Executive summary 

La Vie en Rose, Canada's premier lingerie and swimwear brand, partnered with Niteco to modernize their digital infrastructure across two major e-commerce platforms. In just 24 weeks, we successfully upgraded both lavieenrose.com and bikinivillage.com to Optimizely CMS 12 and Commerce 14, delivering exceptional performance improvements while maintaining zero business disruption. 

Key results: 

• 92% improvement in desktop Time to First Byte (TTFB) - improving page load speed
• 84% improvement in mobile TTFB – improving page load speed 
• 25% reduction in overall resource load – improving page rendering and load speed
• Zero downtime during peak sales seasons – ensuring continuity of service and no loss of revenue  

Watch the video below as Éric Champagne, CIO at la Vie en Rose, highlights how Niteco’s expert implementation of Optimizely CMS 12 and Commerce 14 helped future-proof their digital platforms.

The challenge 

La Vie en Rose faced significant obstacles in realizing their digital vision with their previous technology agency. They needed a strategic partner who could not only execute a complex platform upgrade but also align with their broader business objectives of expanding U.S. market presence while strengthening their Canadian operations. 

Technical imperatives 

The migration to Optimizely CMS 12 and Commerce 14 represented more than a routine upgrade - it was a generational technology transformation from .NET Framework to .NET Core, unlocking: 

• Modern development stack: Access to cutting-edge .NET 6 features allowing performance benefits and enhanced developer productivity 
• Superior performance: New DXP infrastructure improved page load times and scalability 
• Advanced platform features: Full access to the latest Optimizely DXP capabilities 

Complex project dynamics 

Several factors made this upgrade particularly challenging: 

• Multi-market complexity: Both sites operate on a shared codebase while serving distinct U.S. and Canadian markets, each with unique requirements and regulations. 
• Parallel project coordination: The upgrade had to seamlessly integrate with concurrent internal initiatives, including Order Management System (OMS) and ERP implementations. 
• Business-critical timing: Strict deployment freezes during peak retail seasons required precise scheduling to avoid disrupting high-revenue campaign periods. 

Our strategic solution 

Drawing on our track record of over 500 successful Optimizely upgrades, Niteco deployed our proprietary AI-powered upgrade accelerator to meet la Vie en Rose's ambitious timeline and complex operational requirements. 

Phase 1: Strategic planning and alignment 

We began with comprehensive stakeholder engagement to synchronize the upgrade timeline with la Vie en Rose's broader business calendar and concurrent projects. This collaborative approach ensured seamless coordination across multiple initiatives while scheduling the rollout strategically after critical deployment freezes. 

Phase 2: AI-accelerated Development 

Our proprietary Upgrade Accelerator leveraged artificial intelligence to: 

• Conduct automated code analysis for comprehensive issue identification 
• Provide intelligent detection of potential compatibility problems 
• Accelerate implementation of necessary fixes and optimizations 

This AI-powered approach significantly reduced manual effort while maintaining accuracy throughout the technical upgrade phases. 

Phase 3: Performance enhancement 

Beyond the core platform upgrade, we implemented advanced optimization features: 

• Cloudflare image optimization: Integrated edge image resizing and delivery using the Cloudflare platform 
• Latest upgraded packages and features: Installed enhanced CMS 12 and Commerce 14 packages for improved functionality and supporting future roadmap features. 

Phase 4: Coordinated go-live 

Our global team orchestrated a seamless launch, coordinating across la Vie en Rose, Optimizely and internal stakeholders to ensure rapid issue resolution and minimal business impact. 

Exceptional results 

The upgrade delivered transformative performance improvements across both platforms, significantly enhancing user experience and operational efficiency. 

Infrastructure performance gains 

Time to First Byte (TTFB) Improvements: 

• Desktop: 92% improvement (3.44s → 0.29s) 
• Mobile: 84% improvement (4.14s → 0.67s) 

Resource optimization: 

• 25% reduction in overall resource load, accelerating page rendering across all device types 

Additional performance improvement 

Our work didn’t end there, our partnership continued with our dev team delivering further optimizations on both the la Vie en Rose and Bikini Village websites to fine-tune Core Web Vitals and ensure a stable, fast, and engaging customer experience. 

The results speak for themselves: 

La Vie en Rose site performance 

Lighthouse Scores: 

• Desktop homepage: 93/100 
• Desktop search page: 91/100 
• Mobile search page: 113% performance improvement 

Core Web Vitals: 

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): 88% improvement on desktop homepage 
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): 97% improvement (0.3s → 0.0079s) on homepage desktop 

Bikini Village site performance

User Experience Metrics: 

• Mobile search page: 94% Lighthouse score improvement 
• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): 54% improvement 
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): 99% improvement (reduced to 0.0048s) 

Ongoing partnership and support 

Our relationship with la Vie en Rose extends well beyond project completion. Niteco continues to provide comprehensive support through: 

• 24/7 platform monitoring: Proactive issue detection, management and resolution 
• Application Maintenance and Development (AMAD): Continuous optimization and feature enhancement 
• Marketing technology support: Enabling agile response to market opportunities 
• Strategic guidance: Ongoing consultation for future growth initiatives 

This sustained partnership ensures la Vie en Rose remains competitive and scalable in the rapidly evolving retail landscape, with the technical foundation to support expansion into new markets and customer segments.