The roaring twenties, when the young were fast living and women wore dropped waist, beaded dresses, cloche hats, scandalously danced the Charleston and no self-respecting flapper would be seen without her compact of rouge and her lipstick. The visual arts movement was full of color and excitingly modern with artists such as Tamara de Lempicka defining the style of the day. Compacts became ever more elegant, geometric patterns and bright enamel inlays. It makes sense that the most sensationally colorful make-up brand of today takes its name from the era: ARTDECO.
Founded in 1995 by Helmut Baurecht this German cosmetics market leader has had International Marketing Manager Christian Käfer at the helm for the last fifteen years. The unique Beauty Box system can be found in more than 78 countries and the brand’s foundation of speciality products, refills and diverse colors and products with accessible price points keeps ARTDECO ahead of its competitors.
On top of this, ARTDECO explicitly declines animal testing. It is hard to see how this brand can get any better and bazaar asked brand strategist Christian exactly this when he visited Kuwait with International Make Up Artist Macedonio Bezerra.
You joined ARTDECO straight out of university at the tender age of 23. After 15 years, how have you shaped and put a stamp on the business?
I think it’s more the team, and Mr Baurecht as the owner, who have the stamp! Our international marketing team and together with our trainer, we try to set a path where everything is good. We feel that only with a partnership we can do things right. It’s a family owned business so we treat our partners not as distributors, but as an extended family. How we like to be treated, we treat our partners. And we loooove to do things with a lot of passion!
What are some of ARTDECO’s successes?
We are already in superb TV shows like Norway’s Next Top Model, America’s Next Top Model and the El Salvador equivalent, and we are right now with The Bachelor and other TV shows. We love these kinds of things! There are super exciting moments that we were able to live!
Also, in most of the countries we were able to get into the top five ranking which is something to be proud of. Then when we do a good job and people like it, and we get the feedback from Instagram, our partners and from training. For example, Macedonio did a training session yesterday and heard feedback like, “It was the best training ever,” “You are so different and so friendly!” It’s not what they expect from a German brand!
Source: bazaar
One of ARTDECO’s unique selling points is its “sensational diversity of colors and products.” Can you explain more?
It is the best way to offer customers choice. We have over 160 color choices only for eyes, for example. You, as a woman standing in front of the display, can choose between whatever you want and make your own collection. We have to offer a big choice in order for you to be able to create your own individual collection.
Because we have such a big color choice and broad range of products, we sell more units annually than Chanel and Dior put together! Quality is also extremely important to us and our concealers are made by the same manufacturer as Touche Éclat. We’re all about offering affordable luxury.
Who is the ARTDECO customer?
[Christian and Macedonio answer almost together:] Everyone!
What can we expect from ARTDECO in upcoming seasons and in the future?
Christian: We have over 900 items, and not everything can be introduced to Kuwait at once, so there will regularly be new items. Plus, we are working on our social media presence so make sure you follow us.
Macedonio: Lots of purple and pinks, contrasting colors like green, some orange and mustard too. A return to the ‘no-make up’ make up look will be popular in Spring 2019. So you can use a primer, foundation, concealers and then color on top of that but the look is very natural, so fresh. Like you woke up like this.
ARTDECO cosmetics can be found in Centrepoint, The Avenues in addition to many other locations. Follow ARTDECO on Instagram for their latest updates and beauty tips @artdeco_cosmetics and also on Facebook: ARTDECO.cosmetics. Visit www.artdeco.com for more information.
