Did you know that Niche Beauty has been part of the DOUGLAS Group since 2019? Our luxury subsidiary is fully dedicated to offering the most exciting and exquisite beauty brands in the world through its online shop. In the carefully curated selection, customers can find unique premium and niche products that are often only known to insiders. In this interview, Steven Mattwig, CEO Niche Beauty & parfumdreams, and Anne Zimmermann, Managing Director Niche Beauty, are giving insights into how they turned Niche Beauty into a love brand.
Steven Mattwig, CEO Niche Beauty & parfumdreams, and Anne Zimmermann, Managing Director Niche Beauty, are jointly responsible for the strategic direction of our luxury subsidiary. They inspire customers with outstanding and exclusive brands and create tailor-made shopping experiences for them.
Niche Beauty aims at and appeals to a more sophisticated and luxury-oriented target group who seems to have everything. How does it become a love brand for these customers and generate excitement among them?
Anne Zimmermann: We strive to invite our customers to get up close and personal - immersing themselves in our universe and ideally also making Niche Beauty a part of their lifestyle. In addition to the exciting edits and campaigns we regularly launch, we’ve developed THE CLUB, our exclusive loyalty program that offers VIP customers access to masterclasses and early access to our carefully curated products. We also provide personalized, one-on-one consulting services that are truly made-to-measure. This fall, we are particularly excited to announce the launch of our app - drumroll, please - which will allow customers to easily navigate and shop for products tailored to their tastes and preferences.
Speaking of “THE CLUB”: What is the strategy behind your loyalty program and what does it take to create a strong relationship with luxury-orientated customers?
Steven Mattwig: At Niche Beauty, we generate a high revenue share from few VIP customers. To cater to these special customers, we felt compelled to create a unique and exclusive experience. With "THE CLUB," we are therefore focusing on two main objectives:
„THE CLUB“ has created a desire to join the program so that we already generate >50% of revenue with CLUB members in Germany & Austria. At Niche Beauty we ensure that CLUB members get a special offer every week so that each member feels special and are likely to spend more.
Looking at your name and slogan, it is evident that you focus on an exceptional exclusivity and special curation of your assortment. How do you discover and list such niche brands and products of such high quality?
Anne Zimmermann: At Niche Beauty, we’re not just about luxury - we’re selective. We invest significant effort in discovering products and brands that are ahead of the curve and truly deliver on their promises. It’s not just about exceptional formulas; we also seek out visionary founders with compelling stories. These are key factors in our scouting process, whether we’re researching online or during our regular scouting trips to cities like New York, London, and Copenhagen. A perfect example of a brand that embodies these values is Lisa Eldridge, which we’ve recently launched exclusively. Founded by one of the industry’s most sought-after makeup artists, this brand offers superb, user-friendly products for anyone, anywhere - a perfect fit for Niche Beauty.
How do you create compelling and cohesive content and imagery for your online shop and social media platforms that not only fits the brand but also inspires and engages the audience?
Anne Zimmermann: As we often say, every great brand needs great storytelling. We're focused on building a cohesive identity that begins with our product portfolio and extends to our visual and verbal branding. Our social media strategy is built around inspiring our audience, but we also want to invite customers behind the scenes - whether it’s with the Niche Beauty team or the brands we collaborate with. Our communication strategy is an extension of everything we stand for as a brand: We want to be exclusive, high-quality, we want to lead, inspire and excite - and we want to do it on an eye-to-eye level, with kindness and warmth.
And through which channels and strategies does Niche Beauty effectively reach and engage its customers?
Steven Mattwig: As a digital company we reach our customers primarily via digital channels like newsletter, WhatsApp, social media and other performance marketing channels. Niche Beauty is very strong in content creation so we also send out print mailings and high quality magazines for our best customers. Our VIP customers can talk to their VIP customer service assistant directly and we also try to engage our best customers on new brands or our upcoming app. It is very important to us to have an ongoing conversation with our customers, hear their worries, desires and thoughts to become a premium love brand. Our brand marketing also includes product & brand PR in different countries and we sponsor few events with a focus on female and luxurious target groups. Stay tuned for more to come!
