PARIS — Armani beauty has just opened a latest high-tech, high-touch global flagship, called Armonia, in Shenzhen, China.

Situated within the One Avenue mall, the immersive, 3,230-square-foot retail space is supposed to bring forth and reflect harmony — armonia, in Italian — and mindful beauty. Those are on the core of the luxurious brand’s identity and purpose, in line with Véronique Gautier, Armani beauty global president, at L’Oréal.

“[Armani’s] natural sophistication permits you to reveal who you might be — this inner self, inner power,” she said.

For the flagship, the brand conceived quite a few latest ways for people to disconnect from day by day life’s hubbub and reconnect with themselves. The thought is for them to seek out their very own energy, balance between inner and outer light, and create a way of harmony with the world.

Shenzhen was chosen because the locale because it’s China’s tech capital. Town can also be stuffed with young, wealthy people, so it was fitting to debut the brand new retail experience there.

“It pushed us to innovate,” said Gautier.

As people approach Armonia, they see a towering digital façade with moving images. Then inside, people walk through a corridor, where they will participate in three rituals.

There’s a “water ritual,” by which they are saying out loud their motto of selection, and that’s written in water; a “fragranced stone” ritual, to assist reveal their emotions, and a “light ritual,” meant to unveil their energy.

“Step-by-step, you will have your diagnosis of harmony,” said Gautier.

That ultimate diagnosis is present in a mini WeChat program, which will be accessed by scanning a QR code at Armonia’s entrance. The diagnosis suggests a path the person can take through the shop, or “harmony profile,” and in addition a singular piece of digital art. That art, in the actual world, could also be used as a pattern on gift wrapping in-store.

Armonia was conceived as an offline-plus-online experience. “There’s a totally seamless journey,” said Gautier.

Go further contained in the flagship and there’s the Red River, a moving conveyor belt of Armani makeup, fragrance and skincare, including signature products comparable to Power Fabric Foundation, Lip Maestro, Eyes to Kill, Acqua di Giò, Armani Code, Sì, My Way and Crema Nera.

“We built a harmony of products on little plates offering stories — mixing, as an illustration, a story of glow, a story of a Christmas look,” said Gautier.

Products from various categories are shown together here and other people can check out rituals and appears.

The Precision Lab focuses on skincare, and provides people the prospect to have individual consultations at skincare stations or participate in master classes. They will check out the Meta Sculpt facial massage using Crema Nera, too.

The Emotion Lab features an experience, where people using calligraphy brushes and ink are asked to attract their emotions on an interactive screen, which shows what Armani Privé fragrances are in sync with their mood. Those that decide to may additionally seek the advice of with assistants to find the perfume line, and have patterns printed on to Privé bottles.

The Light Lab experience involves a consultation under various variety of lighting to achieve a makeup look. Individuals are given a photograph of themselves within the look — which will be saved on the WeChat program — that shows how their makeup appears under different lights.

At a gifting station, visitors can have their products wrapped with personalized patterned furoshiki fabric, created from recycled textiles.

Through the WeChat program, people in China can book a person consultation in certainly one of the three labs, join Armani’s Signature VIP loyalty program and access the Armani beauty e-boutique.

Armonia has a green theme, too. It’s been granted LEED Platinum certification, the very best level, from the U.S. Green Constructing Council, or USGBC, which provides probably the most widely used green constructing rating system.

Creating elements of surprise was key to the sleek store’s conception, in line with Gautier.

“We wanted something impactful, easy and really strong by way of design,” she said.

Armonia, which is able to officially open on Dec. 22, is sort of a laboratory for Armani, which is testing latest experiences for consumers there.

The identical concept will likely be open on the Chinese island of Hainan in the primary quarter of next 12 months, and elements of Armonia could possibly be integrated as Armani beauty’s smaller retail spaces are upgraded worldwide. The last in-store makeovers for the brand took place six years ago.

China is a significant growth engine for Armani, which has 130 counters within the country. There, the brand ranks fourth in makeup; seventh in fragrance, and is among the many top-10 in skincare, in line with Gautier.

“Now we have a powerful awareness and success in China,” she said.