Australian cosmetics brand, Gorgeous Cosmetics, unveiled its latest stores, in November, at Westfield Doncaster in Melbourne and in December, in Queensland’s Macarthur Central shopping centre.
Westfield Doncaster had been in Gorgeous Cosmetics’ sight as a potential store destination for some time and CEO David McConnell said that the announcement of the shopping centre’s refurbishment simply cemented the decision.
Mr McConnell has worked closely with award-winning interior designer Greg Natale to create a welcoming ambience for the stores; transforming the sites into a ‘Gorgeous Room’.
“We’ve created an environment for pampering, learning and experiencing the product,” Mr McConnell said.
Mr Natale, of Greg Natale Design, said the design of the fittings emphasised the need for the product to be the highlight while still retaining warmth in the store. This was achieved by balancing the size of the fittings with the size of the product, creating a personable and approachable experience for the customer.
The signature Gorgeous Cosmetics stores’ monochromatic colour scheme of black and cream was softened for the two latest venues. “The previous stores already had the glossy black finish, making the design process ‘an evolution not a revolution’,” Natale explained.
Working with the existing finish, signature details were created that will begin to appear in future stores, such as the wood turned legs; making the store fixtures into furniture. Product packaging also helped inspire graphics throughout the store. The print design has been transformed into custom-made wallpaper, while a European company was commissioned to reproduce the design in a rich cream and black carpet.
In recent years, David McConnell has travelled extensively, researching the best possible sources for makeup ingredients, while picking up on style trends. The new direction of the brand and store experience reflects this, he said. “Gorgeous has always been a contemporary product for the savvy consumer. The new finishes and deluxe details complement the Gorgeous style.”
All Gorgeous technicians are fully trained makeup artists. Part of their role is working with customers in-store and educating them in application techniques and professional tricks.