Follain
National brick-and-mortar rollout.
Upland Architects partnered with clean beauty startup Follain to support their mission of transforming the beauty industry by connecting conscious consumers with innovative makers. What began as a small blog quickly evolved into a fast-growing brand backed by over $3 million in venture capital. With a clear vision and ambitious national goals, the small development team was tasked with a regional brick-and-mortar rollout across key markets including Washington, Delaware, Texas, and New York.
Follain wanted to create an interior environment that embraced their beauty philosophy of clean, simple, and fresh. To bring the brand to life in physical space, Upland worked hand-in-hand with Follain’s in-house designers and marketing team to develop a flexible prototype kit that could be adapted to a variety of storefront conditions. This kit of parts became a foundational tool for maintaining consistency in design while allowing for creative flexibility based on each store's unique context.
Speed to market.
Speed to market is always a top priority when dealing with investors. In our experience, project unknowns, miscommunications, and lack of coordination are usually the culprits. To mitigate these risks, Upland worked closely with Follain to ensure efficiencies across the real estate, legal, operations, and construction departments. By strengthening interdepartmental communication and proactively addressing real estate risks, Follain was able to identify potential issues with properties prior to lease commitment, avoid changes during construction due to operational concerns, and coordinate openings with local marketing efforts.
Budget conscious design.
Follain’s objective was to maximize their tight budget in order to target specific regions of the country and establish a strong brand presence. This required careful control over both design and construction costs. Upland worked closely with Follain’s real estate team to identify sites that minimized the need for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work—allowing us to eliminate engineering services in most cases. To further streamline costs, Upland developed a priorities matrix to guide store layouts, designed to complement the established kit of parts. Essential features, like the signature customer sink, were always placed first in the most cost-effective location, with designers building the remainder of the layout around these fixed elements. Upland also helped establish national vendor partnerships for millwork and lighting, which reduced both expenses and lead times. These strategies allowed Upland to drive down design and construction fees, helping Follain meet investor expectations while staying within a limited budget.
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