Since seeing the stunning photographs of Charlotte Tilbury's new boutique store in Covent Garden all over social media, I have been dying to pop in. So when my boyfriend mentioned that he would be heading into the West End to meet up with one of his friends, it was the perfect excuse (not that I really need one, but I like to justify!).
Last Friday we got the train into central London and as we stepped through the barriers of Covent Garden tube, there it was. Smack bang in front of me in all its glory.
I have to be honest with you all though, it wasn't everything that I had hoped. I only stayed upstairs to look at the products, as I didn't have an appointment, so I can only give my opinion on this area.
However, I left feeling a little deflated.
Before I go any further I will say that I adore Charlotte Tilbury and her makeup. As you will have read on my blog already, I am in love with her products and use them all the time on myself and also my clients. They are stunning and there is no denying that. So this opinion of mine is no reflection on her range.
I think maybe one of the main factors that I didn't enjoy was how busy it was in there. The upstairs isn't a huge area and it was jam packed full of women all waiting to be served and testing out colours on their hands. This in itself isn't an issue, of course it has only recently opened, and like me, everyone is excited to pop in. But there was an unfriendly vibe from the artists working in there. A guy who looked like a security guard by the door, was having to tell the artists when and who to help, even though they weren't all busy. None of them looked particularly happy either....perhaps they were overwhelmed by the amount of clients!
There was an area where two makeup artists were applying products to customers, right by the till, so everyone was struggling to pay, and their sections were very messy. Again, as an artist myself I know how messy things can get, but it just didn't seem to be getting tidied and was a shame in the glamorous surroundings.
My final observation was that certain parts of the shop, to me, are already starting to look a touch worn. I adore the art deco style of Charlotte's packaging and how her boutique is like stepping back in time, I am a big fan of the 1920's myself. However, the mirrored panelling that surrounds the island makeup counter in the centre of the shop, which open as cupboards to house the stock, was looking quite smeared and not in the best condition.
I might be sounding harsh here, but having worked in salons where I was taught that the attention to detail and customer experience was vital, I found it hard to not notice these things.
The downstairs of the boutique where the makeup appointments happen could be just as beautiful as the photographs show, and I sure hope it is.
Congratulations to Charlotte Tilbury though, as judging by how fast she is growing and how busy the boutique was, business is doing well. Makeup appointments are also getting booked extremely fast, especially with her lead artists.
I just hope that when the initial excitement calms down, the shop continues to stay in the great condition that was first created and that everyone can experience that VIP treatment that Charlotte wants.
Of course I did purchase a few items...had to be done!
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| Light Wonder Youth-Boosting Perfect Skin Foundation in 2 Fair and Amazing Grace Matte Revolution lipstick |
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