© Dalziel & Pow

Following decades oil dependency, Saudi Arabia is awakening. The country’s new socio-economic reforms aim to diversify its livelihood, and already have spawned a flurry of high-quality home grown brands that rival the many international names that have been available in the country just as long. Exemplary of this new wave of Saudi companies is Asteri, a vegan and animal-friendly beauty brand launched in 2023 by interior architect-turned-entrepreneur Sara Al Rashed. Following a digital-first launch and a pop-up store, the Riyadh-based brand has inaugurated no less than four standalone boutiques nationwide in Jeddah, Abha, Dhahran, and also one at its home base. All stores have been designed by acclaimed London-based design studio Dalziel & Pow, and each one features a distinct setting. The Riyadh store occupies a ground floor unit at Al Nakheel Mall in the city’s downtown neighbourhood of Al Mughrizat neighbourhood

The retail space takes ample cues from the city’s modern urban setting and the surrounding Nafud desert with its sand dune landscapes and rock formations. The façade features a multifaceted surface, reflecting and refracting light, and illuminating new perspectives. In contrast, the interior shows a soft beige backdrop with organically shaped recessed shelving units, embedded circular mirrors and an attached display and storage counter. Meticulously designed shard-like trays in different materials and colours present various Asteri products. Taking centre stage is a matching large display counter with similar ‘shard’ trays, but here, shoppers can try out the merchandise while gazing in upright shard mirrors as well. Right behind, a wall-mounted bench with bulbous features can be found. An emerald green back wall with LED screen offsets the sand-coloured interior, while a large ceiling light installation provides functional lighting with a bit of a wink. The new Asteri store stocks the brand’s full range of cosmetics and accessories. © superfuture

Asteri
Al Akheel Mall, 2976 Tariq Imam Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz, Ground Floor (Al Mughrizat)
11564 Riyadh
Mon-Thu 9.30am-11pm
Fri 2pm-11pm
Sat-Sun 9.30am-11pm

© Dalziel & Pow