Last week I found myself sitting beside a pond filled with water lilies in the middle of Paris, watching models walk across the surface of the water.
It wasn’t a dream, it was Dior’s Paris Fashion Week show in the Jardin des Tuileries.
The entire venue had been purpose-built around the pond, complete with carefully placed water lilies and a runway that allowed the models to appear as if they were walking on water. It was visually stunning and incredibly immersive.
But what happened next was the real masterclass.
After the show, guests were invited to a private viewing of Monet’s Water Lilies at the nearby Musée de l’Orangerie - a museum that had been closed exclusively for show guests.
It was an extraordinary example of what happens when a brand designs an experience rather than simply hosting an event.
Now clearly most businesses don’t have the budget of LVMH, or the ability to close a global museum for the afternoon!
But the principle behind it is absolutely transferable.
Thoughtfully designed experiences have the power to transform customer engagement. When you create moments that feel surprising, intentional and connected to your brand story, they create memories that last far longer than any advertisement ever could.
For clarity I was a guest of Dior, but this isn’t a sponsored post. There was no expectation that I would write about the experience.
What it did reinforce, however, is something I speak about often inside Ready to Rise - the importance of expanding your perspective.
Some of the best business ideas don’t come from looking harder at your own industry. They come from observing how completely different industries think about experience, storytelling and value.
When you step outside your usual environment, your brain starts operating differently. You’re removed from your normal routines, exposed to new stimuli, and in my experience that’s often when the most interesting ideas emerge.
You might not replicate the experience itself, but you can absolutely translate the underlying concept.
So here’s a question worth reflecting on this week:
What are you doing to create a thoughtfully designed, brand-connected experience that your customer could never have anticipated - but will never forget?
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