For X Factor 2025, Sephora is heading backstage as the show’s Beauty Partner, bringing its visual universe into a very unique space: a beauty room that must serve simultaneously as a workspace, a place for the artists to get ready, a space for brand communication, and a full-fledged television set.
For 23Bassi, the project begins precisely with this overlap of functions. It is not simply a backstage area, nor is it a replica of a beauty store, but a Sephora space designed to be used, walked through, and, above all, filmed.
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At the heart of the project are the makeup stations dedicated to the X Factor artists.
The aesthetic language immediately reflects Sephora’s DNA: black and white, graphic surfaces, illuminated mirrors, and the brand’s signature layout become the elements used to create a highly recognizable space.
The layout, however, differs from that of a traditional beauty salon.
The makeup stations are placed in the center of the room, rather than along the walls. This decision stems from the needs of television production: makeup artists, contestants, and crew members must be able to move freely around the stations, while the cameras must be able to film the backstage area from multiple angles.
The furnishings thus become not only a work tool but also a small-scale scenic design: beautiful to see in person, instantly recognizable as Sephora, and at the same time designed to look good on camera.
Between the backstage area and the stage, we designed an Infinity Mirror—a seemingly traditional mirror that conceals a camera inside it.
This is where the final check takes place before the performance: the artist pauses, looks at himself, adjusts a detail, and a few seconds later takes the stage.
The camera built into the mirror allows you to capture this moment without altering the user’s natural movements.
An object that appears very simple at first glance, but is designed to bring together set design, technology, and communication. The mirror is no longer just a backstage prop; it becomes a point of connection between the physical space and the television narrative.
Another element of the project is the entrance tunnel, designed as an immersive sequence created using Sephora’s famous black-and-white pattern.
The calpinage is scaled up to an architectural level and used to define the path, creating a perspectival sequence that is immediately recognizable even in photographs and videos.
The entrance thus becomes part of the experience: not just a passageway between two spaces, but a moment in which the brand physically takes possession of the space.
The exhibition also features a selfie area for guests, designed to turn the installation into a photo opportunity that visitors can capture and share.
Brand identity, physical space, and social media communication thus become part of the same project.
The Sephora Beauty Stage for X Factor 2025 is a good example of a theme we often explore: what happens when a brand’s identity has to step outside its own store and take root in a completely different setting?
In this case, the visual language of beauty retail meets the world of television.
Each element must preserve Sephora’s identity while also meeting new requirements: camera movements, shots, lighting, the flow of artists and crew members, the extremely fast pace of backstage operations, and content production.
It is a retail design project without retail, in which traditional store elements—display, lighting, mirrors, graphics, and brand recognition—are used to create a temporary, media-driven experience.
Three different spaces, then, but a single story: getting ready, walking through the backstage area, and taking the stage.
With Sephora always in the spotlight.
Photos: Courtesy of Sephora
