... the metaverse also offers a lot of new ways to interact with (potential) customers. Brands can use the metaverse to create unique and immersive virtual experiences that reflect their values and mission in a special way. For example, think about hosting virtual events, showrooms, customer services & even brand experiences within existing videogames.

‘Louis Vuitton Trophy Case’

Louis Vuitton, for instance, has already partnered with Riot Games in 2019, specifically for the game 'League of Legends'. The brand released a clothing line and a virtual case especially for the game. The clothing line consisted of a range of stylish items including a bomber jacket, t-shirts & trainers with striking motifs inspired by the League of Legends universe. The virtual case was released as a special in-game item called the 'Louis Vuitton Trophy Case'. With it, users could distinguish themselves and express their achievements over other users.

The collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Riot Games, was a first for the gaming industry and shows how brands are increasingly focusing on the metaverse. Read more about the Metaverse & brands in our earlier blog post.

So Branded Environments experiences offer a lot of opportunities for marketing in a simple and customer-focused way. They contribute to strengthening brand identity and creating a consistent brand experience.