Botánica Avon was an experiment in rebranding where I took Avon products and repackaged them as botánica goods.

Avon has a long history of representatives in my family and I grew up filling orders and delivering goods alongside my mother on Saturday mornings. I worked in an Avon distribution center as a teen and found that although multi-level-marketing businesses were frowned upon by many, self-starter entities like these empowered individuals with less access to income by traditional means.

The Botánica Avon installation existed in my graduate studies studio on the Columbia College Chicago campus. Visitors could book appointments to visit the botánica for a full semester. Products and Avon catalogs were displayed alongside one another and various altar spaces were constructed to help grow Avon customer base and prosperous business practices.

I had started selling Avon again while I was in grad school and found that a large generation divide had occurred since I had been involved with the brand as a teenager. My peers were weary of MLM schemes and Gen Z had never heard of Avon as a brand.

Botánica Avon was my response to rebranding Avon as a viable product with more spiritual emphasis. I am still an Avon Representative, although I no longer produce Botánica Avon products.