Inspiration Tours: Introducing Berlin

Art Museum - Berlin - Copyright - Cosmetics IC / Pic by Solène Albecq

Renowned for its avant-garde art scene, cutting-edge nightlife and conceptual retail, Berlin never fails to inspire. Cosmetics IC recently visited the cultural capital to discover how one of Europe’s most vibrant cities is becoming a key hub for Beauty inspiration. Art Director Solène Albecq reveals her three must-visit stores.

1- HIGHSNOBIETY

Highsnobiety - Copyright - Cosmetics IC / Pic by Solène Albecq

Unter den Linden 40

10117 Berlin

Open: Monday to Saturday 11am-7pm 

www.highsnobiety.com

ID Sheet

Purveyor of street and sneaker culture Highsnobiety has opened a new flagship store in the heart of Berlin’s Mitte district.  With a raw, industrial aesthetic, the store’s interior embraces the type of utilitarian aesthetic synonymous with 20th-century Berlin architecture. The material palette includes concrete, styrofoam, glass and stainless steel, which provides the ideal minimalistic backdrop to the meticulously curated collection of menswear, womenswear, accessories, sneaker, lifestyle and beauty brands. 

Inspiration Seeds

Agility is a key component of the store experience - the vast space is designed for flexibility, and will become a space for community interactions and brand activations. The aim is to build a real-life cultural hub on par with Highsnobiety’s online profile. 

2- LAUNDROMAT

Laundromat - Copyright - Cosmetics IC / Pic by Solène Albecq

Stargarder Strasse 74

10437 Berlin

Open: Tuesday to Friday 2pm-8pm, Saturday 11am-8pm

ID Sheet

Laundromat is a new store concept from Adidas that offers clothing rentals, curated second-hand items and collaborations with local artists. Adidas branding is kept to a discreet minimum - the aim here is to emphasise sustainability through rentals and by extending clothing lifespans. Local rental platform Pool offers a hand-picked selection of Adidas items, while the Berlin-based Westend Vintage provides an edit of cult retro streetwear and sneakers (collaborators will change regularly). 

Inspiration Seeds

This is a bold concept from Adidas, which leverages Gen Z’s appetite for re-sell and second-hand clothing to elevate its sustainability message. The store, designed to resemble a laundromat, is a constantly evolving space that is intended to platform local creatives, artists and brands that share a community-centric, planet-friendly approach.

3- FRAU-TONIS PARFUME

Frau-Tonis Parfume - Copyright - Cosmetics IC / Pic by Solène Albecq

Zimmerstraße 13

10969 Berlin

Open: Monday to Wednesday 10am-6pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am to 7pm

www.frau-tonis-parfum.com

ID Sheet

A must-visit for fragrance buffs, Frau-Tonis Parfume produces contemporary, unisex scents inspired by nature and the city itself. The minimalistic philosophy extends to the brand’s marketing (there is none) and their sales approach is one of customer-led exploration. All scents are made in Berlin. 

Inspiration Seeds 

Customers are invited to create their own perfumes, assisted by brand scent experts, and made at the in-store workshop. Everything here is about clarity and transparency - of ingredients and process.

INSPIRATION TOURS

Our Inspiration Tours are individually tailored guides to the world’s best beauty cities. From the K-beauty capital of Seoul to the laid-back cool of Los Angeles - we know where to shop and what to see to inspire your next innovation. Contact the team today for more information.

CONTACT US

For more information, email the team at contact@inspiration-creation.com or visit the website at www.inspiration-creation.com.

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INSPIRATION TOUR: SEOUL RETAIL SNAPSHOT

This month, CIC Chief Inspirations Officer Leila Rochet has been shopping and gallery hopping in Seoul, traversing the K-beauty capital to source the latest cult products, cutting-edge innovations and creative inspirations to feed the agency’s trend division.

When it comes to Beauty it’s hard to beat South Korea for innovation - from ground-breaking formulations, game-changing trend directions and awe-inspiring retail concepts. And retail has never been so dynamic, propelled by local brands that play with the codes of K-style.

Read on to discover 3 of Leila’s Seoul retail highlights:

1. ADER ERROR

518-11 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 

Image - Copyright - Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation

ID Sheet: Known for bold and ultra-creative in-store experiences and conceptual fashions, Ader’s latest store takes a sci-fi leap into the future of multi-reality store design. Part retail store, part art gallery, the space is dedicated to the brand’s progressive vision and challenges customers to interact with their surroundings. Ader is also phygital retailing pioneer - customers can shop and try on goods virtually via Zepeto, take an online VR tour, or interact with in-store digital artworks and interfaces.

Inspiration Seeds: The store’s emphasis on experience encourages customers to truly discover, and engage with, the products. The giant fountain at the centre of the store is a highlight, but in the Ader world nothing is quite as it seems: a changing room can also double as a noraebang singing room, fixtures and fittings move on demand. 

2. WIGGLE WIGGLE.ZIP

1 Eonju-ro 168-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Image - Copyright - Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation

ID Sheet: This joyful multilevel concept store truly lives up to the lifestyle brand’s motto of, “let's make the obvious fun”. And so, over four floors, you will discover a riot of super-colourful homewares, accessories, pet products, toiletries and trinkets featuring the brand’s signature flower or bear motif. 

Inspiration Seeds: A favourite with K-Pop icons including BLACKPINK’s Jennie, Wiggle Wiggle.Zip is unapologetically playful. The store features a number of key interactive areas that are primed for Instagram photos and TikTok videos, where shoppers can pose with props against colourful backdrops, hang around in ‘upside down’ rooms or try out toiletries in a section styled like a cutesy home bathroom. 

3. THE PERFUME CLUB BY SOOHYANG

28 Seongsui-ro 7-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul

Copyright - Cosmetics Inspiration & Creation

ID Sheet: This unique perfume gallery plays to rising connoisseurship by presenting a library of scents. Situated in a former perfume factory, the under-the-radar retail space and workshop is purposefully moody and mysterious, creating a sophisticated environment in which to discover luxury scents by Soohyang. 

Inspiration Seeds: This hidden gem in the upcoming neighbourhood of Seongsu is dedicated to the discovery of new scents. Presented as a social space where people can come together over a common interest in scent, it is a unique space that perfectly illustrates Seoulista’s rising interest in perfumes.

The CIC Take:

Our bespoke Inspiration Tours are uniquely tailored guides to key cities covering retail, galleries, museums, architectural hot spots, and the coolest places to eat and drink. Our partners, Latitude37, are our boots-on-the-ground in Seoul, and as local retail experts - we work closely with the Latitude team to ensure our guides are packed with the latest hotspots and openings.

Following our recent research trip, we can also compile a detailed Retail Report where we will explore the latest openings, consumer shifts and social influences impacting Seoul’s dynamic retail scene.

If you are interested in an Inspiration Tour of Seoul (or any other Beauty city) or a Retail Report please drop us a line today to discuss your needs!

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