Byrdie taps Nordstrom to take beauty editorial offline

December 4, 2017

Promotional image for Byrdie Beauty Lab. Image credit: Byrdie

Clique’s millennial beauty platform Byrdie is leveraging its beauty expertise for a holiday pop-up experience in partnership with Nordstrom.

For two weeks, the Byrdie Beauty Lab will invite shoppers to explore the publication’s product picks in a shoppable "beauty playground," with a corresponding edit retailing on Nordstrom’s ecommerce site. Reflective of the changing media environment, Clique has worked to take its brands beyond editorial, leveraging their existing communities and perspectives for collaborations.

“We wanted to create an immersive experience for our readers who live and breathe beauty with a physical hub to experiment with products firsthand, indulge in beauty treatments and learn from the industry's top professionals with a unique and personalized experience," said Faith Xue, editorial director of Byrdie, New York.

“Our readers come to Byrdie as a destination for beauty inside and out and they shop at Nordstrom as a trusted resource for the best products," she said. "We are so excited that these two brands can come together to offer a 100 percent shoppable extension of our commitment to making beauty approachable, applicable and inspiring."

Online to offline
Byrdie’s pop-up shop at 393 Broadway reflects the media brand’s approachable perspective to beauty. Open from Dec. 1-15, the temporary store features more than 200 products, encouraging consumers to experiment.

Among the offerings in the space are skincare technologies such as the Trinity Facial Toning Device and Kiss Lip's Plumping System.

Exterior of Byrdie Beauty Lab. Image credit: Byrdie

Consumers can shop the array in-store via iPads or online on Nordstrom’s Web site. This extends the pop-up’s audience beyond New York, enabling consumers to browse and buy from anywhere.

"We were really intrigued by this partnership with Byrdie because of their curated lens and the unique beauty stories they tell," said Debbi Hartley-Triesch, vice president and divisional merchandise manager for beauty at Nordstrom, in a statement.

"We’re excited to connect their editorial hub to Nordstrom.com with a physical location over the holidays in NYC," she said. "As customers are increasingly shopping with us online and in-store, we want to make the experience between the two as seamless as possible."

In addition to selling beauty products, the pop-up is hosting a series of workshops, giving consumers access to experts in hairstyling, makeup artistry and skincare.

On Dec. 2, makeup artist Tobi Henney, will host a session on holiday party looks, focusing on glowing skin and eye makeup. Charlotte Tilbury’s Erin Stein will be on-hand on Dec. 3 helping participants learn how to play up their best features.

For those struggling to achieve some of the more intricate braided hairstyles, Sunnie Brook will host a session on alternatives and easy versions of the trendy hairdos on Dec. 7.

Carisa Janes, who launched Hourglass Cosmetics, will appear for a Q&A session on Dec. 9 about the brand she founded and still runs. The eponymous founder of eco-chic label Indie Lee will make an visit on Dec. 6 to cover the basics of how to build a natural skincare routine.

Interior of Byrdie Beauty Lab. Image credit: Byrdie

Also sharing her skincare tips will be esthetician Joanna Vargas, who will focus on pre-event beauty tips she uses on her celebrity clientele.

On Dec. 10, Nam Vo will be on-hand to share her tricks for getting a glowing look, while beauty influencer Katie Jane Hughes, known for her love of glossy eyelids, will detail how editorial looks can be worn in real life on Dec. 13.

Jen Atkin, the hairstylist behind some of Hollywood’s most famous manes, including Kim Kardashian’s and Jennifer Lopez’s, will do a meet-and-greet and Q&A session with fans on Dec. 14.

Finally, Dec. 15 will see Atelier Cologne perfumer Gerard Camme help customers find their perfect scent, including helping participants pick layered fragrances.

Many of these masterclasses, which require a registration, are already sold out.

More than media
Recently, Clique rebranded itself, turning its company from a traditional publisher to a group of digital and consumer brands.

Its Who What Wear brand launched a licensed line at Target in 2016. The brand also teamed with department store chain Neiman Marcus to explore the fashion trends of the last decade in a shoppable exhibition.

Who What Wear is celebrating its 10-year anniversary by staging a style recap in Los Angeles Nov. 3-13. On view will be trends dating back to 2006, some of which may have been forgotten, intentionally or not, by consumers (see story).

In addition, Sephora’s private label linked with College Fashionista for a tour of college campuses.

Media brands are increasingly venturing into new categories as editorial becomes less lucrative. Due to their forward-looking perspective, many of these initiatives hit on nascent trends.

Hearst-owned Marie Claire magazine is heading to New York’s SoHo neighborhood to bring discovering the next big thing in fashion, personal care and technology from its pages to the physical realm.

Marie Claire’s first-ever “The Next Big Thing” concept shop will open on Sept. 23 and will offer consumers a new way to shop, powered by Mastercard technology and other innovative touch points that are revolutionizing the retail sector. The concept shop, in addition to selling innovative products, will demonstrate how in-store retail is becoming smarter thanks to advances in digital technologies that mirror the online experience (see story).

“The Byrdie Beauty Lab allows us to offer a physical beauty destination to our readers and translates our love of beauty from the screen into the store," Byrdie's Ms. Xue said. "This immersive lab will create a unique space where our readers can experiment with products that have been tested, tried and approved by our Byrdie team.”

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