Early this Fall, Russian organic health and beauty brand Natura Siberica opened a store in Copenhagen, its first outlet in Europe.

Whereas Western goods are commonplace on Russian shelves, it’s generally unheard of for beauty brands to travel in the opposite direction. Typically, Russian companies employ our design services to fend off competition from western brands in their own market.

So are the Russians coming? The store in Copenhagen is by no means the limit to Natura Siberica’s ambitions.

Due to availability online in the UK, USA, France and Germany, sales in the west grew from US$1 million in 2012 to US$4 million in 2014. The brand’s owner, Andrey Trubnikov, plans to capitalize on, and speed up, growth by having a flagship presence in several European countries, with more stores in the pipeline.

The new European outlet sells 35 brand ranges, all designed by Pure, from bath oils to antiaging creams, plus a men’s range that has recently been sold in Harrods.

The focal point for the brand design is the name and distinctive logo derived from native Siberian art, referencing the geographical origins of the wild herbs and flowers that provide the active beauty ingredients.

How did Natura Siberica manage to penetrate western markets? Chiefly, the logo gives the brand its own unique heritage and credibility; and Siberian active ingredients, which are integral to the packaging design, help to drive sales.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pure is an independent design agency based in Nottingham, UK. (Russian site)

Owner David Rogers created the brand and packaging for the launch of Natura Siberica in 2007. At the store in Copenhagen there are about 35 brand ranges on the shelves—all designed by Pure.