RUSTAN’s annual Beauty Addict event served as the formal launch of the newly renovated Beauty Hall in the department store chain’s Makati flagship. While the Beauty Hall has already been open for several months, the store gussied up its front with fairy lights to greet guests during the event on Sept. 7. Guests went to each of the beauty brands’ counters where stations were set up for guests to play games and win samples.
Renovations for the Makati flagship store had been announced before the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020. Due to the delays caused by the pandemic, they only finished the makeover this year.
“There’s really a grand plan. It’s not just here [the beauty section],” Jackie Avecilla, Marketing and Communications Head for Rustan’s Beauty told BusinessWorld during the event. “The renovation just starts here, but the long-term plan is to renovate each of the floors, one by one.
“We didn’t want to close down the entire store, that’s why we’re going to do it in portions.”
Ms. Avecilla says that they started with the Beauty Hall because of the importance of the category within the Rustan’s chain. Unable to divulge exact figures, “I can say it’s the biggest [category] in the entire Rustan’s,” she said. “I know from the sales figures that it is the biggest, and I think that’s why also, when the renovation came to mind, the priority was really for beauty.”
She pointed out the changes in the section: it’s more brightly lit, is in a refined palette of neutrals, and has a more open layout. A fragrance library that holds most of the store’s fragrance lines stands in a corner once devoted to clothes.
She also pointed out new brands that are now available: Shiseido’s top luxury line, Clé de Peau Beauté, Swedish beauty brand LA bruket, and Greek cosmetics company Korres. She did remind us that “the staples are all here,” citing Chanel and Tom Ford as examples.
Brands that had independent stores that were right outside the store (L’Occitane, for one, and MAC) were brought inside. “The goal is to have all the brands inside the store,” said Ms. Avecilla.
From Sept. 8 to 17, participating Rustan’s beauty brands will have one-week promos available in all Rustan’s stores, Personal Shopper On Call, and Rustans.com. Furthermore, from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, Rustan’s will be welcoming the holiday season with the Beauty Addict Holiday Gift With Purchase. For a minimum receipt purchase of P30,000, Beauty Addict members are entitled to a complimentary Make It Pop Floral Jewelry Box from Kate Spade New York.
Running simultaneously is the Beauty Addict Holiday Raffle. One lucky Beauty Addict winner can win the grand prize of a three-night luxurious stay for two at an exclusive hotel in Paris, France inclusive of Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles, redeemable for a Business Class Saver Award ticket to Paris, France. For every purchase of P2,500 worth of products and services from Rustan’s The Beauty Source, Beauty Addict and KrisFlyer members are entitled to one electronic raffle entry, while Metrobank cardholders who are also Beauty Addict and KrisFlyer members, are entitled to two electronic raffle entries when they shop until Nov. 30, 2023. — JLG