Aesop unveiled its expanded Fashion Walk store on Paterson Street, now two storeys high.

With another store nearby in Hysan Place, the Fashion Walk location caters to a distinctly local clientele. As a street shop, the Fashion Walk store has always been known to be pet-friendly and is just as much beloved by its furry friends and nearby residents.

Part of why Aesop stands out from the crowd is that no two stores are the same. And considering the brand has over 200 signature stores globally, it exemplifies their thoughtfulness and dedication in curating customer experiences.

For its new store, Aesop once again called upon its long-standing partnership with local architectural firm MLKK Studio, who designed the original Fashion Walk store twelve years ago. Frequent visitors to Causeway Bay will recall the previous location, two units down the same street, with a much slimmer facade in warm, coppery hues. Now sporting two storeys, a rare sight in Hong Kong, the new space has an upper floor that doubles as a facial space and will begin to welcome bookings at the end of May.

The store facade pivots from the brand’s common association with warm tones, instead adopting powder blue and grey in the subtle curves of its recessed entrance. Once you step in and the glass door slides shut behind you, the store fills with light jazz and takes on an entirely different ambience from the hustle and bustle of Paterson Street.

A focal point is a circular chandelier that punctuates the lofty space. Intricate with a touch of Brutalism, the piece dates back to 1960s Czech. A smaller lamp from 1970s Italy illuminates the bottles on the shopfront ledge, creating a warm, fuzzy echo of the overhead glow.

Less obvious to the eye is the mosaic floor of irregular rectangles that look like a mishmash between terrazzo and tile chips. These are, in fact, made of the fireproof veneer used to manufacture folding chairs commonly found in local Hong Kong households. The sheets of veneer have sat unused since the chairs went out of fashion three decades ago and have now been brought to a second life in the new Aesop store. It took the team three months to upcycle what would otherwise have been an industrial waste and refit it in a way that would incorporate its flaws beautifully. The subtle specks of colour in the chips – powder blue and grey – laid down the tranquil colour palette for the store. Combined with paintings by local artist Night Fung, who specialises in modern Chinese abstract landscapes, the result is a marvellous play on textures.

While every Aesop store bears a unique design, they share hallmarks like sinks, shelves and counters. To Aesop, handwashing is a ritual that runs to the brand’s beginnings, not just a by-product of the pandemic. It’s a small act of the day that takes on multiple meanings: as a mindful gesture, an opportunity for self-indulgence with products we like, and a punctuation for us to pause and contemplate.

In the Fashion Walk store, an ensuite sink was designed for customers to explore Aesop’s product range with ample space and privacy. To evoke a sense of comfort and familiarity, the setup was designed to mimic a domestic bathroom configuration, with a mirror cabinet placed directly above the sink and additional storage built below.

Our exploration came with an introduction to the Seeking Silence Facial Hydrator, whose poetic name echoes the store’s theme, Retreat & Reflect. It’s a lightweight moisturiser with a woody, herbaceous scent and soothing properties formulated for sensitive skin. The spatula comes with rounded corners (like many other things in Aesop stores) and features the same colour tones and fireproof chips used in the store’s bespoke flooring. Also, how cute is this media card drawn by the team capturing the joy of their furry friends strolling past?

In the other nook lies the Fragrance armoire, a relatively new staple for Aesop slowly appearing in its global stores – each bearing a bespoke design like the store that houses it. Lacquered in a soft blue on the outside, the armoire only shows its true glory when opened up wide. The transformation to warmth is attributed to hints of red copper, a legacy material salvaged from the old shopfront. Having weathered over a decade of natural elements, the metal has tarnished to a soulful chrome finish.

Knowing Aesop, the piece is meant to be as functional as it is good to look at. On the left door is an infusion chamber, where guests are invited to leave their belongings at the start of the experience. To the right are slotted ceramic plates highlighting the middle and base notes of fragrances. When guests reach the end of their journey, they can start afresh with a gentle aroma that will linger for the rest of the day, a reminder of their exploration at Aesop.

The Aesop team had kindly arranged for a neighbourhood walk hosted by Dr Sampson Wong, who splits his time between lecturing at CUHK and strolling around town. This was not your average walk introducing the glitz and glamour of Causeway Bay. We weaved through narrow yet cinematic walkways frequented by locals, making mental notes of hidden gems unheard of before. Being spider tree season, we chanced upon a quiet street lined with full blooms and took the time to admire the sight before it disappeared.

Causeway Bay may be a top tourist destination, but are we merely looking as we go about our days or actively consciously peering beyond the surface? So many subdued details are sandwiched between the iconic circular footbridge, residential buildings, markets and shopping malls. Simply gazing upwards will leave you wondering what else you’ve missed in this Shibuya of Hong Kong.

Our last stop ended in Galet Antique, a collector’s trove curated by professional dancer Allen Yuen during his European performances. The store has since expanded with Lé Galet, an equally eloquent restaurant merging antiquities with gourmet food tucked away in Sheung Wan.

Wandering between the rooms felt like entering a cabinet of curiosities. Everything you see in the store is antique, from its double front doors to display cabinets and timepieces. But what was most surprising is that, unlike most commercial stores, visitors are invited to touch and learn about the pieces’ histories. In the words of Galet’s owner, it stems from his passion for pieces passed down through generations – a rare generosity that should be savoured and cradled with care.

Looking back on the day, Aesop is truly a brand that lives and breathes its ethos of fostering collectiveness through sensory experiences and sustainability. After all, what are we without some stories to tell? These small touches radiate warmth and thoughtfulness, a reminder that our communities lift us up to become who we are today.

So pause for a moment to breathe it all in, take a break, and reset your day.

For transparency, the event was a kind invite from the PR team with press products gifted but without obligation to share.

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