The future is not female, at least according to The Phluid Project. The new gender-free retail concept senses the future is fluid.
Opened officially this month in the NoHo neighborhood of New York City, the boundary-pushing retailer occupies a 3,000-square-foot store, housing a community space and juice and coffee bar in addition to a selection of clothing, accessories, beauty and personal care. Beauty brands showcased at The Phluid Project include Context, Noto Botanics, Make Beauty, Fluide, Everything Soulful, Change by Celeste Randall, Abbott, A.N.Other and Bon Perfumier.
The Phluid Project’s beauty selection could have wound up much differently. Founder Rob Smith’s ultimate beauty merchandising strategy was partly the result of a rejection he faced when starting to craft the store’s offering. “Milk said no to me. It was devastating,” reveals Smith. “They said they’re pulling out of everywhere but Sephora. If Milk hadn’t said no, I wouldn’t have all this.”
With Milk Makeup out of the picture, Smith dug deep to unearth beauty products that are hard to find. He underscores The Phluid Project is the only brick-and-mortar point of distribution for several of the brands within its beauty assortment. A few are exclusive to the retailer. “Our customer base is unique, and our product should be equally unique,” says Smith. “We looked to cover all of the needs and solutions our customer would want for their skincare and soul.”
Celeste Randall, founder of skincare brand Change by Celeste Randall, is thrilled to bring her products to Phluid shoppers. “I’ve been waiting for the universe to bring me the right [retail] space,” she says. “I’ve been a makeup artist and skincare therapist for 30 years, constantly challenged by allergies, rosacea, acne, dehydration, excessive travel, etc. My dream was to create an easy way to address it all, made for all. Rob has been addicted to my products for a couple years, and it’s beyond an honor to be a part of what he’s doing.”
Smith, a 30-year veteran of the retail industry who has held positions at Nike, Victoria’s Secret, and most recently Macy’s, is both a consumer and a creator of Phluid’s personal care collection. “I use all of the products we carry. My favorite [is] the bronzer from Change by Celeste. Lately, I’ve been enjoying the sparkle nail polish from Fluide,” he shares. Smith created a multi-scent candle line sold at Phluid called PH Candles. Proceeds from 100% of the sales of the candle line go to The Hetrick-Martin Organization, which supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.
Smith is open to expanding The Phluid Project’s beauty product selection and its store programming. “We’re doing a great job with the brands we carry. That said, I’m speaking to our customer and willing to add any brands that will address their skin and beauty needs,” he says. “Going forward, I’m planning to do more events and workshops. Makeup makes everyone feel better, and I love seeing everyone come in and experiment in a safe and judgment-free zone.”
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