Aesop opens debut Beijing store
Australian skincare brand Aesop has opened its debut store in Beijing, as the beauty firm continues to make inroads across Asia. Located in the Chinese capital city’s Wangfujing shopping district, the new ‘Aēsop WF Central House 19’ store was designed by Beijing-based architectural firm, Atelier Auasua, and pays homage to traditional courtyard home architecture from a residence once owned by a cousin of the Qing dynasty’s last emperor, Puyi.
Upon arrival, guests enter the courtyard where the classic pergola is reimagined as a retractable structure draped in waterproof canvas and crimson xiangyunsha tea silk. This semi-outdoor area boasts a duo of long benches crafted from glazed tiles and recycled stone troughs reminiscent of goldfish basins. To one side, visitors will find a tea station that recalls a marketplace wonton stall.
The Beijing location also boasts the brand’s Rinse and Return initiative, where customers can bring used Aesop packaging to the store, where it will be collected for future recycling. The Beijing debut comes after Aesop unveiled its first signature store in Thailand, and its first ground-level boutique in Southeast Asia. Late last year, the LVMH-owned brand opened a new Hong Kong location along Hollywood Road.
