From retail icon to empowerment platform: How The Bicester Collection is redefining the value of its villages through purpose

When it comes to the world’s premier luxury shopping destinations, The Bicester Collection sets the benchmark. Since its founding by Value Retail in 1995, the Collection has placed “extraordinary experiences” at its core, transforming shopping from a mere transaction into a journey of discovery, inspiration, and delight. Today, its 12 distinctive villages across Europe, China, and North America form a cross-continental network of curated luxury. The Bicester Collection is more than a gathering of luxury brands; it is a finely tuned “experience space” aligned with contemporary consumer sensibilities. Each village is crafted with the care of a tourist destination — from the Jiangnan charm along Suzhou’s Yangcheng Lake to the modern energy near Shanghai Disneyland. Local culture, architectural aesthetics, and open spaces converge to make shopping itself an immersive leisure pursuit. Visitors take away far more than the items they purchase — they stroll with family through gardens and streets, or engage with art exhibitions, seasonal festivals, and pop-up brand events. It is this seamless fusion of setting, service, and experience that allows The Bicester Collection to surpass traditional retail, securing its place as a singular destination for discerning global shoppers. Yet, the Collection’s ambition extends beyond commerce. While redefining modern retail experiences, it channels the same spirit of innovation and strategic vision into broader social value — shaping consumption trends while contributing to a sustainable future. Over the years, The Bicester Collection has leveraged its commercial platform through the “DO GOOD”philanthropic programme, turning influence into a force for social good and systematically supporting women and children around the world. Every visit becomes more than a lifestyle choice; it becomes a quiet act of participation in long-term social progress. The “DO GOOD” programme focuses on three areas: charity partnerships, advocacy, and innovation. Through charity partnerships, each Village supports a locally chosen organization that improves the lives of women and children — reflecting the Collection’s belief in creating positive impact both locally and globally. Through advocacy, with 12 Villages (nine in Europe, two in China, and one in the United States) welcoming over 47 million guests annually, The Bicester Collection uses its global platform to champion a better future for women and children around the world. And through innovation, the Unlock Her Future Prize stands as the programme’s flagship initiative — empowering women social entrepreneurs to drive sustainable change and shape a brighter, more inclusive future. Harvard Business School data shows that fewer than 3% of women-led businesses receive venture capital funding, leaving many socially valuable ideas unable to launch. The Prize seeks to change this, to close the funding gap, empower women to build purpose-driven ventures, help women social entrepreneurs grow and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). It is open to women social entrepreneurs of any age, with start-ups operating in different sectors, at either the idea stage (yet to launch) or growth stage (less than three years old). Since its inception in 2022, the Prize has attracted participants from 39 countries and awarded around $600,000 in funding. On November 6, 2025, the Unlock Her Future Forum, presented by The Bicester Collection and supported by Impact Hub, took place at Shanghai Village. Centered on “Co-Creating a Sustainable Future,” the forum brought together women entrepreneurs and business leaders, international organizations and investment institutions to explore how to build an inclusive and innovative ecosystem for women entrepreneurs, advancing sustainable social impact. The forum also marked the launch of the 2026 East & Southeast Asia edition of the Unlock Her Future Prize. Since its establishment in 2022, the Prize has steadily expanded its global footprint — from MENA (2023) to Latin America (2024) and South Asia (2025), whose winners were just announced on November 19, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. In 2026, the Prize will come to China for the first time, focusing on East and Southeast Asia. This marks an important milestone, as the programme extends its support to women entrepreneurs across new cultural and geographic landscapes, deepening its impact across the region. The Bicester Collection is working to transform its villages from luxury shopping destinations into platforms that inspire goodwill and mobilize collective impact. In this vision, business success and social progress are not separate pursuits but mutually reinforcing forces. Advancing “commerce with purpose” has shaped the brand’s distinctive depth and warmth while laying a solid foundation for its enduring presence in China and across global markets. To understand how The Bicester Collection balances business performance with broader societal value, Jing Daily spoke with Desirée Bollier, Chair and Global Chief Merchant of The Bicester Collection, delving into the long-term strategy behind its philanthropic initiatives and examining the Collection’s unique approach to building a purpose-driven ecosystem in China. Jing Daily: How does the Unlock Her Future Prize, a key component of The Bicester Collection’s DO GOOD initiative, align strategically with your core business, and in what ways does it enhance the overall brand value of The Bicester Collection? Desirée Bollier: For over 30 years, The Bicester Collection has reimagined shopping as a force for good. We create sustainable value for our guests, brand partners, communities, and employees through innovative retail experiences, cultural engagement, and social responsibility. At the heart of our philosophy is the belief that we give back to communities locally, where we operate in and, globally reaching beyond the physical footprint of the Collection. This is why we launched DO GOOD, a global philanthropic programme dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by women and children worldwide. Each of our Villages — including Shanghai Village and Suzhou Village — supports a locally chosen charity. Here in China, our partner Ai Ai Ai provides invaluable support for children with disabilities, reflecting how our purpose is part of everyday life in our villages. As a key initiative under the DO GOOD programme, the Unlock Her Future Prize is our innovative programme to accelerate women’s empowerment through social entrepreneurship. These actions all work together to create a strong company culture. This culture also extends