MILAN — Going for hand soap or fragrance shopping may be quite an experience either when in Rome or on the subject of Australian luxury personal care company Aesop.

When the 2 are combined, an 18th century painting can easily find its way in the client journey. Cue Felice Torelli’s artwork “Teseo abbandona Arianna,” or “Theseus Abandoning Ariadne” in English, which welcomes shoppers at Aesop’s latest store within the Everlasting City.

Occupying a two-storied corner residence on bustling Via del Corso, the unit is the corporate’s second door in the town and an ode to ancient Roman architectural principles and geometric orders.

Designed with Aesop’s longstanding collaborator Jakob Sprenger, the situation respects the brand’s philosophy of offering retail spaces which can be distinct from each other and in character with each neighborhood, while staying true to the minimalist design aesthetic the label is thought for.

High ceilings, earthy hues and a juxtaposition of matte and polished textures define the brand new space, which is dominated by a staircase connecting the 2 levels. The bottom floor is marked by elements in walnut timber, brass and burnt orange lacquer, in addition to partitions in Travertino Romano marble that interrupt the linearity of the product arrangement. A series of hand basins punctuates the space, enabling customers to check the brand’s formulations.

The second floor features an intimate suite dedicated to Aesop’s fragrances, while offering an summary of the venue and a better have a look at the bespoke elongated chandeliers inspired by the antique columns that may be found throughout the town’s archaeological sites.

“Our goal was to create a retail space that not only reflects our identity as a world skincare company but in addition pays homage to the wealthy design and culture of Italy, all while embracing the unique characteristics of this remarkable corner location. We desired to transcend the atypical and deliver something truly remarkable for our valued customers,” Karl Wederell, Aesop’s general manager, Europe, told WWD.

“Reasonably than resorting to the standard approach of shiny, flashy window displays and loud light boxes contained in the store, we decided to infuse architectural elements within the windows and showcase a shocking 3 x 2 meter Felice Torelli oil painting on the essential wall,” continued the manager, underscoring that the aim was “to create points of interest that captivate and have interaction our customers in a more sophisticated and meaningful way.”

Aesop’s first store in Rome opened a stone’s throw away in 2018 and marked the brand’s inaugural collaboration with Studio Luca Guadagnino, the architecture and interior design studio launched by the acclaimed Italian movie director.

Wederell explained that the choice to double the presence in the town is strategic on account of the brand new unit’s positioning, which can enable the corporate to spice up it visibility to a world audience given the constant stream of tourists, along with locals.

“While Italy could also be one in every of our newer markets, it holds immense importance for our company. We’re fully confident in our plans to expand our presence by opening more stores in Italy,” added the manager, teasing latest locations each within the capital and in Milan, where Aesop opened its first Italian store in 2015. 

In the approaching 12 months, other units can be unveiled in London, Paris, Berlin, Munich, Madrid and Copenhagen, said Wederell. Particularly, the U.K., France and Germany stand out as top performing European markets for the brand, where “we see tremendous potential for further growth,” said the manager, who also acknowledged “the promising opportunities that lie inside markets like Italy and Spain, where we’ve received exceptional customer response, strong brand engagement and favorable business results.”

Expanding into latest territories, establishing latest stores, exploring alternative channels, enhancing key amenities, and partnering with existing stockists can be key within the brand’s growth strategy, in response to Wederell. But he underscored the corporate is “equally committed to maximizing the productivity and driving like-for-like growth inside our existing portfolio.”

To make certain, the brick-and-mortar channel stays the biggest for the brand, contributing about 65 percent of annual revenues. Last yr Aesop registered sales of $537 million.

“We understand the importance of physical retail as our essential channel, so we’ll keep investing in store innovation, design and improving the general customer experience,” said Wederell, stressing the commitment each on developing engaging interior concepts and prioritizing comprehensive training for the staff.

Aesop currently operates around 400 points of sale across the Americas, Europe, Australia, Recent Zealand and Asia, with a nascent footprint in China, where it has three stores in Shanghai. Its first store opened in China last yr, however the brand entered the mainland China market in 2018 via Tmall Global. 

Aesop’s signature amber bottles with black-and-white striped labels are also available in prestige retail, beauty and hospitality venues globally.

Along with the brand new doors in Europe and push in China, travel retail will turn out to be increasingly necessary as a channel, “with several key airports earmarked for counters to open in,” teased Wederell. 

The corporate’s strong retail presence, customer-obsessed philosophy and extensive and performance-based product lineup contribute to its positioning in the worldwide luxury beauty market. No wonder last April L’Oréal signed an agreement to accumulate the corporate from Brazil’s Natura & Co. in a deal that valued Aesop at greater than $2.5 billion.

As reported, on the closing — which is anticipated to happen within the third quarter of 2023 — Aesop will join the L’Oréal Luxe division, which also includes beauty brands comparable to Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl’s and Mugler.

Established in Melbourne in 1987, Aesop offers skin, hair and body care, in addition to fragrance and accessories for the self and residential, all featuring plant-based ingredients and sustainable vegan formulas. 

Particularly, fragrances are expected to be a key focus in the expansion plans of the corporate’s business. To make certain, each the fragrance and skincare categories already boast a few of Aesop’s bestselling products, said Wederell, who cited specifically the Tacit eau de parfum and the Lucent Facial Concentrate and Exalted Eye Serum skincare products. 

Asked about how he sees the Aesop customers’ behavior evolving, Wederell pointed to clients’ “greater understanding of their very own skin, asking us what they will do to support its continued health.”

“Over the previous couple of years the toilet has turn out to be a spot of true sanctuary and self take care of lots of us, and consequently, there’s much greater consideration for the products we spend money on and the standard of ingredients we use on our skin… There may be also a deeper understanding how our skin feels and behaves in response to environmental conditions, hormonal fluctuations, weight loss plan, sleep, and other influential aspects,” he noted.