Spaces: Kit Cosmetics

On my way back to London after almost three weeks in New Zealand, I spent the final three days in Melbourne, a city everyone promised would make me feel at home with its cultural offerings and lovely retail spaces (and rightly so).
Eager to explore, I was out of my Southbank-located hotel at the first rays of light, camera in hand, capturing the foggiest of dawns gently kissing the top of the skyscrapers, whilst commuters slowly started to embrace the day.

At the time of my arrival, H&M had just landed in town, and endless lines of potential customers queued up and down alongside the architecturally-pristine building chosen to lodge the Swedish household brand, but I have to say my mind was more focused on exploring (the many) Aussie gems on offer.
Besides the museums, shops, trams, affordable vintage, and four seasons in a day, Melbourne is a creative hub which has seen, amongst others, the birth of internationally-acclaimed Aésop, and the beautifully-packaged Kit Cosmetics.
The latter – a beauty brand which,  besides offering beauty-aficionados Down Under the very best hailing from the U.S. and Europe, has its own line of products made from Australian botanicals and an accessory line to boot –  came to my attention a few years ago, whilst reading Australian Vogue, and its concept and clean-looking brand identity remained with me until today.

After a delicious ‘birthday breakfast’ at a nearby restaurant, I had a meeting with Monica, the stylishly black-clad brand’s PR lady, who kindly guided me through the brand’s philosophy…

Founded by Jo Horgan, the Melbourne brand aims to deliver a fresh take on beauty, one which is more focused on attitude than on age or gender, on simplicity than on clutter, on approachable settings than on aloof interiors, and with equally friendly beauty experts.
With nine locations all over Australia – mainly within Myer department stores – it has a cool take on beauty, and one that along with the aforementioned Kit Cosmetics products (which include skincare, makeup, accessories and bodycare, as well as the recently launched and deliciously-scented candles pictured above), imports the crème de la crème of bestsellers worldwide, including Origins, Peter Thomas Roth, Mario Badescu, Korres and bareMinerals.

Centrally-located on Bourke Street’s Myer department store, the Kit I’ve visited is set amidst the city’s hustle and bustle, and being just one of  Melbourne’s three locations, do check this page for further spaces, including Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.