Poléne Case Study

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It’s a ✨special edition✨ for you!

Heard about Polène? This French family brand reached +€140M in revenue since its launch in 2016.

And +200M views on TikTok.

Recognizing the brand’s potential, LVMH recently purchased shares in Polène…

…Making it one of the most trendiest brands of the year.

But how did they achieve that?

Emily in Paris, Kate Middelton, UGC… I’m breaking down their successful strategy just for you.

Plus, check out some fresh industry updates!

(P.S. You’ll LOVE what YouTube is rolling out for creators 🤫)

Let’s go!

⏰ Estimated read time: 3 minutes or less

📊 Did you know?

In the U.S., nearly 54% of Gen Z will find gifts on TikTok Shop alone

(RetailDive, 2024)

👛 How Poléne doubled their sales in 1 year

This autumn, it will be impossible to miss Polène bags.

They flooded social media, quickly earning the titles of “the trendiest” and “the most desirable” bags of the year.

Yet, just a few years ago, Polène was an unknown handcrafted brand from France.

This French family business was founded in 2016 by three siblings.

Their dream?

To create a handbag line that combines exceptional craftsmanship with accessible prices.

And voilà!

In 2023, Polène’s turnover reached €142M, more than doubling from the previous year.

How did they do it?

The answer is simple:

Influencer marketing!!

Stay with me while I break down their strategy so you can steal it for YOUR business.

1️⃣ Craftsmanship & Accessibility

The first thing Polène did?

They found their niche.

The brand aimed to position itself as offering luxury-quality bags with a minimalistic and timeless design, yet at an affordable price.

Thanks to this strategy, their products were quickly adopted by celebrities, influencers, and fashion stylists, contributing to the "quiet luxury" trend.

Polène also offers customization options for some products, allowing customers to add a personal touch to their bags.

2️⃣ Successful Positionning

It's not enough to successfully find your niche.

The next big question is:

How do you position your brand to the right audience?

And WHO is your desired audience?

Polène stands out because they have a clear understanding of who they serve.

Unlike other traditional luxury brands that focus on history and heritage,

Polène connects with younger shoppers seeking unique, well-crafted handbags at affordable prices.

And this strategy has worked wonders.

According to Bain & Company, Gen Z is expected to make up over 60% of the luxury market by 2025.

3️⃣ 100% online

Polène followed a model similar to brands like Sézane and Away.

They initially sold exclusively online and in their Paris store.

NO RETAILERS

The purpose?

To control costs and maintain brand image.

Once established, Polène expanded through luxury platforms like Net-a-Porter and Farfetch, and opened stores internationally.

Their focus on e-commerce helped them remain less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthened their online customer base.

4️⃣ Digital strategy

Polène established a strong online presence and focused on a younger demographic.

What was the next step?

The brand needed a robust digital strategy.

So, they prioritized growth through:

1. Collaborations with creators

Polène frequently collaborates with influencers.

They encourage creators to apply for partnerships directly on their website.

According to Click Analytic, the brand was mentioned by

→ 8.7K creators on Instagram

→1.29K creators on TikTok.

= MASSIVE REACH

And their size?

Notably, Polène received the most mentions from micro-influencers.

(64% of those creators on Instagram have <50K followers)

The hashtag #Polene on TikTok has garnered +210M views.

While #PoleneBag has received nearly 90M more…

2. Affiliate program

Polène also offers an affiliate program.

Through this program, creators can earn 3% per sale.

It’s an effective way to turn influencers into sellers within their own communities.

3. Celebrity endorsements

Influencers boosted Polène’s visibility.

This helped build a strong community and attracted the attention of fashion designers.

It eventually led to their products reaching major celebrities.

All for FREE!

For example, Polène benefited from the well-known "Netflix effect."

Their bags were featured on Emily in Paris and quickly started selling out.

Polène's bags are also among the favorites of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.

A BIG win for Poléne?

So, what did the brand’s global strategy lead to?

Recently, LVMH acquired a minority stake in Polène.

An obvious recognition of their success.

Now, we can expect the brand to:

• Boost international awareness

• Increase brand visibility

• Introduce celebrity brand ambassadors

Well, learning is great but…

How about turning YOUR brand into a social media phenomenon?

🎁 Book a 1:1 strategy session with me today

And I’ll help you:

1. Understand your audience on social platforms

2. Analyze your competitors

3. And build a robust and sustainable creator program for your brand.

I’m speaking about getting +300 monthly creator mentions from influencers, affiliates, celebrities etc.

And you DON’T need a big budget!

Ready? → Don’t miss it! Link here.

📰 Social Snapshot