Bottom image: Wellington City Council Archives
Aēsop, the Australian skin care company, has launched its Wellington concept store at the corner of Featherston Street and Brandon Street.
New Zealand may be its neighbour, but the Australian company has been opening locations in some of the biggest cities in the world—London, Paris, New York and Singapore among them—before setting its sights on sites closer to home.
Each location has been thoroughly respectful to its home, and the new store at Change House is no exception.
Architect Rufus Knight—a New Zealander who hailed from Ōpōtiki—and Aēsop retail architectural manager Denise Neri were on hand to discuss the ideas behind the 88 m² location, packed with VIPs and a live string quartet for its launch on June 7.
Knight says his design had to be in keeping with the 1930s design of the building, and his approach was that of ‘Dutch modernism’. The original architecture had obvious art-déco influences, but also the Chicago school, and Knight stuck with that. Inside, Aēsop has employed dark walls, offset against a parquet floor, and the oiled timber shelves themselves mirror the art-déco curves outside. The sink is fitted with aged brass taps. It’s a pleasant experience when one shops for Aēsop’s extensive product line in Wellington, including skin, hair, and body care, all using the highest-quality ingredients.
In other retail news, Hennes & Mauritz has confirmed its Commercial Bay, Auckland location will open on August 30. This brings the Swedish giant right into the centre of Auckland, on the corner of Customs and Queen Streets, with a 3,500 m² location, comprising apparel and accessories for men, women, children, and babies, and H&M’s Home concept. This follows earlier openings at Sylvia Park, Auckland; Christchurch central; and Lower Hutt, Wellington.
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