At the end of October, leading Miami- based beauty distributor Essence Corp executed an unprecedented simultaneous launch for Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, and Fenty Eau de Parfum by Rihanna — one of the most anticipated, highly-coveted brands in the market — across nine islands in the Caribbean. Although the brand had been sold in the U.S. and select international markets for several years, it had not previously been available in the Caribbean, where local superstar Rihanna is a national hero and cultural ambassador for her home country of Barbados and throughout the region.
The demand for the brand – which has been especially designed for inclusivity to appeal to as wide a range of skin tones as possible – was intense and Essence Corp, in partnership with LVMH’s Kendo Brands, Inc, which partnered with Rihanna in creating the brand, determined to produce a spectacular and unforgettable debut across the region.
The challenges faced during the multicultural, multi-island launch, including weather, coordination, and logistics, were legion and included the difficulty in translating the global message to each island and the need to honor local economies and vendors, not to mention the management of the large assortment of products and the learning experience for retailers in handling a full make-up brand.
Travel Markets Insider speaks with Guillaume Bona, Vice President of Sales at Essence Corp and his team about how they met the challenges and ended up creating one of the most extravagant, memorable and important launches the Caribbean has ever experienced.
“This launch was massive. It was exceptional. There was a lot of pressure, obviously, but for us it was an excitement and an honor to host such an historical launch across the Caribbean, especially in Barbados, with Rihanna, with her family, with the Kendo team, and all the retailers in the Caribbean. It was really a very unique experience,” noted Bona.
“Essence Corp, known for its expertise in luxury beauty distribution across the Americas Travel Retail (including Airports, Cruise ships and Caribbean) had never executed such a large-scale, multi-island activation at this magnitude.
“On a personal note, I was blessed to have my wife (Daisy) and my kids (Juliette and Pierre) attend the unforgettable event in Barbados,” said Bona.
Expertise, planning and collaboration
The actual planning and execution of the Fenty Beauty launch took more than a year, and entailed intensive attention to details on so many levels, said Bona.
The first step was to bring in an area manager who had strong expertise in the beauty business, particularly in make-up. While Essence Corp has a dominant market share in P&C in the Caribbean, the majority of its business is in fragrance, followed by skincare.
“We hired a passionate sales manager with extensive make-up experience and we carefully planned this launch step by step with our Caribbean retailers,” said Bona. “The success would not have been possible without the collaboration of the Kendo team and our retailers, to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks.”
Gabriela Mier y Teran, the sales manager who came on board, explains that the Caribbean Fenty launch was meticulously planned so that all the stores across the region would go live on October 24.
“This was a massive undertaking, considering we launched nine stores across seven islands on the same day. The Essence team was fully present and actively engaged at each location, supporting our retail partners, managing media inquiries, interacting with clients, and driving retail sales,” she said.
“The launch exceeded our expectations, it was truly spectacular! Clients lined up before store openings, excited to finally have access to a brand that genuinely understands their needs, especially when it comes to complexion shades designed with a Caribbean perspective, considering the region’s humid climate and diverse skin tones.”
“Divide and conquer” approach
Brand Director Carolina Granda explains that the team took a “divide and conquer” approach in order to pull off the simultaneous launches.
“Everybody on the team was assigned to an island to assist each retailer prepare for the launch, helping with merchandising, prepping the BAs, making sure that everything was seamless. We helped with media coverage and social media. We took videos and interviewed customers. We were selling on the floor. Each of us took on the task to be there, to be ready to talk about the brand, to be ready to merchandise the store properly, to be ready to sell, to be ready to greet influencers and VIP customers,” said Granda.
Before even planning for the launch, the team had to define their creative message. What is the story behind this brand that the Caribbean has been waiting for so eagerly? How will they translate that global message individually to each island? Even materials had to be considered, since not everything is available on every island.
Incorporating local elements while meeting brand expectations
“We were juggling between making sure that we honor the local economies and support the local vendors for this historic launch, but at the same time also honoring the brand image,” noted Marie-Claire Lochet, Digital and Retail Experience Director at Essence Corp.
“Executing the furniture and visual elements across multiple Caribbean islands required careful planning and coordination. We began with a comprehensive audit of trade marketing spaces across all launch locations to assess possibilities and requirements. While adhering to Fenty’s brand guidelines and working within our budget parameters, we developed a strategic approach that balanced quality, efficiency, and local engagement.
“Our vendor strategy was intentionally hybrid. We prioritized partnering with local vendors in each territory, both to optimize costs and support regional economies. However, for specialized materials or creative briefing unavailable locally, we consolidated procurement through a single supplier to ensure consistency and efficiency,” she explained.
Lochet points out that the creative direction was centralized under Kendo Inc.’s team to maintain brand cohesion across all markets.
“Weekly coordination calls were essential to monitor progress and ensure all visual elements met Fenty’s exacting standards. This collaborative approach, combining local execution with centralized creative oversight, proved crucial to successfully launching the brand across multiple Caribbean markets,” she said.
Multiple stakeholder expectations
Maintaining consistency of furniture, materials and creative was only some of the challenges faced in Fenty Beaty’s multi- country initiative.
“The primary challenge in coordinating this multi-territory launch was balancing multiple stakeholder requirements while meeting our global launch deadline,” said Lochet. “To do so we had to manage the creative expectations of the Fenty brand while working within local production capabilities and limitations. We also had to coordinate with retailers across different territories, each with unique requirements and infrastructure considerations, while ensuring synchronized execution of our 360-degree marketing plan across all markets to meet the global launch date.
