For short-term thinkers, making an investment in travel retail may seem insane, but eventually there will be an end to this pandemic and the world will go back to traveling. Long-term thinkers with plenty of cash are making bets on the future.
L’Oréal Travel Retail Americas has partnered with WHSmith division Marshall Retail Group to open a state-of-the-art beauty hub in the Arrivals and Departure Halls of New York LaGuardia Airport Terminal B. The Beauty Hub opened on the 31st of August and is located inside The Bowery Bay Shops.
“This breakthrough and disruptive retail concept aims at providing the American frequent-traveler with truly memorable and convenient experiences,” commented Managing Director of L’Oréal Travel Retail Americas Yannick Raynaud.
A range of digital features are also integrated into the Beauty Hub, including ModiFace’s AI-powered virtual experience. The tech-powered concept combines physical and digital elements in a sleek modern design developed by design agency Fitch, creative agency We An Idea, and digital partner Conex. The agencies designed the store using three key principles: innovation, attractiveness, and sustainability.
Stainless steel and scaffold-style structure provide a sense of place, referencing iconic New York architectural archetypes that are combined with pure and translucent materials. A scenography staging of translucency, iridescent effects, and reflections are created with lighting design that included LEDs with different light intensities and temperature.
A number of modular gondolas house travel retail exclusives and best-selling products in skincare, makeup, fragrance in addition to a strategic selection of Grab-and-Go products. L’Oréal’s ModiFace augmented-reality technology is a key feature allowing travelers to virtually try on a wide range of products and receive personalized skin consultations.
The merchandise assortment leverages the breadth of L’Oréal’s brand portfolio to offer a cross-category selection of brands with the American frequent domestic traveler in mind. Some of the brands included are Kiehl’s, Lancôme, Armani Beauty, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino Beauty, IT Cosmetics and Urban Decay, L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and La Roche-Posay.
“Marshall Retail Group is continuously seeking new ways to evolve the retail model and bring freshness into the airport, and we’re thrilled to partner with L’Oréal Travel Retail Americas for the innovative beauty travel retail concept they’re offering passengers,” said David Charles, Chief Operating Officer of Marshall Retail Group. “The opening of the Beauty Hub – New York inside The Bowery Bay Shops expands retail possibilities and will provide visitors with yet another incredible shopping experience as they travel through LaGuardia Airport Terminal B.”
