Last year’s Maison Lancôme event was held at the historic Academy Mansion on East 63rd Street. The elaborate and ornate bi-level space was transformed into an impressive showcase of Lancôme launches and tributes. While each room was decorated and themed to highlight forthcoming products, the brand was able to stay true to their French legacy, while offering a more modernized take than in previous years.

This year the Maison Lancôme experience was held downtown on Washington Place in a modern, six-story apartment. As with the previous year, each floor was designed to showcase new offerings while paying homage to iconic products that have been reinterpreted. On the roof deck, a Parisian-like market was created, and editors and media were invited to fill a straw basket with fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The company’s goals were simple: increase appeal to a younger audience and continue to modernize the brand.

Millennials remain important consumers for Lancôme. In an effort to connect with them, they’ve hired Taylor Hill.

“She’s our newest and youngest ambassador,” said Stacy Mackler, Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for the brand. “She’s 21, very active in social media, and has 8 million followers on Instagram. She also has a youthful, playful appeal, which is very much a part of who we are as we try to connect to the millennials.”

Lancôme continues to modernize through packaging, originality and technology.

“We have innovations that are ahead of the market, which has been tricky for us in the past,” Stacy admitted. “We’re also introducing more color. Before our color catalog wasn’t as varied.” Even mascara is having a makeover. The campaign for Monsieur Big, the brand’s new long-lasting, 24-hour, smudge-proof product will be teasing, cheeky, and sold at a lower price point, $25, a first for the company.

“Monsieur Big is a big departure for us. We’re offering a high-volume, high-performance, big-delivery item with a new, playful approach, while still maintaining the integrity of the brand,” Stacy said.

Some other star-studded attractions were: two perfumes, Parfait de Roses and Roses Berberanza; Olympia Le-Tan’s new capsule collection; Matte Shakers Liquid Lipstick, available in 18 vibrant shades; Dual Finish Highlighters; Le Lip Liners; Absolue L’Extrait Rejuvenating Ultimate Elixir, and their most ambitious product, Advanced Genifique Sensitive Antioxidant Serum, a highly advance skin booster, which is sealed and preserved inside the bottle until one ‘cracks’ it open to activate ingredients.

In looking at the luxury arena, the brand will continue to invest in print advertising and fragrance strips, while expanding within social media.

“Magazines and beauty editors are still very influential to our customers of all ages. But so are influencers, who we are now working with on a regular basis,” she added. “We just came back from Monaco and Cuba, and are off to Korea and Shanghai for global press trips where we’ll be meeting with both groups. Each presents an opportunity to build relationships and both are very important to us.”