Photo Thomas Iannaccone
Saks unveiled their new look for the New York Flagship two weeks ago. Today, Barneys New York revealed the newly redesigned cosmetics and fragrance floor simultaneously on both coasts at the Madison Avenue flagship and at the Beverly Hills store. Moving away from branded shop in shops to modern brightly lit open spaces in a neutral environment highlighting the aesthetic of Barney’s new look , now in fragrance and beauty that exudes modern chic. The overall look is reminescent of specialty boutiques rather than a department store.
“The walls are covered in white French plaster, the design of the display cases is reminiscent of a modern medicine cabinet, white terrazzo tile is used and soft ambient lighting lights the products from below with uplit LED panels. Both the Madison Avenue flagship and the Beverly Hills store include a fragrance bar with a sculpted design, custom-made acrylic tester trays and lighting calculated to highlight the shape of the bottles.
The architectural firm Steven Harris Architects had never done a retail space and the project required some study. “[We] wanted to design a space that is luxurious, abstract and sensual, but something different than your standard retail boilerplate,” said Steven Harris. “We really had to look at everything with fresh eyes and as though we had never seen it before.”
Photo Thomas Iannaccone
The New York beauty floor, which was moved from the ground floor to the lower level in 2000, has been enlarged by 1,000 square feet by converting a nonselling area, and now totals 9,000 square feet.
Photo: Stefanie Keenan
In Beverly Hills, the beauty department has moved from 4,300 square feet on the first floor to 8,000 square feet on the lower level. Like in New York, a clean, architectural look defines the beauty area, which has almost 11-foot-high ceilings, mirrored columns, patterned walls, terrazzo flooring, counters illuminated by LED panels and acrylic shelving that makes products appear as if they are floating. Barneys’ added a prominent marble staircase that eases the way from the first to the ground floor. When customers descend the staircase to the beauty department, they encounter a selection from Frédéric Malle and then a broader arrangement of fragrances from across the beauty portfolio.
Photo: Stefanie Keenan
New vendors and product launches reflect the s desire to concentrate on brands that are either exclusives or rare. There are discreet little XO (Exclusively Ours) positioned around the department.. Malle and Byredo, both artisanal fragrance brands, are housed in their own 300-square-foot homes off the Madison Avenue floor, as is Serge Lutens, whose exclusive scents are sold only at Barneys and Serge Lutens’ Paris boutique. The store is launching the first fragrance collection by makeup guru Terry de Gunzburg, a new scent line for men called Rituals, and a fragrance by Greg Lauren.
.Asked what role beauty plays in the Barneys’ product mix, Mark Lee, CEO said, “For 13 years we’ve called the Madison floor the Foundation [because it was moved to the lower level] and now we’re calling it the New Foundation. It’s not only the Foundation of the store, but it’s the foundation of our customer’s wardrobe. Before they think about their clothes and before they think about their shoes and their bags, the first thing [the customers] do is take care of their skin, their body; the lotions and potions and all of that is how you start your day. It’s the foundation of giving you the fresh start every day and the confidence. So it’s a huge complementary part of the total lifestyle."
There is a big play to capture the Niche and Luxury fragrance customer and both Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue are upping the stakes.
Source: Women’s Wear Daily
Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief