Innisfree Global Concept
CategoryRetailYear2019
LocationGangnam, Seoul, South Korea
Size1,200 s.f.
Less than a year after designing the award-winning New York Flagship store for Innisfree, we were engaged once again by the Korean beauty brand to develop a new global retail concept and to create their retail design guidelines. We created an elevated and experience-driven environment for global implementation in multiple store formats. The biggest challenge facing this effort was the brand’s extensive product line, which can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate. This necessitated the development of a versatile fixture system with integrated wayfinding and a clear hierarchy.
We developed the concept of “The New Natural,” a set of principles focused on the creation of a simple and understated space through the deployment of honest and authentic materials, colors, and methods of assembly. This concept came to life in a design inspired by the ubiquitous ceramic vessels that dotted Jeju Island. We took the ceramic workshop as the central point of inspiration for the interior fixtures. Historically, skincare and makeup products were commonly mixed and stored in ceramic containers and much like Innisfree’s products, ceramics are born of the earth and crafted from natural ingredients.
Inspired by traditional Korean Onggi pots, custom ceramic pendant lights are arrayed throughout the space on a grid below an open ceiling.
The washbasin is inspired by the utilitarian workshop sink with its deep wide basin and approach from multiple sides.
To guide the overall design, we developed the concept of "The New Natural," a set of principles focused on the creation of a simple and understated space through the deployment of honest and authentic materials, colors, and methods of assembly.
The customer's first impression of the store comes at the façade, which is composed of hundreds of custom handmade ceramic tiles, broken up occasionally by the sparkle of integrated lighting. The three dimensional texture of the tiles evoke the natural volcanic rock geometries along the coast of Jeju Island.