Sephora entered the Chinese market in April 2005, opening its first store in Shanghai. In 2020, Sephora’s store count was over 230, focused in 74 big cities like Beijing, Chongqing, Tianjin, and the Pearl River Delta. The newest edition is the digital- and art-savvy flagship store, situated in the capital’s trendy lifestyle hub and open 24/7 with the help of virtual reality.
“Sephora has been committed to breaking boundaries and bringing diverse forms of beauty to Chinese consumers. The TaiKoo Li Flagship Store is another successful practice of our retail innovation,” said Maggie Chan, Managing Director of LVMH – Sephora Greater China. “Therefore, we welcome consumers to this space we created integrating art and technologies seamlessly, to discover their own power of beauty.”
Designed in collaboration with the acclaimed young Chinese artist Chen Baoyang, the TaiKoo Li Flagship Store is a not-to-be-missed beauty destination. Chen Baoyang created the site-specific digital artwork Algorithmic Blossom for the location. With an educational background in both art and mathematics, Chen Baoyang breaks the boundaries and excels at imbuing creative art with digital technologies, leveraging algorithms to depict the diversity of beauty to explore the connections amongst art, technology and the public. Algorithmic Blossom draws inspiration from the traditional Chinese art piece Hundreds of Flowers, created in the Southern Song Dynasty by Yang Jieyu, the first female painter known in Chinese history. Chen’s work pays tribute to the beauty of flowers with skillful use of topological fractal algorithms, employing digital simulation and VR technology to display diverse flowers in full bloom to denote elegant integrity and unbounded romance.
As customers enter the TaiKoo Li Flagship Store, they are surrounded by Algorithmic Blossom in diverse forms. Flowing flowers on the LED screens all around conveys a brilliant display of beauty when they bloom and fade. Walking along the spiral staircase to the second floor, customers will gradually experience the flowers vibrantly unfolding as they arrive at the AR photo booth, where they can create immersive photos and videos.
Algorithmic Blossom also inspired the creation of exclusive peach blossom makeup looks by Chinese makeup artist Mao Geping featuring floral eye makeup designs. Sephora Beauty Pass members can make appointments via Sephora’s official WeChat account and access the exclusive complimentary look in a 20-minute Beauty Play session during the store’s grand opening. Inspired by the blossom, Marie Dalgar Color Studio developed a limited collection tailor-made for the new store, with the artwork “Algorithmic Blossom” blooming on the packaging.
The TaiKoo Li Flagship Store debuted:
