elizabeth arden

With Chinese consumers returning to retail stores, Elizabeth Arden, a major American cosmetics, skin care and fragrance company, anticipates a healthy rebound in sales. Young women in China have favored the brand for its quality products and its media- savvy and culturally sensitive marketing. Elizabeth Arden pays close attention to Chinese consumer culture, anticipating what young women want by offering continually updated choices. It also makes important alliances with Chinese “key opinion leaders”— social media influencers like hit idol Hu Yitian—who are avidly followed by gen Zers and Millennials. BR Design’s competition entry for Elizabeth Arden’s new retail prototype for China builds on the rapport between the brand and its customers. In a configuration that can range from 2,000 to 3,000 square feet, the design features a beauty salon, where customers can receive beauty treatments and view product displays, adjacent to an elegant boudoir, where they can sample products and make purchases. Outfitted with a variety of cosmetic display wall cabinets, display counters and shop furniture, the prototype contrasts the cool modernity of the salon with the lush, garden-like boudoir. Might “a spa day at Elizabeth Arden” become a cherished experience in China? The prototype strongly suggests that it could.