Lush defies retail downturn with more concept shops

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Nov 12, 2019

Lush is betting on innovation, unique concepts and prime locations to underpin its retail expansion despite ongoing struggles on the high street.

The British cosmetics manufacturer has recently opened two new concept shops in Paris and Florence, plus its second biggest shop in Europe in Munich.

But these are no regular Lush emporiums. The new site in Paris is called Fresh & Flowers, making a reference to the brand’s commitment to offering “the freshest cosmetics on the market”. 

The one-of-a-kind retail concept in Le Marais goes beyond the play on words by offering locally sourced and seasonal bouquets of flowers alongside its range of products, some of which have been individually prepared by the team in the shop. 

Lush said the permanent shop is inspired by French people’s love for fresh products, demonstrating an increased interest in creating unique concepts specifically for each market.

“At a time when physical retail is coming under huge economic pressure, we are committed to ongoing investment in game-changing store concepts on the world’s high streets and malls, unrestricted by geographic borders, providing innovation and new customer experiences as suitable opportunities arise,” said Paul Wheatley, global property director at Lush.

In Florence, the brand best known for its colourful bath bombs has opened a Perfume Library, housing the largest collection of Lush fragrances in the world. Inspired by the city’s links to perfumery during the Renaissance, the site will be the home of a new collection of own brand perfumes which are designed to take customers on an olfactory journey.

Alongside the fragrances, the store houses a book collection of more than 70 titles on essential oils, aromatherapy, history and regeneration, and visitors can get a perfume consultation based on humoural theory.

Meanwhile, Lush’s second largest European flagship store has opened in one of Munich’s top shopping streets on Kaufingerstraße. Spreading over 689 sq mts across three floors, the new shop is the largest retail investment by the brand since the opening of the world’s largest shop in Liverpool, UK earlier this year.

The shop will incorporate a host of innovative experiences and concepts, including a permanent florist, a Perfume Library, a fair trade coffee kiosk and an activist community space.

Over the past 12 months, Lush has opened new shops in London in Clapham Junction and Paddington Station, Naked shops in Milan, Berlin, Manchester and Hong Kong, and a LushLabs Bath Bomb concept shop in Tokyo. In total, the company operates in 48 countries with over 900 shops.