Mythology designed the LA Flagship and livestream content studio for cult clean beauty brand Beautycounter. On Abbot Kinney in Venice, a location now synonymous with bold retail, the Flagship is a reflection of the pioneering work Beautycounter does for clean beauty both with the brand's award-winning products and their political advocacy.
The store design is part of a larger umbrella of brand work that Mythology delivered for Beautycounter this year, starting with 'Change Beauty Forever,' a powerful advertising campaign, which provides the brand with a platform to communicate their mission of clean beauty for all.
"Our aim with the Beautycounter Los Angeles flagship was to connect the brand's new retail concept to the fundamentals of their DNA, and specifically their mission of getting safer beauty products in the hands of everyone," commented Ted Galperin, Partner and Director of Retail. "We used the entire building in the design, creating a living billboard for the brand."
In just 640 square feet, Mythology made use of the entire building to create a living billboard for the brand. The flagship features a payphone that houses a virtual assistant and connects you with your local representative to advocate for safer beauty laws. The phone itself is from 1938, the last year major legislation in the beauty industry was passed in the United States.
'Live from Abbot-Kinney,' an interactive platform that allows shopping from home, but for the Instagram Live generation. Reminiscent of the Hollywood lots nearby, the space can be turned into a CYC studio where Beautycounter can film a variety of content ranging from product launches, makeovers and discussions with community leaders, all with higher production value. After trying on the product, customers can also use the studio to take photos or record content of their own. On the storefront, Beautycounter's version of an on-air sign glows when the brand or customers go live. With so many people shopping online, Mythology wanted to ensure that every customer felt included in the Beautycounter retail experience, even those watching on its website and social channels from home.
Designed entirely during quarantine, the customer experience was re-imagined with COVID-19 safety measures top of mind. Copper can be found on fixtures due to its natural anti-microbial properties; a hand-sanitizing station sits right at the entrance for all customers, and ceramic trays for testing that mitigate exposure by holding small samples can be carried to the designated beauty counter.
Photography: Courtesy of Mythology