Soap Opera: Aesop SM Aura Finally Opens

Calming moss-green walls, capiz shell-inspired wood wool panels, and the country’s first-ever Fragrance Library welcome patrons of the newly-opened Aesop SM Aura. With an interior space inspired by “the splendor and beauty of prewar architecture in Manila,” the Melbourne-based cosmetic brand’s third store in the Philippines presents a new spatial narrative to uncover for BGC-based patrons, housed in a compact yet airy 52.4 sqm space.

With Juan Arellano’s iconic Metropolitan Theater (1931) as muse, Aesop’s in-house design team crafted the space as a streamlined stage by which to showcase their array of skin, hair, and body care solutions. Art deco detailing from the beloved theater’s interiors was retranslated into stepped and terraced forms that punctuate the space, coated in a calm verdant shade that is sure to be a balm to tired shoppers.

Aesop SM Aura is also green under the skin. The store incorporates gridded wood wool tile sections, reminiscent of the traditional capiz shell finish of the Metropolitan Theater’s entrance lanterns. The timber fibers of the wood wool are responsibly sourced, chosen for sound absorption and air-enhancing qualities, allowing shoppers to momentarily disconnect from the city’s noise and chaos. After the store’s lifespan, the timber tiles are to be composted, returning to the soil that enabled its existence.

Amidst the homage to the architectural decadence of the 30s, utilitarian touches like raw steel finishes, exposed pipes, drain grilles, and run-of-the-mill garden taps ground the space. An anchor basin, a familiar sight in any Aesop store, is finished in moss-green painted steel and is the stage by which the brand’s lauded skincare solutions give their performances with a little help from the store’s skincare consultants. The floating basin is the first thing that greets visitors, cantilevering from the store wall by about 2.5m.

A first for the Philippines, and just a few weeks removed from the brand’s launch of Gloam eau de parfum, Aesop pulls the covers off its Fragrance Library. The library’s collection invites patrons to discover their scent profiles from Aesop’s collection of unconventional scents, from favorites like Tacit and Eidesis alongside newcomer Gloam.

The Aesop SM Aura store is now open from 10 am to 10 pm daily. Watch out for our in-depth look into the store’s interior design in a future story. •

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