Dive Brief:
- Australian luxury beauty brand Aesop announced this month the opening of a new store in Beverly Hills, California, increasing its total store count to 73, according to an email sent to Retail Dive.
- The expansion to Beverly Hills leverages the brand’s existing customer base and the area’s locals and tourists. Aesop’s approach to a “distinctive” and “elevated” experience aligns with Beverly Hills shoppers, the company said.
- Aesop said it plans to continue its expansion with the opening of two New York City locations later this year.
Dive Insight:
As beauty brands continue to lean into physical stores, Aesop has been consistently expanding its retail footprint following its 2023 acquisition by L’Oréal Group. Last year Aesop opened four stores in New York, one in Seattle, two in Europe and one in Asia, according to the company.
The new location in Beverly Hills, which opened March 29, represents the brand’s latest expansion effort.
“Aesop is always looking to bring new retail stores in strategic neighborhoods where we can connect with our customers,” Sylvie Kilduff, Aesop regional general manager, said in an email to Retail Dive. “We take a thoughtful approach in selecting sites that align with our brand identity and seamlessly integrate with the unique characteristics of the neighborhoods we enter. Our goal is to create authentic connections by reflecting the local history and culture in our stores’ design.”
In choosing new stores to open, Aesop's design philosophy begins with considering the existing structure or space and merging the brand's concepts into the location.
This ideal came to life in the Beverly Hills location as it was once home to Hollywood screenwriters. The store, Kilduff said, “pays homage to a movie set, using lighting to create stages and guide customers through the store, honoring the location's history.”
Aesop’s expansion efforts come as the beauty space experiences an industry-wide trend in consolidation.
Last year, Procter & Gamble announced it would acquire textured hair care brand Mielle Organics and skin care brand E.l.f. Beauty said it would a cquire Naturium. Late last year, Shiseido announced it would acquire Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare.
