Storeage, the Shanghai-based Dutch retail design agency, worked closely with the team from B+Tube cosmetics to create their first flagship store. With its striking iridescent archways, the store aims to connect to teenagers looking for a more expressive and colourful approach to cosmetics. And in line with the teens shopping behaviour, the store introduces ample room to interact with social media to facilitate online to offline shopping.
B+Tube collection of beauty products ranges from skincare, make-up, travel and lifestyle products, all focused around the idea of freedom of expression. The brand wanted to introduce a new and young attitude to the cosmetic retail landscape, aimed at teenagers and asked Storeage to design a store concept that was fitting the brand and would integrate different ways of shopping.
The design pays tribute to an old Chines proverb of a mouse that fell into a rice jar. It is the analogy of being fully immersed in all the choices the brand wants to offer teenagers to express themselves. Translating that freedom of expression into design, Storeage chose iridescent perforated steel as the eye-catching material throughout the space.
Applying the iridescent to a cathedral-like structure in the centre of the space the agency organized the lay-out around 3 basic principles of cosmetics: cleansing, foundation and make-up. Each direction comes with an education centre, with tutorials and videos, illustrating how to best apply the different products and in return allowing consumers to shop complementing ones from these videos for alternative expressions or better-suited products for their skin.
With its double layer of perforations, walking inside of the cathedral feels like being immersed in colourful water, another hint at the abundance of choice this brand has to offer.
As Lisa Yu, the founder and CEO of B+Tube puts it: “We want to encourage a younger Chinese generation to express themselves in whatever shape or colour they prefer, yet never at the expense of a healthy skin.” Following this thinking, the perimeter of the store is rather clean and laboratory-like, using brushed metal and white Corian. It emphasizes the fact B+Tube will not carry any cosmetic or skincare brand without doing proper research on the effect of those products on your skin.
The store measures 218 sqm, and the centre archway takes up roughly 33% of that. The perimeter of the store features a private, in-person consultation room and a beauty bar, with iridescent circles floating above it. Towards the front of the store, the travel products are presented.
“The product, the information, the experiences, the enjoyment, everything about beauty is rushing you from all, surrounds you and spoils you, continuously. As if you drown in beauty. Even when leaving this store, the consumer will feel inspired to live life full, in whatever way or fashion they fancy.” Kang Li, the director of Storeage China adds.
