January 14, 2021

Text: Quinn Halman

Storeage Designs New Retail Store for B+Tube Cosmetics in China to Appeal to Gen Z

Confidence comes from within, but makeup can help tease it out. Teenagers know this better than anyone, and digitally oriented Gen Z is pioneering new uses of beauty products to truly express who they are. Lisa Yu, CEO and founder of B+Tube cosmetics company, wanted to translate that freedom of expression into B+Tube’s new store in Changsha, China, and partnered with Shanghai-based Dutch retail design agency Storeage to create an immersive beauty environment.

Iridescent perforated steel panels define the cathedral-like structure at the store’s center, mediating the flow of foot-traffic. En route there, visitors encounter themed passageways organized by product, each signified with neon quotes that lead designer Li Kang says are about “showing an attitude.”  Focusing on AI driven interactions, each section also is equipped with technology enabling customers to watch tutorials and create their own social media videos using the store’s design as a vibrant backdrop.

With two layers of light-catching perforated steel panels, walking beneath the cathedral-style centerpiece is akin to being immersed in a colorful wave. Photography by Wen Studio. 
Products are displayed under digital screens that act as mirrors and also play tutorial videos for makeup applications. Photography by Wen Studio. 
Li Kang cites graphics from the video game, Cyberpunk 2077, as an aesthetic inspiration, which also is familiar to teens. Photography by Wen Studio. 
A muted, laboratory-like area offers a contrast to the colorful central structure, featuring brushed metal and white Corian—a visual allusion to the research B+Tube puts into creating their products. Photography by Wen Studio.
A private room along the perimeter for beauty consultations. Photography by Wen Studio. 
A window display with circular digital screens and reflective metal tubes. Photography by Wen Studio. 
The view into B+Tube’s store from within the halls of the Mall of Splendor shopping center in Changsha, China. Photography by Wen Studio. 

Recent Projects