Work for a competition in collaboration with BA Architecture students, as part of my MA Narrative Environments course.
I collaborated in a multidisciplinary team to create a concept for the store, based on Sephora's brand values, and the idea of having it be a 'Beauty Playground'. Our core concept was based on PLAY, and the proposal was to create a space that is constructed using the Sephora codes (in keeping with the brand's guidelines), manipulated to create an overarching grid for the space, out of which the furniture, lighting and spatial layout was derived. The furniture served functions of both loading (the rectangular and square pieces), and as interaction spots (the triangular end pieces) where more digital/immersive experiences can be slotted in.
The design brought about a gamified store experience, with a modular space that can be changed easily, turning each store into a [modular beauty playground], but always maintaining two main spatial categories: Play Pockets, and Play Points. The different layouts were referred to as [Plays], and a suggested range of those were compiled into the Sephora Playbook, which would have been given to the Beauty Assistants as a guideline, giving them agency in how the store is set up, based on the kinds of events that the store would need to host.
The project was a finalist in the competition, and was presented to LVMH's head architect, and marketing team.
Collaborators:
Andres Restrepo Le Flohic, Ayesha Silburn, Tanya Anand.
PROJECT:
LVMH - SEPHORA
CLIENT BRIEF:
To design a new store experience and interior for the flagship store in paris. The cleint aimed to engage the millennials and elevate the in-store experience over the online experience.
PROBLEM:
Millennials require an omni-channel experience that is engaging, quick and reactive. There is a discrepancy between what sephora sells itself as (a place to experiment and explore), and what it actually is (an overwhelming shopping experience).
HIDDEN ASSETS:
Sephora's beauty assistants.
PROPOSAL:
A modular, phygital beauty playground that engages audiences through a gamified shopping experience that rewards play and exploration.
IMPACT:
To give Sephora employees ownership of and agency within their workspace, creating brand loyalty from within the company.
To engage the target audience in a physical space and create an in-store experience that is as seamless as the online experience.