What Does the Starbucks Fashion and Beauty Division Mean for Coffee Culture?

Starbucks has officially established a fashion and beauty division and hired beauty industry veteran Neiv Toledano as head of brand activation. The coffee chain announced the move to help turn around losses, and it follows earlier co-branded makeup products with Kylie Cosmetics and Stonebrick. The news quickly drew both playful product ideas online and concern from employees about added sales tasks.

The decision fits a longer pattern rather than a sudden pivot. Starbucks partnered with Kylie Cosmetics on limited-edition lip gloss in 2019 and with Korean makeup brand Stonebrick in 2020. Reports from International Business Times and Reuters link the new division to broader efforts to reverse losses, while observers note the move may reshape how the brand connects with coffee culture beyond the cup.

Starbucks, the coffee chain giant, recently announced an unexpected strategic move—officially establishing a fashion and beauty division and hiring beauty industry veteran Neiv Toledano as head of brand activation. This action was not a spur-of-the-moment decision; previously, Starbucks had launched co-branded products with makeup brands such as Kylie Cosmetics and Stonebrick, which received a positive market response. As soon as the news broke, netizens' imaginations ran wild, offering suggestions for Starbucks' beauty products, from coffee grounds scrubs to mocha eyeliners, sparking heated discussion. At the same time, some voices expressed concern that frontline employees may face more sales tasks in the future. This article will sort through the ins and outs of Starbucks' cross-border foray into beauty and the reactions from all sides.

▲

Click to follow | Daily specialty coffee culture magazine Coffee Workshop

According to recent reports from multiple foreign media outlets including International Business Times and Reuters, in order to turn around its losses, coffee chain brand Starbucks has announced a major new strategy. However, unexpectedly, this new initiative does not involve its main coffee business, but rather an area that seems completely unrelated—the fashion and beauty industry.

It is reported that Starbucks has officially established a new institution called the "Fashion and Beauty Division" and has begun prioritizing the filling of core leadership positions. The coffee chain giant revealed that it has hired fashion and beauty industry veteran Neiv Toledano to join as head of the brand activation department.

Public records show that Neiv previously served as a senior marketing manager at the popular American beauty brand E.l.f. Cosmetics, and was also responsible for social media operations for Chipotle and The Cheesecake Factory. After Starbucks' official announcement, this soon-to-be-appointed head of the new division also posted on social platforms, saying that "in the future, I will combine my greatest passions to create cultural influence, fan resonance, and topic-sparking exciting moments for the Starbucks brand."

As soon as the news broke, it immediately caused ripples in the industry, with many people feeling shocked and surprised by the coffee giant's bold move. However, some media analyses pointed out that Starbucks' action this time was not a fleeting whim.

As early as 2019, Starbucks partnered with celebrity makeup brand Kylie Cosmetics to launch limited-edition lip gloss; in 2020, it collaborated with Korean makeup brand Stonebrick to create a spring collection, releasing multiple items such as eyeshadows and lipsticks. Although these beauty co-branding activities did not last long, they all attracted fan attention and discussion at the time, and received good market feedback.

Perhaps it was precisely these previous co-branding collaborations that allowed Starbucks to see the business opportunities therein. This time, officially establishing a relevant department and recruiting talent for it, in the eyes of the outside world, indicates that the brand is no longer satisfied with short-term limited-edition marketing collaborations, but hopes to go further in the fashion and beauty field.

Interestingly, netizens have different views on Starbucks' foray into beauty. Some pointed out that although beauty and coffee seem unrelated at first glance, in fact coffee elements are not uncommon in beauty products—for example, some skincare products highlight added caffeine ingredients. Therefore, in their eyes, Starbucks testing the waters in beauty is not abrupt at all; instead, it gives people a bit more anticipation.

Enthusiastic users even proactively offered suggestions for the brand: "Coffee grounds can be made into body scrubs," "I've already thought up names for you: Mocha Eyeliner, Coffee Comprehensive Eyeshadow Palette, Latte Nude Lipstick, Con Panna Contour," "Coffee-scented shampoo, anti-hair loss," "Go ahead and do nail polish too, mocha cat-eye should look pretty good," "Flat White loose powder... you know what, that actually sounds kind of interesting."

However, while netizens' imaginations ran wild, some also began to worry about the future of Starbucks frontline employees, saying that if Starbucks produces and sells its own cosmetics, "then in the future Starbucks employees won't just have to sell mooncakes, zongzi, cards, and cups—they'll also have to sell beauty products."

Image source: Internet

Disclaimer: Some images in this article are from the Internet, and some content on the website such as images—we will respect the original authors' copyright and indicate the source. However, due to the large volume, there may be individual images or texts that have not yet been credited in time; please forgive us. If the original author has any disputes, they may contact the website for handling. Once verified, we will correct it immediately. Compiled and edited by "Coffee Workshop." Please indicate the source when reprinting. If there is infringement, please inform us for deletion. Thank you ~ !

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.