Vanessa Gounden, the driving force behind D’Oré’s exclusive new look, is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of the HolGoun Group. As one of South Africa’s more prominent female entrepreneurs, her business interests span across Africa, Europe and the Asian subcontinent and include mining, healthcare and lifestyle and leisure. The D’Ore brand forms part of HolGoun’s lifestyle and leisure division.
Vanessa spent time understanding the brand and D’Oré’s new face since taking ownership of the store in December 2011, having recognised not only the need for careful consideration to be given to D’Oré’s existing loyal customer base, but for the fresher appeal the store required to engage a new audience of thinking woman. To pay homage to its original customer base, D’Oré was sensitive to ensure there was still a sense of familiarity in store and Vanessa left the staircase in situ from the original Sandton City shop design.
The architecture of D’Oré’s new interior has been designed with enclaves dedicated to each brand and allows for the product to take centre stage. Handbags, accessories and shoes are showcased as stand alone displays, allowing customers to focus independently on every element of their finished outfit. In addition the store features a bespoke ball gown room providing an unparalleled experience in choosing evening gown attire.
D’Oré’s new motif is all about saying more; it’s the thinking woman’s destination for exploring her confidence and expressing herself. Additionally, Vanessa believes that the mediums of art and fashion are intrinsically linked; it’s about exploring your inner self and then putting that image out to the world.
The new D’Oré store pays homage to this belief with an impressive collection of art, dedicated to the architecture of couture. This, combined with the opulent interior, owing it’s creation to acclaimed interior and architectural designers, Stephen Rich and Sean Godfrey and their team means that that no expense has been spared to ensure every detail of the shop is an experience in itself. To further communicate the inspiration behind the new D’Oré experience, the crossdressing of art, couture and self-expression has come to life through painstakingly crafted
origami dress displays, created by the acclaimed designer, Gavin Rajah.
Jenny Andrews ad Lee-Ann Van Der Walt
The D’Oré team have gone to great lengths to make sure this is a store that competes on a world stage as Vanessa believes that the African Market has for too long lagged behind the rest of the world in terms of its luxury fashion offering. D’Oré’s iconic, chic and sophisticated shopping approach is completed with the offer of trained personal stylists on had for all fashion advice and queries and the seamtresses on site ensure a speedy return on bespoke tailored purchases. This is luxurious sensibility at its best. The added surprise of element of the champagne room allows the D’Oré shopper to luxuriate and relax whilst viewing potential purchases. Additionally, loyalty cards are given as reward for return custom as a token of the store’s appreciation to its dedicated customers.
Craig Jacobs looked fab is teal and purple
In addition to the well-loved brands that the store has stocked over the years, Vanessa has added to D’Oré’s expansive selection of top international fashion offerings by securing the exclusive rights to brands including Emilio Pucci, Escada, Elie Tahari, Rupert Sanderson and Vanessa G London.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INTERVIEW OR IMAGES PLEASE CONTACT SAM SWAINE AT SAM@PRCOLLECTIVE.CO.ZA OR ON 083 896 0514 NOTES TO THE EDITOR: Vanessa Gounden has been in the fashion industry for 5 years and has her fashion label Vanessa G London stocked in style studios and stores in London, Moscow, Zurich and various cities in North America. Vanessa Gounden is the owner and CEO of the HolGoun Group and the Creative Director of her own brand, Vanessa G. Brands stocked in the new D’Oré store include: Escada; Armani Collezioni; Emilio Pucci; Elie Tahari; Vanessa G London; Roberto Quaglia; Preen; Rupert Sanderson; Basler; Laurel; Marc Cain; Kathy Hilton; Jovanni; Tarik Ediz; Elle McPhereson Intimates.