What: Space NK is looking to stand out by partnering on standalone pop-ups with promising brands.

Why is it important: In a crowded and ultra-competitive beauty market, pop-ups are considered an exceptional tool for building connections with new customers. Space NK is making the process of organising a pop-up in a new country much easier, offering both local knowledge and connections as well as a slice of financing.

While brands benefit from the financial support and local expertise, established retail players, such as Space NK, strengthen new business relationships and lock in exclusive deals with buzzy, hard-to-secure brands. Their first pop-up was for Drunk Elephant, helping the Shiseido-owned skincare brand when it entered the UK in 2018. Queues stretched around the block, also in Covent Garden, to visit the pop-up, dubbed The House of Drunk.

Space NK supports its partners with location scouting, staffing, store training and event hosting. They have over 70 retail locations across the UK and Ireland but believe it’s important to host pop-ups separate to its existing stores.

“We are evolving with our customers who are looking for things they’ve not been able to find before. They want more and more innovation when it comes to their products and services, so we are trying to exceed those expectations. The bar keeps getting higher. I think that will only accelerate.”

Space NK emerges pop-ups for emerging beauty brands