On November 17, at CEW’s sold-out Newsmaker Forum, “Sephora: Designing Retail’s Future,” at Manhattan’s Harmonie Club, Sephora Americas president & CEO Calvin McDonald provided guests with details of the retailer’s new concept store that was about to open. He shared exclusive info on Sephora’s plan “to reimagine how retail, digital, and consumer beauty come together,” just days before the opening of its completely renovated 8,500 square foot Powell Street, San Francisco location.

McDonald said Sephora will focus on bringing together smart technology, hands-on teaching and consumer beauty to create an innovative, intuitive and personalized store experience building on the three pillars of its approach—teach, inspire and play (TIP)—using technology and story-telling to engage consumers and personalize the shopping experience.

The store features more than 13,000 products, and a “pioneering” store environment “rooted in discovery and innovation.” According to McDonald, this includes a wide array of services and classes that will make a visit to the store a one-of-a-kind, individualized experience, every time.

“To create Sephora’s Beauty TIP Workshop on Powell Street, we completely redesigned our store experience to reimagine it for our client today and into the future,” said McDonald. “By fusing exceptional hands-on service and technology, we’re creating a new experience that will teach and inspire, while allowing clients to play with beauty. And this is just the beginning. Even as we introduce this concept to new stores and renovations, we are continually making enhancements that will consistently make the Sephora beauty experience more fun and fulfilling for our clients than anything they will experience anywhere else.”

Central to Sephora’s concept is The Beauty Workshop, essentially a workstation where clients come to learn via group beauty classes with Sephora’s 10 educated facilitators, leverage tutorials using iPad stations, or gather inspiration from The Beauty Board, Sephora’s own shop-able gallery showcasing user-generated content via a large digital screen.

The Sephora Beauty Studio, now located in the front windows of the store, still serves as the place for one-on-one makeovers featuring larger stations, Sephora + Pantone Color IQ touchscreens, with updated IQ technology including lip color and concealer, and new mirror and canopy lighting fixtures for maximum light exposure. 

Skincare consultations take place at The Skincare Studio, where clients can even indulge in a Mini Facial service. A touchscreen station is also affixed to the area for instant access to Sephora’s exclusive Skincare IQ diagnostic, helping clients determine the best products based on their skin concerns.

Fragrance IQ has been enhanced with a first-to-market sensory technology, InstaScent. Developed in partnership with 5th Screen Digital, and available exclusively at Sephora, InstaScent allows clients to explore 18 scent families through an innovative delivery system. 

Larger, multi-branded, interactive areas include the new Hair Play Station and new Trend Tables, inspiring customers to explore, play and try curated assortments of products.
Twelve new brands round out the store’s massive beauty experience.

The event was moderated by CEW chairwoman, Jill Scalamandre, SVP, Philosophy and CMO, Coty Skincare, Coty Inc.