Friday Musings: AESOP BEST OF…
Aesop is that ubiquitous brand that represents understated luxury, and one we are so proud to call Australian. Founded in Melbourne in 1987, the Aesop brand and packaging is almost utilitarian by design, and quite literally frill, fuss and colour free. What makes this brand so successful is the strength of its philosophies, the quality of product, and the experience of shopping in-store.
Each store is subtly different in design, but all so immediately and arrestingly recognisable as Aesop. Shops are a direct extension of the products they sell: highly functional, carefully considered, modest in appearance yet the end result of much thinking. Inspired by the unintentionally appealing aesthetics of a well-ordered 1930s laboratory, adapting traditional materials in an ostensibly simple yet deeply considered design. Aesop believes unequivocally that ‘good design can improve your life’.
Stores feature clean lines, industrially elegant metal with thin, sharp profiles, polished marble, and reclaimed wood. Everything about the Aesop store design is almost painfully restrained, allowing material and order to reveal the inherent beauty of the space. The quasi-clinical nature of the stores is warmed with the natural materials, soft lighting and the less tangible elements of fragrance and ‘calm’.
Twenty-eight years on, Aesop now has more than sixty signature stores internationally across many major cities, including Paris, Tokyo and New York. These are a few of our favourites.
Credits: Images courtesy of Aesop
