Why Hong Kong’s newly renovated Aesop store is different from all the others – because one look doesn’t fit all

The lure of e-commerce’s instant gratification and convenience has made it more important than ever that physical stores make shopping a memorable experience.

While many have turned to creating a consistent formula of exclusive materials and artworks, until now surprisingly few have followed the example of the Australian botanical hair and skincare brand Aesop, which has created unique looks for each of its 177 stores and 84 department store counters in 20 countries.

There are nine stores and four counters in Hong Kong. The first shop opened in 2005 in Lyndhurst Terrace. Its store in the International Finance Centre has been newly renovated on the cusp of the company’s 30th anniversary this year.

What once seemed like an idiosyncratic design-led strategy driven by Aesop founder Dennis Paphitis’ penchant for craftsmanship and culture now seems like a creative alternative to the uniformity of today’s retail landscape.

“No one else would think about designing a building or a house to suit any or every context. I think it is perfectly natural to consider the floor plan, streetscape and wider community for each space,” Paphitis says. “This approach also enables a different scope and landscape, which is good for the architect because it challenges them rather than having a signature look.”

This translates into a serene, minimalist black-and-white store in Kyoto’s Sanjo area, where Shinichiro Ogata, of Tokyo-based Simplicity design studio, has suspended rows of Aesop’s trademark amber-coloured bottles on their sides – a nod to traditional Japanese calligraphic scrolls.

In Taiwan, Aesop’s store on Zhongxiao Road, designed in collaboration with Taiwanese firm CJ Studio, features a monochrome palette with a dark terrazzo stone floor that curves up the walls, pure white shelving, and a domed ceiling.