pureseoul Westfield
A new UK home for the K-beauty specialists
pureseoul looked to create a store that established them as the go to destination for everything K-Beauty; a hub of expertise and knowledge that celebrates an extensive range of Korean brands.
Idea
The beauty retailer challenged us to create an accessible space for skincare enthusiasts and makeup junkies to fall in love with Korean cosmetics. The store needed to be calm and inviting, welcoming in existing K-Beauty fans as well as introducing the K-Beauty world to new shoppers. A key focus on the retail concept was that the design a store had to include a display framework which was fully customisable for changing stock levels, new emerging brands, and products that are hot on socials.
Insight
Ensuring that pureseoul’s brand values were brought to life, we identified four strategic pillars that provided the building blocks for the new retail concept. The concept took cues from pureseoul’s existing Soho store but magnified key elements to create a playful and thematic experience. The palette was elevated using a collection of blue tones paired with off white and nudes, giving a ‘pure’ look and feel – a contrast to the typical K-Beauty aesthetic within the industry. Expressions of clouds were brought through curved tabletops, playful wall alcoves and fluid lighting, giving the store a whimsical look.
Three distinctive zones of activity and product consideration were curated to build a cohesive, intuitive journey for customer exploration that services both self-directed and staff led shoppers. Two focal areas for pureseoul were the ‘Masks &
Mini’s’ zone and ‘New Brand Launch’ zone. The ‘Minis’ were to target those younger demographics which were looking to take home a piece of pureseoul without the paying the premium price tag. While the ‘New Brand Launch’ zone at the storefront was to showcase curated edits that leverage TikTok trending and best seller content to inspire and satisfy the want for hype products.
Intertwined throughout the zones were educational yet inspiring messages and graphic content that includes and represents every type of customer. This was achieved through a show, don’t tell approach to comms. But the most notable feature of the store is that every fixture design element is free dress meaning that pureseoul can continue to customise and mix & match the layout of the store as the brands needs change – future proofing the store.
Realisation
The ‘Playful Sky-Scape’ concept gave reason for customers to enter a physical store rather than shopping online. It allowed pureseoul’s personality to shine and adding provenance to the stories of the brand and creating affinity through memorable and distinct moments. The store is a cohesive visual envelope of various evocations of the brand and is now the go-to place for K-Beauty in the UK.
Testimonial
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