Editors' Top Reads: News from Balmain Beauty, Lookfantastic, CEW and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.beauty team.
The Interview in partnership with CEW: Jacqui Owens, Director of Lifestyle Retail at Google UK&I
As Director of Lifestyle Retail at Google UK&I, Jacqui Owens works closely with brands and retailers to help them achieve their business objectives through digital solutions, whilst providing insightful consumer data to support their strategies.
From Charlotte Tilbury and Boots to THG and Gymshark, she leads the platform's largest commercial partnerships across the categories of fashion, sports, luxury, health and beauty.
In this exclusive interview with TheIndustry.beauty, Owens speaks about the biggest opportunities and challenges in the beauty industry today and the opportunity of AI within the sector, as well as how Google works in partnership with brands and retailers, the top consumer trends in beauty, and more.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
Lookfantastic divulges details about a concept store that "redefines retail"
The beauty industry can't get enough of physical retail. From Space NK, Boots, H&M Beauty, H Beauty or Sephora, it seems as though expansion is on the cards for all of the above. Lookfantastic is getting in on a piece of the pie, opening its first-ever concept store, bringing the retailer from URL to IRL on the outskirts of Manchester. Here, the retailer is on a mission to "redefine retail" as community-driven and educational.
In recent years, Lookfantstic tested the waters of physical retail with popular pop-ups, for example, it recently partnered with Sol de Janeiro to celebrate the launch of its new Cheirosa 48 Perfume Mist through an exclusive pop-up in London. Building on this success, Lookfantastic's 5,392 sq ft concept store launched today. The Altrincham concept store is specifically designed to be a bold departure from traditional beauty halls. It offers a relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere inviting beauty veterans and newcomers alike.
Continuing the experiential retail trend, Lookfantastic will host monthly beauty pop-ups, featuring exciting collaborations, new launches, and limited-edition products. Plus, the Beauty Bar, a dedicated space for beauty services, events, and social experiences.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
London Designer Outlet celebrates 'record-breaking' August sales
London Designer Outlet this week reported its strongest-ever sales performance outside of December, with August sales totalling over £10 million. This tops off a successful summer for the retail and leisure destination, having also achieved its best-performing summer on record for June and July 2024.
It follows a programme of major shows at nearby Wembley Stadium, including Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, AC/DC and Green Day, each driving footfall and sales to the centre.
The summer of sport and music also follows an longer period of consistent growth, with LDO's sales outperforming non-London UK outlets in three out of the last four reported quarters, according to data from CACI's UK Shopper Dimensions.
With Dua Lipa, Oasis and Coldplay all set to perform at Wembley Stadium next summer, it's full steam ahead for London Designer Outlet as it looks to continue on its positive trajectory.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
Balmain puts beauty on the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week ahead of Balmain Beauty launch
Beauty executives everywhere will know that revenues at big fashion houses are driven by fragrance and beauty but these categories are rarely given prominence on the catwalks of Paris. Has Balmain just changed all that with its latest show at Paris Fashion Week?
The Parisian house signed a licensing deal with Estée Lauder Companies a couple of years ago and the results are just starting to be seen. A new fragrance, Les Éternels, was unveiled this week with Balmain Beauty set to launch this autumn.
Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing used his catwalk show this season to celebrate this launch with accessories in the shape of fragrance bottles and make-up palettes, "power face" dresses featuring intricate beading to mimic make-up effects, while the colour palette of the collection majored on foundation nudes and lipstick reds.
This was a clear indication of where this fashion powerhouse sees its future - and that's as much in cosmetics as it is in clothing.
Lauretta Roberts. Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
Nicola Kilner, Deciem
The Interview: Nicola Kilner, CEO and Co-founder of DECIEM, on her far from ordinary products and career
DECIEM is best known for The Ordinary. This skincare brand blazed a trail and pretty much single-handedly created the trend for affordable, ingredient-led beauty that prevails to this day. But prior to launching The Ordinary, it launched NIOD an unashamedly scientific (though not complicated) skincare brand that has been somewhat overlooked. Which is a shame, because it's really good!
DECIEM co-founder Nicola Kilner is out to change all of that and has been placing the focus on NIOD of late, not least with a dedicated showcase event in London this summer for the media, influencers and stockists. Happily for us, she also found time to do an interview in which she talks about the brand, her career to date and how she has navigated success, challenge and tragedy.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
