Pat McGrath Labs had built a billion dollar brand and a devoted following almost entirely online. This was its first move into a physical space, and a rare opportunity to translate that energy into an environment people could touch. It began by getting to know Pat personally, which shaped everything that followed.
“I want that space. It was the first time a beauty brand had reached the ground floor at Bergdorf Goodman.”
The location itself became the story. Rather than settle for the beauty hall, the brand secured a prominent ground floor position, the first beauty brand to do so at Bergdorf Goodman, and the first with kerbside window views from two different windows.
The concept drew on Pat’s deep connection to Japanese culture, and specifically the movement and energy of a Japanese casino. Bright colour, contrasting materials and constant motion made the space impossible to walk past. It is a store that only reads fully in real life, because the whole design is built on movement that draws people in to touch, feel and discover.
The launch event told the story better than any metric. Department store events usually plan for a fraction of invitees to attend. For Pat, everyone came, filling the store, and the retailer’s CEO called it exactly what retail should be.
A digital native brand made physical, and unmissable.