This week CEW Beauty Insider looked at brands that are building strong emotional connections with consumers by leveraging immersive experiences, storytelling and igniting impactful conversations.

Chanel Opens Pop-Up in NYC
Just in time for the holidays, Chanel will open a pop-up, “Le Rouge,” from December 7-23 at 5 East 57th Street in Manhattan. The temporary boutique will be an insta-worthy, red-themed experience that pays tribute to the color beloved by the brand’s founder, Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel. The shop will offer a curated selection of fragrances and cosmetics, as well as complimentary beauty services, portrait sessions, manicures and signature gift wrapping. Two limited edition items will also be available and on display. The first is a 30.4-oz N°5 perfume bottle (10 times larger than the original), made of Baccarat glass, selling for $30,000. A much smaller, 3.4-oz version will retail at the store for $160. The second limited edition item is a $1,500 Le Rouge Compact, featuring a large interior mirror and two plush compartments filled with a curated selection of makeup. The compacts were created specifically for the pop-up and only 50 will be available. The pop-up is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Joanna Vargas Expands Fifth Avenue Location


On December 4, celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas unveiled her newly renovated and expanded spa. One floor features a 15-foot arched window that frames the scenic New York Public Library, and is equipped with luxe seating, an Instagramable “Glow Brighter” neon light and soft pink decor accents. The number of treatment rooms has been increased from five to 13; Joanna will be growing her team to include 30 aestheticians to accommodate the larger space. New treatments have also been added, including an improved and patented LED light bed which has been redesigned to target specific areas of the body, and an anti-aging treatment called Twilight, which merges technologies such as microneedling with radio frequency, cryotherapy, and LED light into one facial. Another floor will house the headquarters for Joanna Vargas Salons and Joanna Vargas Skincare.

Dr. Brandt Foundation Unveils Speaker Series


The Dr. Brandt Foundation, a non-profit organization created in memory of Dr. Fredric Brandt, is launching a #sayiloveyou Speakers Series initiative, with the inaugural event set to kick off at Art Basel on December 7. The event will feature music, art, interactive activations and storytelling, and will showcase the first ever collaboration of handmade sneakers by Dominic “The Shoe Surgeon” Ciambrone for the Dr. Brandt Foundation. All proceeds raised by the sale of the exclusive sneakers, which costs $2,500, will fund community partnership mental health programs at the University of Miami. Dominic will also participate in a panel discussion at the event where he will share his own personal experiences with mental health alongside moderator Corey Stokes, Fashion Editor-at-Large of HighSnobiety.com, and Dr. Ana E. Campo, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Miller School of Medicine at University of Miami. The goal of the series is to break down mental health stigmas by drawing in the community and igniting conversation, showing men and women that it’s okay to talk about their mental health journeys and that there are other ways to end suffering than through self-harm or self-medication.