ine. Inside Retail: Beauty Vault has evolved into a multi-zone mall-wide activation this year. What were the specific learnings from the previous two editions that shaped the new format? Steve Ng: The past two years, we’ve noticed that shoppers are looking for personalisation and more meaningful interactions with brands. Our original single pop-up format worked well in the past for driving visibility and getting people involved. However, we saw real potential to create something more connected across the whole mall and more experiential. Moving to a multi-zone concept is a direct response to what we were witnessing. The concept allows us to curate touchpoints that are distinct but still complement each other and cater to different shopper preferences. By expanding the concept, we were able to create more interactive touchpoints across the mall and weave the campaign more naturally into the overall retail experience at Raffles City. IR: This year’s edition introduces a stronger editorial lens. How has beauty consumer behaviour changed in ways that made this necessary?  SN: Beauty shoppers are seeing trends, reviews and recommendations everywhere online, but a lot of them are also looking for guidance they can trust to help them make sense of such a crowded market. Customers want more personal and tailored experiences, which could be recommendations, expert advice or something interactive. They are being more thoughtful about what they choose, and they want to understand how a product fits into their lives, their routines and who they are. That’s really what shaped this year’s Beauty Vault edition. We wanted it to be a curated beauty experience that helps shoppers find products with more confidence and clarity. IR: Luxury activations can generate visibility, but how do you ensure they translate into measurable retail outcomes?  SN: We always aim to balance brand storytelling with real retail results. Besides building awareness, the event was also designed to get people discovering stores at the mall, shopping across different brands and actually converting across all the beauty tenants taking part. This year we structured the format pretty carefully so there’s a clearer path from engaging with the campaign to actually doing something in-store. The interactive discovery elements, for example, are tied to Beauty Vault perks you can redeem at participating stores, so there’s a stronger reason for shoppers to carry on the journey inside the shops. We worked closely with the participating brands to keep an eye on how customers are taking part and how engaged they are along with bigger-picture things like the lift in footfall and how shoppers are moving across categories within the mall. That way we know the campaign is delivering lasting value, both for the brands and on the commercial side. IR: Are shoppers engaging differently with beauty compared to when Beauty Vault first launched?  SN: We’re seeing beauty shoppers become a lot more intentional and experience-led in how they engage with brands these days. There’s much stronger interest in discovery-based formats like masterclasses, consultations and interactive touchpoints. These experiences are also keeping people around the premises for longer, especially when they feel immersive or personal.  Over the launch weekend, we saw a lift in shopper traffic and the workshop sessions were fully booked, which tells us there’s real interest and engagement with the campaign. IR: This year brings first-time participation from Hermès Beauty and Prada Beauty. How important were those additions strategically?  SN: Having Hermès Beauty and Prada Beauty take part is a big deal for us as it really reflects how Raffles City’s luxury beauty offering keeps evolving and the growing confidence that globally recognised maisons have in setting up their flagship stores here. Strategically, these additions add a lot more diversity and depth to the Beauty Vault line-up and reinforce Raffles City as a place where shoppers can discover a well-curated mix all under one roof.  IR: Singapore’s beauty retail landscape has become increasingly competitive, with department stores, mono-brand boutiques, Sephora, and luxury shopping districts all competing for spend. Where does Raffles City see its unique advantage?  SN: One of Raffles City’s real strengths is the breadth and balance of its beauty portfolio. We bring together a diverse mix all in one highly accessible spot in the city centre, from luxury makeup and fragrance houses to premium skincare, wellness concepts, beauty services and global beauty retailers. In addition, we put a lot of emphasis on creating an environment where discovery feels curated and easy to approach.  Beauty Vault is an extension of the mall’s whole beauty positioning, connecting brands, experiences and retail in a way that gets people exploring across the wider ecosystem at Raffles City. Further reading: How Raffles City is reinventing the luxury beauty playbook.