Ghalia BOUSTANI

Experiential retail has evolved from the grand department stores of the late 19th century — such as Le Bon Marché and Selfridges — to today’s pop-ups and immersive brand activations.

This webinar traces that evolution, examining how retail shifted from theatrical social destinations to convenience-driven models, and how the experience economy has renewed the strategic importance of physical space.

Moving to the present, the discussion explores how experience must be intentionally embedded across brand identity, customer journey, and omnichannel ecosystems — not applied indiscriminately, but aligned with positioning and economic logic.

The session concludes with a practical framework for designing physical experience strategies that combine experience-enhanced permanent stores with highly experiential, ephemeral formats, alongside cross-sector insights from hospitality, museums, and entertainment to inspire future retail models.