HOURGLASS DEBUTS FLAGSHIP STORE IN LOS ANGELES | Innovative Luxury Beauty Brand Marks 10-Year Anniversary

HOURGLASS DEBUTS FLAGSHIP STORE IN LOS ANGELES

Innovative Luxury Beauty Brand Marks 10-Year Anniversary

Hourglass, purveyor of luxury performance makeup, unveiled its first retail store on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, CA on Monday September 22. The timing of the flagship is especially fortuitous—the beauty brand is commemorating its 10-year anniversary this year. “It is a milestone occasion,” says Hourglass Founder & CEO Carisa Janes. “A brick-and-mortar location is an opportunity to bring the brand to life with state-of-the-art design and exceptional service.” The 1400-square-foot space features a mix of reflective surfaces, captivating materials and beauty and product visuals that mirror the brand’s modern luxury positioning. It will also carry exclusive merchandise, including a new skincare capsule, and offer unique makeup services.

The luminous interiors, designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm Standard, include several innovative touches. Backlit glass rods form a curvilinear wall, above which is a series of rectangular skylights, while edged mirrors extend from the storefront to the rear of the space. The centerpiece is a zigzag-shaped display fixture, composed of onyx quartz and calacatta marble, on which the complete Hourglass collection is displayed. The sculptural display, which encourages client interaction at every juncture, will become a brand identifier for future installations. The retail space extends to a mezzanine floor reserved for makeup master classes and private client services. In one service, a specially trained artist uses Google Glass for clients that seek a video copy of their makeup application for later viewing.

Standard is known for designing compelling retail spaces for Maxfield, James Perse and Jenni Kayne, and has also worked with the iconic artist James Turrell. “The store is a juxtaposition of raw and refined elements,” says Janes. “And it’s a blend of the old and the new.” Says Standard’s Jeffrey Allsbrook, “It’s a loft-like space with the original wood beams and an exposed brick wall, both of which date to the 1920s. We added a series of glass rods for a shimmering, natural illumination that evokes the light-reflecting qualities of Hourglass’s signature products.” Adds partner Silvia Kuhle, “The entire space is suffused with light and enhanced by the use of multi-dimensional materials. It’s minimal but approachable, restrained but inviting.”

“The store is designed to engage our clients and tell the brand story in a holistic way,” says Janes. “We are free to be creative and present something truly special, such as capsule collections and limited edition products.” Among the store’s exclusive items are Equilibrium, the advanced new Hourglass skincare collection, and an “Ambient Lighting Bar,” where clients can customize their own palette of Ambient Lighting Powder, the groundbreaking finishing powder. Destined to be a waiting list product, Equilibrium Biomimetic Skin Active Serum is a micronized oil-in-water emulsion that triggers epidermal renewal. It relies on a bio-identical Phosphatidylglycerol, the youth lipid that occurs in high concentrations in amniotic fluid, which is found to normalize skin cell growth and reduce the signs of aging.

Abbot Kinney Boulevard is fast becoming a luxury beauty destination, with recent arrivals including Caudalie, Aesop and Le Labo. Hourglass’s corporate offices have long been located in Venice. “When I launched the brand in 2004 my focus was on advanced ingredients, modern design and exceptional functionality,” adds Janes. “Now, a decade later, we are elaborating on this concept with an innovative new store. It’s strong and clean, with an element of femininity—the essence of Hourglass.”

Address: 1351 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice, CA, 310.392.3409.