Kat Von D Beauty is the eponymous cosmetics line launched by world-renowned tattoo artist Kat Von D. Owned by brand incubator Kendo, we developed the retail identity, rolled out exclusively across Debenhams stores throughout the UK and adapted for Sephora on the Champs-Élysées.
“We are insatiably curious and never stop asking questions. We take a strategic approach.”
Kat works so closely on the brand that understanding her, and her fans, was key to developing the strategy. Her consumer is impossible to define: she appeals to a hugely diverse range of people who express their own personal stories through her product.
Self-expression is at the heart of beauty, learn to express yours. It was impossible to overlook the emotional process involved, and we wanted to celebrate it by infusing the retail space with the personality of Kat herself.
“If you want to make your consumer feel something, you have to know how to translate a brand into a physical space.”
Taking inspiration from Kat's tattoo style, the aesthetic is bold and rebellious, traditional tattoo typography and intricate patterns in black, deep red and antique gold. Oversized 16th-century cathedral-style arches and antique tables with curved legs showcase ornately detailed testers: a gothic playground of richly coloured makeup.
Following the launch in Debenhams Oxford Street, the site was reconfigured and designed for Sephora on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, then Milan, before rolling out through Debenhams stores across the UK.
From Debenhams Oxford Street to Sephora on the Champs-Élysées.