Aesop’s latest German signature store, and its first in Hamburg – located in a glass-fronted ground-floor unit of a nineteenth century building – opened recently in German city’s ABC-Viertel. Created in collaboration with Antwerp firm Vincent Van Duysen Architects, it features the brand’s first facial treatment room in Europe. The design relies on simple, natural materials and a subtle palette; it is informed by two primary influences: the building’s status as a protected historic site and the neighbourhood’s vibrant, sophisticated milieu.
Serene and timeless, Hamburg’s new store is made out of special and unique materials that, just as Aesop’s products, you’ll want to touch, feel and hold, creating the ultimate ‘experience for the senses’.
Walls and ceiling in the 112-square metre space have been stripped back to their original state and clad in pale, roughly textured plaster, providing a refined tactile element. A sink of solid bluestone, conceived as a sculptural element and evocative of ancient fountains, effects a commanding presence and emphasises the product demonstration experience integral to Aesop’s gracious hospitality. Bluestone is also used for flooring, working in concert with the plastered surfaces to define a serene and timeless setting.
Display shelves are crafted from untreated European Oak and blackened steel – the latter referencing the store’s original cast-iron facade. Floor-length Belgian linen curtains hang in a discreet curve behind the point-of-sale counter, secluding the treatment room from the retail area.
Aesop’s sought-after facial treatments are performed in a select few doors internationally by in-house facial therapists. In the aromatic calm of a purpose-built treatment space, the brand’s meticulous formulations are employed to detoxify and stimulate skin and spirit.
Yakymour Men 