With stores located in countries all over the world, Aesop’s signature approach to retail design results in spaces that are uniquely individual and grounded through local narratives. For London Design Festival, it is offering visitors an insight into the creative process behind each location.
Photography courtesy of Aesop showcasing the interior of its recently opened One New Change store which will host the exhibition for London Design Festival
Words by Roddy Clarke
Walking into an Aesop store is an immersive and sensory experience like no other. And, while each location consistently reflects and resembles the brand’s considered ethos and exquisite attention to detail, the experience and aesthetic remain completely individual, with its creative team taking stimulus from the setting and narratives that pay homage to the culture of the local region. Added to this, each store is configured through a circular lens, ensuring that it can last up to a minimum of ten years and, if needed, styled interior sets can easily be repaired, replaced and reused.
Photography courtesy of Aesop showcasing its One New Change location, the venue for Enduring Forms
As part of London Design Festival, which begins today, a temporary exhibition is taking over Aesop One New Change, one of the brand’s most recent store openings which took place earlier this year. Titled ‘Enduring Forms’, the exhibition guides visitors through Aesop’s sustainable practices in store design while also being built entirely from repurposed materials. Within this immersive experience the intricate details of the brand’s creative approach will be outlined through past examples of some of their global stores and how they embed themselves within the neighbourhoods and streetscapes they inhabit. ‘It’s a pragmatic approach deciding on how the store will speak to its local community,’ explains Marianne Lardilleux, the brand’s Global Retail Design Director. ‘Each store is inspired by its environment and is respectful to its surroundings and of the local culture.’
Photography courtesy of Aesop featuring ‘Enduring Forms’, the temporary exhibition on display from 13-19 September
Since opening its first signature store in Australia in 2003, the beauty and lifestyle brand has garnered a dedicated following of admirers with its stores being visual reference points of its creative identity. Rooted in locality, stores are created through creative collaborations with regional makers and artisans as well as opting for local materials where possible. With the exhibition displaying the rationale behind this approach, it also highlights how such ingenuity has continued to set the brand apart from its industry competitors.
When it comes to the materials used to create the interior sets for each store, Marianne states how they are happy with surfaces developing a patina over time. ‘I think of it as a metaphor for the ageing of skin,’ she comments. ‘That’s why we love to work with natural materials as they age beautifully. We’re not trying to hide the wrinkles, we accept it!’
Photography courtesy of Aesop featuring Marianne Lardilleaux, the brand’s Global Retail Design Director
Reflecting on his collaborations with Aesop in its Marylebone and Rotterdam stores, furniture maker and designer Sebastian Cox reaffirms how longevity is a core value of each project. ‘Part of our brief was to ensure the design could be disassembled,’ he says. Recently revisiting the Marylebone store to re-oil some of its surfaces, mostly around the sink areas, Cox expands on his appreciation for working alongside a partner that understands the value in the long-term care and respect of materials. ‘It was almost like the store just needed some moisturiser. I love working with Aesop as they are seeking the same depth of thought, much like us.’
Photography courtesy of Aesop showcasing the interior of its Marylebone location with interiors handcrafted by Sebastian Cox
With this week-long exhibition offering an insight into the detailed layers that make up an Aesop store, it is also a reflection on how the wider industry could take note. In approaching retail from a mindful and experiential perspective, it not only reduces waste and our environmental impact, but it also strengthens the emotional connection to a brand or product, adding meaning and purpose to any investment we make. And, in engaging with the detailed narrative behind each design, it raises awareness around materiality, sustainability and the beauty found in ageing naturally.
Enduring Forms is open until 19th September and is located within Aesop One New Change.
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