Who sent you? With this tagline, Fenty Beauty, the cosmetics brand by Barbadian singer Rihanna, opened its first concept store in Mainland China at the MXTR Park (万象天地水广场), part of the MixC (万象天地) shopping mall. The new store and its launch embrace the science fiction concept “future planet”.
The choice of theme, of course, is to fit in with the “cyberpunk city” of Shenzhen, where tech startups and futuristic infrastructure meet. The shop uses chrome tones and large screens to create the feeling of a sci-fi world and a digital avatar of Rihanna appears on the displays, enhancing the theme.
Apart from the futuristic and mechanical installation, the inside, arguably the essential retail part of the shop, also oozes the avant-garde sense of the brand. Several interactive touchpoints and themed areas have been incorporated, including a matrix of 50 different foundation shades, a “space station” to try out Fenty Beauty products and Fenty Face customised make-up. Visitors can even generate their own avatars to explore the future planet on video and print an identity card. Shaking hands with a robot hand in-store can also get you a “blind box” gift.
The opening event involved street dancing and DJ performances, as well as “Stardust Puppies” (星尘小狗), robot dogs patrolling the “signal tower” outside the shop. The new opening is very on brand for both the sci-fi concept and Rihanna in general. Fenty Beauty continues to garner interest from young Chinese consumers after Rihanna’s visit to a Fenty pop-up space in Shanghai and her Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese sister app) live stream.