Brexit or no Brexit, the upper segment of London‘s retail landscape remains undeterred, and in fact, continues to expand. Global skincare brand Aesop has been present here for quite a few years now, managing no less than 15 standalone stores and three shop-in-shops across the British capital alone. However, the Melbourne-based company sees further room for growth in what’s widely considered one of the planet’s most dynamic shopping destinations and has opened a new outpost at Piccadilly Arcade, an early 20th century passageway filled with a mix of quality shops. Occupying a two-floor unit on the very corner of the passageway’s Piccadilly entrance, the interior sees a renewed collab with Studio Luca Guadagnino, the design practice of the eponymous Italian filmmaker which previously designed Aesop‘s first boutique in Rome.
In the middle of the space are two massive interlocked boulders which have been chiseled into a basins where shoppers are able to explore and test any Aesop product of choice. Stone tiles radiate geometrically from the basin in a nod to the architectural heritage of Greenwich, and it’s flanked on three sides by sleek shelving laden with merchandise, and with a recessed wall, shoppers find a comfy design sofa where to sit back. A singular sink nestles into the exposed window, providing an unconventional view onto Piccadilly. Tucked in a corner, a doorway leads to a narrow staircase to the upper floor. Stuccoed walls, floor-to-ceiling windows with sheer curtains and flooring of reclaimed wood form the backdrop of sleek shelving, ceramic sinks on stainless steel legs, a sofa and a display cabinet. The new Aesop store carries the brand’s full range of skin, face and hair care products, in addition to products from its home line.
Aesop
2 Piccadilly Arcade (St. James’s)
London SW1Y 6NH
Telephone: +44 20 74997252
Mon-Sat 10-9
Sun 12-6
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
