Student Isabell Repalust places third at L’Oréal Brandstorm competition
Ena Marinković (left), Larisa Galac (middle), and Isabell Repalust (right)
What if discovering a fragrance was as simple as identifying a song on your phone?
That question became the foundation of AUROA, an innovative beauty tech concept developed by a student team that included graduating International Business student Isabell Repalust. The idea earned her third place at the Adria Regional Final of the prestigious L’Oréal Brandstorm competition, placing her team among the top teams selected from more than 100 entries.
L’Oréal Brandstorm is one of the world’s largest and most recognized business competitions for people under 30, bringing together young innovators from around the globe to develop creative solutions for the future of beauty. This year’s challenge focused on beauty tech and fragrance innovation, asking students to rethink how consumers discover, experience, and connect with fragrances in the digital age.
Together with teammates Larisa Galac from the Faculty of Graphics and Ena Marinković from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Isabell helped develop AUROA, a wearable device capable of capturing fragrance molecular signatures in real time, identifying scents through AI technology, and recommending personalized alternatives from L’Oréal’s fragrance portfolio. “Think of it as Shazam for scent,” Isabell explained.
Developing strategies
The concept emerged from a simple but relatable everyday experience: noticing someone’s fragrance in public but feeling uncomfortable asking what they are wearing. From that idea, the team began exploring how technology could transform fragrance discovery into a more seamless, personalized experience.
What made the project especially strong was the combination of different academic backgrounds within the team. Isabell, an International Business student with double minors in Marketing and Management, focused on business strategy and financial modeling. Her teammates brought expertise in research, linguistics, graphic design, and user experience. “Our team’s diversity was actually our biggest strength,” she shared. “The magic happened at the intersection of our three disciplines.”
While one teammate focused on ethnographic research and another on product design and user experience, Isabell worked on building a viable business model behind the idea. Her role included developing pricing strategies, revenue models, production cost analysis, and ensuring the concept could realistically function within L’Oréal’s ecosystem.
Find teammates who fill your gaps
The competition itself required far more than creativity alone. Teams had to present a five-minute pitch supported by a detailed business case, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session with L’Oréal executives and industry professionals. Throughout the process, the team continuously refined their concept, especially after mentorship sessions encouraged them to think of AUROA not only as a product but as a long-term data platform. “That pivot, from product thinking to platform thinking, was thrilling,” Isabell said. “It’s one thing to build a spreadsheet that balances. It’s another thing entirely to articulate why a corporation should care.”
Reflecting on the experience, Isabell credits her studies at RIT Croatia for helping prepare her for the competition’s demanding environment. Through case-based learning, presentation-focused coursework, and collaborative projects, she developed the analytical, communication, and strategic thinking skills needed to perform under pressure.
“Brandstorm was essentially a high-stakes case competition,” she explained. “By the time I walked into Brandstorm, I’d already delivered dozens of high-pressure presentations.” She also emphasized how studying in an international environment helped her navigate collaboration, communication, and different perspectives throughout the process.
One of the biggest lessons she took away from the competition was the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork. “Diverse teams are uncomfortable, and that’s the point,” she said. “Homogeneous teams are comfortable, but they produce mediocre work because no one challenges the consensus.”
For students considering similar opportunities, Isabell encourages them to step outside their comfort zones and build teams with complementary strengths. “Find teammates who fill your gaps,” she advised. “The goal isn’t to work only with people similar to you, it’s to build a team where everyone brings something irreplaceable.”
