Today we’d like to introduce you to Andi Henke.
Andi, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I went to school in Seattle for fabric design and always knew I wanted to work in editorial at an interiors magazine. After several college internships in New York, I accepted my first job at ELLE Décor where I spent my days discovering new designers and creating mood boards of fabric, wallpapers, furniture, and art for stories. I loved working in design, but there was something about beauty that piqued my interest—the fast-paced trends and accessibility to luxury were big draws for me.
I was fortunate enough to pivot my career into beauty PR, which I knew was an incredible opportunity to take my storytelling ability to a brand that really inspired me. After deciding to make the move to Los Angeles a year ago, I landed at Cos Bar—a luxury multi-brand beauty retailer that was founded in 1976 in Aspen. We call it the oldest newest start-up, and I manage PR as well as events for our 20 locations.
Has it been a smooth road?
The hardest transition in my career was going from a monthly publishing cycle where I had become so comfortable with my goals and schedule to something much less predictable. In magazines, every month was the same columns, and I knew I needed to shift into something with longer-term goals and projects to grow and challenge myself. When I moved into beauty PR, it was an adjustment for me to jump into being creative in constantly changing ways rather than doing the same thing over and over.
Of course, moving to Los Angeles from New York was an experience in of itself, but I’ve found both my workplace and community to be overwhelmingly welcoming. LA really values work/life balance more than New York, and I’ve found people to be so receptive to newcomers and new ideas.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Cos Bar – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m the PR and Events Manager at Cos Bar. We are a luxury beauty retailer that sells exclusive brands like La Mer, Tom Ford, and Jo Malone in a comfortable and inviting environment. I work daily with editors and influencers in all 20 of our markets (from Maui to Manhattan) to tell our story as a heritage brand but also shed light on what makes our Beauty Specialists in our local markets such incredible beauty resources.
We were founded by an inspiring woman, Lily Garfield, in 1976, when she was in her late 20s and saw a hole in the market for an independent luxury beauty boutique. I’m proud to work for a female-founded brand that continues to value all its employees. I truly feel like everyone at Cos Bar has a seat at the table– our CEO listens to feedback from stores and executives alike, and it’s such a collaborative space where our team is so open to new ideas.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
There are so many vibrant pockets of Los Angeles that are great places for brands like Cos Bar to flourish. It’s a fantastic city to meet and partner up with like-minded brands and individuals to promote a sense of community and help each other’s businesses grow.
People are very open to newcomers in LA and always curious to see what’s new and exciting. Clearly, LA’s downfall is the traffic, but I’m lucky to live and work in Brentwood, and the beach makes up for any excessive time spent in my car.
Contact Info:
- Address: 13050 San Vicente Blvd
- Website: cosbar.com
- Phone: 310-919-0075
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: cosbar
- Facebook: cosbar
- Twitter: cosbar
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