A selection of some of our favourite products have just launched on Rose Crosby, a luxury retail platform offering sustainable beauty, fashion and homeware from around the world. In celebration of our arrival, here's a short Q&A with the forward-thinking and chic founder of this brand, Lauren Kirloskar.
Why did you start Rose Crosby?
The origins of Rose Crosby were multifaceted for me. I noticed a niche in the market for a relevant and curated platform that truly underscored the intersection of the beauty, home and fashion industries. It's also imperative to change the way we shop – as climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our generation – and I wanted to make that a cornerstone of Rose Crosby. Finally, the global element of our brand was a way to underscore inclusivity as a fundamental value of our company. In many ways, Rose Crosby is a representation of interests and causes that are significant to me.
What makes Rose Crosby different?
When we moved from India to the United States, I noticed the lack of luxury platforms dedicated to beauty, home, and fashion. We really aim to fulfill that niche while simultaneously prioritising sustainability. Many companies are trying to slowly incorporate this into their business model, but it's a fundamental tenet of our brand. We believe that you can find a way to live sustainably without having to overhaul your life, and that's precisely what we hope to project with Rose Crosby.
What have been your biggest challenges?
I would be remiss to answer this without mentioning COVID. Working with brands from each corner of the globe across three separate industries, everyone has had varying impacts on their label and supply chain. It certainly prompted unique challenges, but also provided an opportunity to pivot that into strategy. There's a history of extreme circumstances (ex. the Great Recession in 2008) and COVID this year, sort of tearing down the market and prompting a rebuild. There's been a lot of tragedy globally this year, and our challenge is navigating this in a way that enables us to evolve and innovate while meeting the unpredictability of this year, as well as the future.
How do you go about choosing brands?
There are a number of factors to consider, but ultimately the principal ones end up being: (1) does their brand align with our vision and mission and (2) are there parallels between their products and our target market?
Why did you choose Irene Forte Skincare?
The natural skincare market has become saturated in the last few years, but there are few who sit at the intersection of being natural, sustainable and science-driven. People want natural and efficacious. Consumers shouldn't have to compromise, and Irene Forte Skincare doesn't require you to. What I love about your products is from start to finish there's a unique approach taken to source the ingredients, on working uncompromisingly to build products that are backed by scientific evidence and are proven to work, and that you really stay true to yourselves as a brand.
What's the one beauty product you can't live without?
A testament to trying to find a balance between sustainability and living practically is my personal obsession with Biologique Recherche's P50 1970. Of all my products, this is the one I'm least likely to change out for another.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Not all paths are linear. My background is so unconventional and the trajectory of my work has mirrored that. I would tell my younger self to absorb as much as I could along the way because at some point, sometimes when you least expect it, the dots will all connect.
