saw it recognised as part of Inside Retail’s list of 20 Coolest Retailers in Australia.  Here, Allkinds general manager Paula Gorman shares the thinking behind the brand’s fun-filled store design and why it’s important to build confidence in kids from a young age.  Inside Retail: Where did Allkinds’ feel-good philosophy stem from?  Paula Gorman: Kids and teens have a lot to deal with: they’re learning, growing, making friends, changing friends, picking up hobbies, playing sports, and learning to express themselves every day. In their fast-paced, social-media-driven, always-on world everything is happening on display, all the time and they face a lot of emotion and pressure. Allkinds believes that nothing about a kid’s appearance is a problem or a flaw and empowers them to feel confident in their own skin just the way they are. We believe that the things that make you unique, also make you awesome. Allkinds is here to support them to feel their best every day.  IR: Does the brand work closely with kids on product development and packaging?  PG: Kids’ and teens’ feedback guide our decision making on everything from fragrances to colours, packaging and even product names, and we independently dermatologically test all our formulations.  IR: How has 2021 been for Allkinds? Any key highlights?  PG: Despite lockdowns, 2021 has been an extraordinary year for Allkinds. Launching the brand after more than three years of development and testing was a huge milestone. Sitting outside our first store on its opening day and watching customers, family, friends, and staff explore the brand is a moment we will never forget. We have the most wonderfully engaged customers who love to share feedback with us, and we have been humbled to hear so many stories of how Allkinds has brightened what has been a pretty tough year for so many kids and teens.  IR: How have the new stores performed outside of lockdown?  PG: We have been thrilled with their performance. The response to our product range and in-store experience has been exceptional. Beyond that, our brand values have resonated strongly – a fun brand that is made for all kinds of kids, that is unisex, made with good stuff and affordable seems to be ticking everyone’s boxes. Customers have loved hearing that our formulated products are all made locally in Australia. We have heard so many parents wishing Allkinds had been around when they were a kid!  IR:What are the key objectives when it comes to Allkinds’ store design?  PG: The objectives are to offer a fun and immersive brand experience – where kids and teens are encouraged to explore, discover, learn and make their own decisions – shop by colour, shop by fragrance, shop for their skin type or hair type. We want to make them feel comfortable exploring everything that makes them feel awesome.  IR: What else can we expect from Allkinds in the next 12 months? PG: The next 12 months will see Allkinds opening in some very exciting new locations as well as growing our digital presence. Look out for an expanded and evolving product range which includes all kinds of fun new categories, collaborations, and experiences.