“As the leading distributor in the Caribbean, we leveraged our deep regional expertise to guide the brand through the distinct cultural nuances of each market. While maintaining the cohesive Caribbean identity as a whole, we were committed to ensuring the launch respected and represented the unique characteristics of each territory.”
Success required extensive cross- functional collaboration and robust contingency planning. The Essence team established clear accountability frameworks and maintained flexible backup strategies to address potential challenges in each market, said Lochet.
“This approach allowed us to navigate the complexities of a simultaneous multi-territory launch while maintaining brand standards and meeting stakeholder expectations, all while delivering an authentic Caribbean experience.”
Cultural sensitivity
Lochet tells TMI that it was also critical to be sensitive to cultural nuances between the islands.
“Our approach to cultural sensitivity was deeply rooted in celebrating authentic local experiences across the Caribbean territories. This was particularly evident in Barbados, where we thoughtfully incorporated iconic cultural elements into our launch activities,” she said.
One such cultural element featured a traditional snow cone cart at the Fenty events, recognizing its significance as a beloved local delicacy in Barbadian culture.
“This seemingly simple touch resonated deeply with the local community and added an authentic dimension to the luxury brand experience,” said Lochet.
The final launch party was also carefully curated to honor Bajan cultural elements, and create a meaningful connection between the global brand and local heritage.
“We also prioritized partnerships with respected local influencers who genuinely represented their communities and had established credibility with our target audience,” added Lochet. “These collaborations helped ensure our message was delivered authentically and respectfully within the local cultural context.”
Despite the best of planning, some challenges — such as hurricanes and a strike by dockworkers in the U.S. – delayed the import of materials to Grenada and Trinidad, which ended up launching a little after the other seven islands.
Highlights
But the nine-island launch did take place and was considered an immense success by everyone involved.
In all, the spectacular event went far beyond a normal debut, including special Master Classes with Rihanna’s personal makeup artist Priscilla Ono and an exclusive VIP party in Barbados where the superstar made a surprise guest appearance.
“We had very high expectations, and Fenty did not disappoint. We surpassed our objectives, and all our partners did an exceptional job. The level of detail and creativity was truly remarkable. We managed to execute the best launch ever in the Caribbean, and we’re now on track to making Fenty the #1 cosmetics brand in the region,” noted Adel Azibi, Division Director at Essence Corp.
Several key highlights stand out, said Azibi.
“We were able to showcase the beauty of the Caribbean,” he said. “We made our partners feel special, from customers finally finding their perfect shades and no longer needing to travel for Fenty, to retailers welcoming a new generation of shoppers, and makeup artists feeling honored to represent a brand born in the Caribbean.
The launch was also a milestone celebration in Barbados, he noted. “Hosting an unforgettable launch event with our partners, where Rihanna and the entire Fenty team had an incredible time, solidified our success,” he said.
From a business standpoint, the Fenty Beauty launch also presented Essence Corp with new opportunities. “Fenty’s impact extended beyond the launch, helping us create opportunities across all our brands, including identifying a strong network of influencers now working with us to showcase the beauty of the region,” he noted.
“Meanwhile, thanks to Fenty’s constant innovation, demand for the brand continues to grow, and we’ve laid out a strong plan for 2025. While 2024 was the year of launch for our first nine islands, in 2025 we’ll expand to even more islands, and 2026 will bring further growth. This is just the beginning, and we’re incredibly grateful to have been chosen by Kendo. A huge thank you to our partners and team for their outstanding efforts!” said Azibi.
“Thanks to Fenty today, Essence Corp is now one of the important players in the make-up segment in the Caribbean,” concludes Bona. “Beyond market share and revenue, our foremost goal as a distributor is to fulfill our mission: introducing the Caribbean to the most coveted beauty brands of the moment.”
From Master Classes to a VIP Gala
The Fenty Beauty extravaganza organized by Essence Corp encompassed two sets of superlative immersive Master Classes – one in The Bahamas and one in Barbados –conducted by Rihanna’s personal makeup artist and Global Makeup Artist for Fenty Beauty, Priscilla Ono, as well as an exclusive VIP party in Barbados where the superstar made a surprise guest appearance.
“We were beyond thrilled to welcome Priscilla Ono, Rihanna’s personal makeup artist and a globally recognized beauty influencer to Barbados and The Bahamas for our highly anticipated master classes. Even before arriving in the Caribbean, Priscilla hosted a virtual master class for influencers and beauty advisors across the islands, which was a tremendous success and set the stage for what was to come,” explained Essence Corp Sales Manager Gabriela Mier y Teran.
“Once on the ground, Priscilla captivated over 450 participants, sharing expert tips, techniques, and behind-the-scenes insights into her work with Rihanna and the development of Fenty products. Her sessions were not only informative but also interactive and fun, creating an unforgettable experience for attendees.
“In Barbados, local raffle winners from each retailer had the exclusive opportunity to attend the master class before the highly anticipated Caribbean Launch Party where Rihanna herself made a special appearance. The excitement and energy surrounding the event were truly unmatched.
“For me, master classes are one of the best ways to merge artistry with education in a way that feels accessible and inspiring to our clients. Priscilla’s engaging approach left a lasting impression, and the enthusiasm from these sessions translated into a noticeable boost in sales in the following weeks,” said Mier y Teran.
Read about the launch in Barbados with Avolta here.
Read about the launch at 59 Front in Bermuda here.
Read about the launch at Maggy’s in Aruba here.
Read about the launch with Rouge Duty Free in Grenada and Trinidad here.
