Upscale Australian skin care brand Aesop has opened its first two Canadian locations in Toronto and Vancouver. A third location is planned to open in Montreal in the near future. The Canadian openings are part of the brand’s worldwide expansion of brick-and-mortar stores. Aesop, founded in 1987, has gained a cult-like following for its skincare as much as for its unique brand and store environments.
Aesop’s Toronto location is in the heart of the trendy hipster neighborhood of Queen West (880 Queen Street West). Playing upon the Aesop brand aesthetic that no two stores should ever look the same; both store interiors were designed to create unique store environments that reflected the location. The Toronto store is all about the mix of hard and soft or old and new; a large felt wall plays off the historic opposing brick wall. To expose the original building, the interior was stripped back to the original brickwork. The opposing wall is cover with a felt installation that was crafted by local artist Kathryn Walter; felt was chosen as a way to reference Canada’s 17th century commercial origins in the fur trade.
Aesop’s Vancouver location is located in Vancouver’s trend-driven Gastown hood (19 Water Street). Inspiration for the space was influenced by the logging industry that dominated the area throughout the mid 19th century; Vancouver grew as a city around one of its core industries – the Hastings Saw Mill. The retail space features bisected tiles of locally sourced Douglas Fir that were used to form multiple mosaic surfaces that cover the walls, ceiling and floor.
Be sure to check out your local Aesop (Toronto, Vancouver and, soon to open, Montreal) for great skincare for men and for great design inspiration. For everyone else, Aesop is carried at Holt Renfrew and Barney’s New York.
