Retail and Brand Experience Designer

This role is based in New York City. Candidates must currently reside in the NYC area and be available to work onsite in NYC as needed.

Aquent Studios is hiring a Retail & Brand Experience Designer to join our team at this global beauty brand! As the Retail & Brand Experience Designer you will be responsible for designing immersive, premium retail environments that bring the client’s skincare brand to life across boutiques, pop-up experiences, events, shop-in-shops, and experiential activations. Combining architecture, spatial storytelling, and brand design, this role will create elevated environments that seamlessly blend luxury retail with science-backed skincare experiences.

Working closely with Creative, Retail Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Architecture, Product Marketing, Global Brand Teams, and external fabrication partners, the Senior Store Designer will develop concepts from ideation through execution, ensuring every environment delivers an exceptional consumer experience while maintaining the brand’s premium aesthetic.

The ideal candidate has exceptional creative and technical skills who thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment. They are naturally curious, embrace emerging technologies—including AI-powered design tools—and are comfortable adapting as priorities, software, and design processes continue to evolve.

• Design immersive retail environments for permanent boutiques, pop-up stores, shop-in-shops, experiential events, and branded activations.
• Translate the skincare brand into compelling three-dimensional environments that create memorable, premium consumer experiences.
• Develop innovative spatial concepts that balance architectural thinking, storytelling, functionality, and commercial objectives.
• Design environments that enhance the guest journey while reflecting Skin Ceuticals' science-backed, clinical-luxury positioning.
• Ensure consistency across all physical brand touchpoints while maintaining flexibility for local market adaptations.

• Create concept presentations, mood boards, floor plans, elevations, renderings, and presentation decks that communicate design intent.
• Develop detailed design packages from initial concept through production-ready documentation.
• Produce high-quality 3D visualizations and renderings that effectively communicate spatial experiences to stakeholders.
• Present design concepts and rationale to cross-functional teams and senior leadership.

• Partner closely with Marketing, Creative, Retail, Visual Merchandising, Product Development, Architecture, and Global Brand teams to execute integrated retail initiatives.
• Collaborate with external agencies, architects, fabricators, production vendors, and contractors throughout project execution.
• Support photoshoots, retail installations, and on-site activations as needed to ensure design integrity.
• Balance creative vision with operational, construction, budget, and timeline considerations.

• Manage multiple retail design initiatives simultaneously from concept through installation.
• Prepare production files, specifications, fixture drawings, and documentation for fabrication partners.
• Conduct design reviews throughout fabrication and installation to ensure quality and brand consistency.
• Stay informed on emerging retail, hospitality, luxury, and experiential design trends to continuously elevate the consumer experience.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Environmental Design, or a related discipline.
• 5–8+ years of experience designing luxury retail environments, experiential activations, boutiques, or branded spaces.
• Experience in both agency and in-house creative environments strongly preferred.
• Portfolio demonstrating exceptional retail, experiential, hospitality, or luxury spatial design.
• Experience working with premium beauty, skincare, fashion, hospitality, or luxury consumer brands is highly preferred.

• Advanced proficiency in Rhino, Sketch Up, Cinema 4D, or comparable 3D modeling software.
• Expert knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator,…