inward. One-third of our employees in China have been with us for over seven years — a rare figure in retail — and 64% of our workforce are women. These numbers reflect a deeply rooted culture of belonging, inclusion, and shared purpose. I believe that diverse perspectives are the true engines of sustainable growth. Through the Unlock Her Future Prize, we extend this belief beyond our business — empowering women social entrepreneurs to grow their ideas, scale their ventures, and create lasting impact for generations to come. JD: The Bicester Collection collaborates with partners such as UN Women. How do you leverage your global ecosystem to provide tangible, lasting support to women entrepreneurs? DB: Through financial support, mentorship from global experts, and the strength of a worldwide platform, the Unlock Her Future Prize stands as a hallmark of our commitment to women entrepreneurs whose ideas address social, cultural, and environmental challenges aligned with the UN SDGs. Each of our winners receives a business grant of up to $100,000, together with a tailored education and mentorship programme delivered in partnership with a world-leading academic institution — a lineage that includes NYU Abu Dhabi, Tecnológico de Monterrey and, this year, Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. At the heart of our impact is Ashoka, our evergreen partner, whose deep expertise ensures the ventures we support have the foundations to scale with integrity and purpose. And we are proud that the Prize carries the endorsement of UN Women. Collaboration is essential to driving meaningful change. We work across sectors — with international organisations, NGOs, investors, academia and global media — to build an ecosystem that champions women founders and amplifies their ideas on the world stage. Each stakeholder brings a distinct strength, yet we are united by one shared ambition: to unlock the potential of women who are reshaping the future. This is far more than a prize. It is a long-term commitment to empowering women innovators and accelerating the creation of a fairer, more sustainable world for all. JD: Why did The Bicester Collection pick East and Southeast Asia for the 2026 edition? DB: Guided by the philosophy of “Global Vision, Local Engagement,” the Unlock Her Future Prize focuses on a new region each year — co-creating ecosystems with local partners to unlock the full potential of women social entrepreneurs. The 2026 edition will expand to East and Southeast Asia — a region renowned for its innovation, youthful dynamism, and creative energy. Yet, only about 5% of women founders there receive funding, which underscores the need for more inclusive opportunities. With Shanghai Village and Suzhou Village as our anchors in China, this edition represents an extraordinary opportunity to expand our reach and connect changemakers across 15 countries. Through our Villages — vibrant crossroads of culture, commerce, and community — we aim to create a ripple effect of impact throughout the region. JD: What message do you hope this award sends to audiences and partners? DB: The message we want to send is simple — The Bicester Collection has always stood for creativity, hospitality, and human connection — values that naturally align with empowering women and driving positive change. Through the Unlock Her Future Prize, we want to show that when business, organizations, and communities come together, we can turn good ideas into real impact. Each region we enter becomes part of a global movement, where women support women and help each other grow. By hosting the 2026 edition in China, we also want to reaffirm our long-term commitment to this market — not only as a retail destination, but as a platform for innovation, creativity, and social progress. The message is one of collaboration, inclusion, and shared purposes because progress happens faster when everyone is part of it. JD: We have observed China's evolving role on the global stage. Do you see any new opportunities and cultural engagement in luxury retail here in China? DB: I would say a firm yes. The Bicester Collection has been here in China for more than 10 years, and in 2026 we will celebrate two important milestones — the 10th anniversary of Shanghai Village and the opening of Suzhou Village Phase III. Both reflect our long-term commitment to this market and our belief in its continued potential. China remains one of the world’s most important retail and tourism markets — not only for its scale, but for its influence on global trends in consumer experience, creativity, and digital innovation. We continue to see long-term growth potential in China’s rising middle- and upper-middle-class travelers, the revival of outbound tourism, and the evolution of domestic micro-vacation experiences — all areas where our Villages are uniquely positioned to lead. At the same time, China’s fashion and retail landscape is transforming rapidly, led by a new generation of homegrown designers whose craftsmanship and creativity rival the best in the world. I personally love supporting Chinese designers. Many of these talents have trained abroad — at institutions like Central Saint Martins, Parsons, or the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp — and have returned home to fuse Eastern aesthetics with Western innovation. This cross-cultural creativity is incredibly exciting, and I look forward to welcoming more of these brands into our Villages. JD: In your view, how can the fashion and retail industry contribute to women’s sustainable growth and development? DB: The fashion and retail industry has always been about aspiration — but today, aspiration must meet purpose. At The Bicester Collection, we create exceptional experiences with sustainable intent. For 30 years, we have reimagined retail as a platform for connection, cultural exchange, and positive impact. By 2030, we are meant to have made significant progress toward the UN SDGs, yet much remains to be done. Investing in women social entrepreneurs is one of the most direct ways to accelerate that progress. When we give women access to capital, mentorship, and visibility — empowering them to innovate in areas such as the environment, education, and community — we are investing in the sustainable future of the planet itself. That is precisely what our DO GOOD programme aims to achieve: unlocking futures for women and children worldwide, in alignment with the UN SDGs. It’s about creating a legacy of empowerment — proving that business, when guided by purpose and kindness, can truly make the world better.

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From retail icon to empowerment platform: How The Bicester Collection is redefining the value of its villages through purpose