“I wanted to be one of the few people who had access,” was the mantra keeping fans motivated and queuing for hours on end.
“It’s not going to be that easy” the security told me as I approached the entrance, as he pointed to the end of the queue which wrapped around several blocks in Belgravia, London.
Hailey Bieber brought Rhode beauty to London in pop-up form, with the launch extending her collection to a new release of autumnal espresso lip tints and hydrating skincare essentials.
Hundreds of people had begun queuing by the store as early as 6:00 am to get their hands on the latest beauty products over four days in October, opening at 11:00 am and closing at 7:00 pm.
“We waited for just under seven hours, from 11:20 am to 6:00 pm. We tried to set a limit when we first joined. Within the first couple of hours, it felt like we’d moved through almost half the queue so when we re-evaluated, we really thought we would get inside by 3:00 pm so we just kept going,” Raman Sidhu, who was in that queue, told me.
The loyalty and dedication shown by those around me in the queue also made me hesitant to give up. Many others around were doing their homework on laptops and bringing out their Kindles – making use of the waiting time.
Despite the long wait, the Rhode team actually did well to help us queuing: offering hot beverages, cinnamon swirls from Buns at Home and heating pads.
Launched just over two years ago, Rhode has cut through what many consider to be an oversaturated market of celebrity beauty brands.
The brand is characterised by her signature products; including peptide lip glosses, glazing fluid and the bubble phone case with a pocket (ensuring your lip gloss is never too far away).
Bieber herself embodies the aesthetic with glossy lips and a radiant complexion, which has become one of the central elements across Rhode’s branding.
The scarcity of products and the obsessive nature fans have created around the event have played a crucial part in the branding.
“I think it’s a bit of a risky business strategy in terms of marketing because it so heavily relies on her as a person,” said content creator, Varya Ershova.
Bieber’s looks on and off the runway manifest a sense of simplicity, which is consistently reflected in Rhode’s packaging all the way down to the formula.
As Bieber herself told Dazed magazine: “My goal was that when people get their hands on the products, they feel like they’re a part of the world of Rhode, and they feel like they’re part of something that is cool and fun and inclusive,” referring to this idea of connectivity through Rhode.
“I wanted to be part of the few people who had access,” is what one fan of the brand Alisha Jarman told me. What bigger motivator is there, than the fear of missing out? The goal of a pop-up is to create an irreplicable experience that is not only unique but exclusive, to those who have heard about it.
Rhode to this day has never opened a store other than in pop-up form in London, Ibiza, New York, Los Angeles and a few other locations. Giving fans of the brand all the more reason to make the most of the limited opportunity.
It’s an interactive way to get people involved whilst leaving customers with lasting impressions. Bringing up the fact that you’ve queued in line for hours on end for a lip gloss is definitely a conversation starter.
Bieber certainly knows how to keep us wanting more.
Featured image courtesy of Elyana Issac