Amorepacific is opening a beauty pop-up showcasing its U.S. distributed brands. While American consumers are exposed to logos at luxury department and specialty doors, most aren’t aware of the full portfolio.“It is a story that needs to be told. We have six brands out of our total of 28 and that story is bigger than any one brand story could tell,” said Jessica Hanson, the president and general manager of Amorepacific U.S. Inc.Ranked in WWD’s Top 100 as the 12th largest beauty brand with estimated sales of $5.15 billion, Amorepacific is the largest global purveyor of Korean beauty. The company is gaining traction Stateside with an estimated 35 to 40 percent share of the market. “And we are gaining strength in that all of our brands are growing,” said Hanson.Carved out of space in the company’s Annick Goutal boutique at 397 Bleecker Street, the temporary area will be open from May 9 through 25, with a private VIP event on May 8. Selected items from the Amorepacific U.S. family including the namesake Amorepacific brand, Laneige, Annick Goutal, Sulwhasoo, Mamonde and Iope will be presented together, a first for the company.There will be activities, such as a panel featuring Hanson, Marie Claire’s beauty and features director Jenn Goldstein and Soko Glam cofounder Charlotte Cho; influencer appearances, and on-site beauty treatments. One day will be devoted to facials. “One of the lesser-known facts about our brand is that we have aestheticians that do private services in Bloomingdale’s and Bergdorf Goodman. They are specifically trained on Korean beauty rituals and we will have a variety of offerings,” Hanson said.A focus will be on education, especially since there is still confusion in the U.S. about K-beauty. “Some people wonder what is K-beauty? Is it a weird ingredient? Is it a new texture? Is it a new innovation? The answer to all that is, yes,” Hanson said. “But before that, the heritage of K-beauty is that the way Korean women take care of their skin is quite different than the way American women take care of their skin. Skin care is having an awakening and being incorporated into health and wellness. It used to just be about ‘fix this problem,’ and do it quickly. Now we are in a holistic state and that’s what Korean beauty has been about.”Amorepacific gleaned learnings from its February Mamonde Garden one-day pop-up in Manhattan, notably that people like the opportunity to purchase products. “We were asked over and over again if people could buy products,” said Hanson. “We learned to do a pop-up, you have to have that instant gratification.” Hero products from each line will be offered for sale, such as the Lip Sleeping Mask from Laneige. “There will be awareness building and talking about what each brand stands for,” Hanson said, noting each has a very different heritage. Consumers will receive a 10 percent discount for purchasing on site in addition to exclusive gifts with purchase.To support the pop-up, Amorepacific teamed with Marie Claire magazine, which featured the brands in its May issue dedicated to global beauty. Additionally, pop-up visitors can shop the magazine editorial staff’s favorite picks. “As the leading global beauty company from South Korea, Amorepacific is the perfect beauty for us to celebrate our annual May Global Beauty issue,” said Nancy Berger, vice president, publisher and chief revenue officer for Marie Claire. “Our May issue features the annual Prix d’Excellence de la Beauty awards, highlighting the standout beauty products from around the world, for which Amorepacific won for their Essential Creme Fluid.” Berger added the pop-up experience offers the chance for visitors to “immerse themselves in a brand’s DNA.”In addition to distribution with retail partners, Amorepacific operates a freestanding Innisfree store in Manhattan and more than 70 vertical Aritaum stores.Hanson, who assumed her role in October from Perricone MD, is charged with ensuring the company is “keeping pace with changes in market strategies,” at a pivotal time for Amorepacific’s growth trajectory. More pop-up installations are on her checklist. “I think we have now seen that pop-ups play a critical role for the future of retail,” said Hanson.
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