A popular name among Sephora’s offering in the US and some European countries, Kat Von D Beauty sees popularity particularly due to its namesake and owner, a well-known beauty personality on YouTube and former high-profile tattoo artist.
Kat Von D boasts 670,000 followers on the video sharing platform, allowing the brand its international reach despite not having had a retail presence in the European market until now. The move into the UK will see the brand enter department store Debenhams across the country.
The UK launch seems a savvy one: Euromonitor International recently observed that it is niche beauty brands pushing forward growth in the market's colour cosmetics segment.
“Consumers want to be inspired by influencers and try new products,” the market research firm explained.
Digital, driven by millennials
Euromonitor International notes that two key recent trends in the UK’s beauty market - niche brands and digital - have been leading the segment’s growth.
Kat Von D Beauty appears one brand that taps into both these drivers, with its strong digital presence and the niche, more curated feel to its product offering.
“2015 was a particularly robust year for colour cosmetics, with strong growth experienced in many categories, particularly facial make-up and technique-based products,” explains the firm.
“The popularity of colour cosmetics can be attributed largely to a keen interest amongst millennials, and the influence of the digital environment on beauty. Social media, the “selfie culture” and the role of influencers are all shaping the desire for increased purchases of colour cosmetics.”
Tutorials
Once again, YouTube and its beauty blogger-style tutorials have been called out as a leading influence on beauty consumers in the UK today.
“Technique-based products witnessed increased interest, as UK consumers looked to perfect their application techniques and create a specific look, thanks to a wide array of information and tutorials available in the digital space,” Euromonitor’s analysts explain.
Kat Von D is particularly dominant on YouTube, suggesting the platform may offer other international beauty brands a route into the UK market, if they can build an adequate following.
Amendment: This article previously described the launch as Europe-wide, rather than solely UK. In fact, Kat Von D Beauty has already been available in some other European countries for a period of time.