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A glass shell filled with light, images, and pink surfaces: the new Veralab and Overskin store in the Il Centro shopping mall in Arese transforms the storefront into a work of architecture and the display into an intuitive journey through skincare, body care, makeup, and fragrances.
At the Il Centro shopping mall in Arese, Veralab certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. The new store is housed in a fully glass-enclosed space, visible from multiple levels and traversed daily by the mall’s main foot traffic. This location called for a design that could simultaneously address long-distance visibility, the transparency of the facades, and the up-close product experience.
The answer is a large, luminous shell: a sort of pink lantern that, from the outside, offers a glimpse of products, images, people, and functions without revealing everything at once.
The storefronts become the defining element of the design. Along the top of the building, a sequence of thin LED lines traces the canopy and follows its entire perimeter. The same light strips wrap around the large interior structural columns, transforming them from bulky structures into striking design elements. Architecture and light work together to create a recognizable rhythm that is visible even from the upper floors of the shopping center.
During the day, the glass surfaces reflect the gallery and multiply the store’s imagery; when the interior light takes over, the entire space seems to light up. The suspended lines of light, the pillars encircled by light, and the large displays facing the gallery create a continuous visual presence, moving away from the traditional concept of the storefront as a mere backdrop.
The ceiling is deliberately left exposed. Utility lines, ducts, tracks, and technical structures remain visible and are unified by the color white, while certain utility elements are highlighted in Veralab pink. The industrial aesthetic of the ceiling contrasts with the graphic precision of the floor—marked by a light grid on a pink background—and with the soft, rounded shapes of the furnishings.
The upper portion of the walls features a continuous LED wall that guides customers as they move through the store. Faces, textures, gestures, and product demonstrations create a dynamic and immersive experience, visible both from inside the store and through the windows. Further down, a mirrored strip runs above the display cases: it reflects the store, expands the perception of space, and integrates signage for the various product categories.
The store layout organizes a wide selection into easily recognizable categories: skincare, body care, makeup, “Most Loved,” and fragrances. Customers can find their way around by starting with the type of product, their daily routine, or their skin’s needs. The well-spaced and well-lit shelves allow for the display of a large number of products without sacrificing organization or clarity.
The perimeter fixtures are designed as a modular system. Light-colored storage units, pink frames, suspended shelves, and micro-perforated panels make it easy to reconfigure the display and incorporate graphics, backlit images, and small promotional elements. The rounded shapes eliminate the stiffness typical of commercial shelving and create a functional environment that never feels cold.
At the entrance, the Overskin world introduces a more direct and experimental approach. The central displays and makeup stations place the product at eye level and within easy reach, encouraging customers to try it out, compare shades, and engage with beauty experts. The large images and illuminated frames facing the gallery transform digital content into a true urban backdrop: not merely promotional screens, but moving windows overlooking the mall.
In the center of the space, the column dedicated to double cleansing becomes one of the main focal points of the experience. It is an exhibition piece—informative and almost monumental—that rises high and is recognizable from every direction. Its perforated metal structure is highlighted by light strips and houses the oversized product, transforming a skincare routine into an architectural statement.
The empty bottle return module is also part of the store’s narrative. The act of returning empty containers becomes simple and visible thanks to a graphic and interactive element, complemented by the basket: an invitation to participate that translates responsible behavior into the brand’s direct and playful language. Because recycling is important, but hitting the target always gives a certain sense of satisfaction.
The Veralab and Overskin store in Arese thus brings together two distinct scales. From a distance, it is a luminous structure, recognizable through the glass and standing out within the vast space of the shopping center. Up close, it is an orderly and flexible system, in which every category, image, light, and display element guides customers as they discover the products.
A project in which communication isn’t simply added to the architecture, but becomes a structural component of it. Light guides, images tell a story, and furnishings organize the space. And pink, of course, does the rest.
BeautyBiz – “Veralab Opens a New Store at Il Centro in Arese”
Il Giorno – “The VeraLab store opens in Arese with its founder, Cristina Fogazzi”
Fashion Times – “Veralab Opens a New Store at Il Centro in Arese”
