Celebrities who choose to wear Le Vian designs on the red carpet are wearing their own jewelry.
That was a factoid disclosed by Ajit, a Le Vian store host on the Carnival Horizon cruise line, who declined to give his last name. Starboard Cruise Services, a part of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, was showcasing the new retail shop format onboard the mega ship. According to Ajit, “Le Vian has never given away jewels worn on the red carpet by celebrities. They buy it.” The store was filled with designs comprised of multicolored gems, and 80 percent of the onboard collection is exclusive to the cruise ship. As for all that color, Ajit said, “This is a new generation and we are going through [an interest in] colorful gems these days.”
Also new is the very first Victoria’s Secret boutique at sea. The product line has been sold on other lines, but mixed in with other brands and products. This one involves dedicated space that occupies the equivalent of what could have been two smaller brand boutiques. Boutiques tend to average about 400 square feet. The Victoria’s Secret boutique was holding a sale on certain products, similar to what one would find on land, but one key difference for onboard shops is the tax-free savings, which translates to at least a 10 percent benefit for passengers.
Other boutiques feature brands sharing space. Alex & Ani held court on one wall in the fashion jewelry boutique, while Swarovski occupied space on an adjacent wall. A display case showed the brand Marahlago, known for its rare blue mineral Larimar, which will be hosting a trunk show as one of the onboard events.
The Carnival Horizon marked a series of launches this year by Starboard involving mega ships. According to Beth Neumann, Starboard’s president and chief executive officer, the total retail square footage on the mega ships averages between 8,000 and 10,000 square feet.