Reopening the Red Door
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An iconic Fifth Avenue beauty emporium has gotten a makeover. After a four-month renovation, Elizabeth Arden’s flagship store officially reopened to the public last week.
The shop has a new name — 691 5th, a nod to the address of the landmark building where Elizabeth Arden has been located since 1930 — and a new look, which brings a modern touch to the historic label. The famous red door is still there (in fact, it’s been dramatically oversized) and the red color scheme continues inside with a 14-foot, curved, glossy red metal wall that’s designed by Highland Associates to look like a ribbon.
And for the first time in its history, the store has introduced a resident makeup artist, Clif de Raita, who will be available by appointment. With Mr. de Raita’s help, the flagship plans to offer makeup parties, master classes, and exclusive product demonstrations, among other beauty-related events.
The upper floors of the store house Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Spa, which recently introduced a new treatment. In addition to cleansing, toning, and exfoliation, the $175 Ultimate Arden Facial includes a warm-stone upper-body massage, a hand-softening treatment, a cool-stone facial massage, a scalp massage, a brow or lip waxing, and a makeup application.
Elizabeth Arden (691 Fifth Ave. at 54th Street, 212-MS-ARDEN).