Transforming Brand DNA into Physical Experiences

Visual Merchandising at Yves Saint Laurent Beauty L’Oréal Luxe UK & Ireland

About My Role

During my year-long placement at Yves Saint Laurent Beauté within L’Oréal Luxe, I worked at the intersection of design, retail, and storytelling.

My role focused on translating the brand’s luxury DNA into immersive, physical experiences from concept and prototyping to installation, launch, and rollout across flagship stores and 100+ retail spaces across the UK and Ireland.

Visual Merchandising & Retail Experience Design

Created planograms, layouts, and POS concepts that translated YSL’s luxury identity into impactful in-store experiences across 100+ retail locations.

Collaboration & Project Management

Worked with global teams, suppliers, and retail operations to deliver launches on time and to standard - from concept to final installation.

Prototyping &

Production

Tested, refined, and approved prototypes for gondolas, glorifiers, and POS elements to ensure quality and brand consistency.

Guidelines

& Rollouts

Developed visual merchandising toolkits and rollout packs used by field teams nationwide, ensuring cohesive execution in all stores.

Transforming Stores into Immersive Brand Environments

I supported the roll-out of refits and new counter installations across iconic UK retailers, ensuring each space delivered an elevated and cohesive YSL experience. By overseeing design intent through to execution — from layout refinement to the final merchandising touch — I helped create in-store environments that inspired discovery, strengthened brand presence, and enhanced the customer journey.

Launch & POS Highlights

A selection of key launch moments that I helped manage and deliver in-store, from shaping VM concepts and coordinating prototype refinement with suppliers, to supporting nationwide rollouts that turned brand storytelling into premium shopper experiences across the UK & Ireland.

Beyond the Counters

Behind every seamless luxury moment lies a world of meticulous effort that most shoppers never see. Being on the ground during installs, testing prototypes, solving last-minute issues, showed me that true luxury is engineered with precision, patience, and countless decisions made with obsessive attention to detail. I learned that a flawless counter isn’t just designed, it is built through collaboration, craftsmanship, and commitment at every step from concept to retail floor. Witnessing that process firsthand shaped how I design: with a deep respect for the invisible work required to make something feel effortlessly premium.