Parisian fragrance house Diptyque is betting on British retail with the opening of its biggest ever UK store.
While the permanent installation will not open until October this year, Diptyque is welcoming customers for a soft launch from 23 May to 5 June.
Set in the heart of London's Chelsea borough, the space will pay homage to ‘British Icons’ this year with its ‘teatime in roses’ concept, marrying up Brits’ afternoon tea and the rose – a muse of the Maison.
The destination will be adorned with roses for its exterior, created by local florists, Blooming Haus, with a Parisian café seating area outside.
Inside, Diptyque has lined the Chelsea Bloom pop-up with vintage tea sets and a bespoke Boscage wallpaper, inspired by co-founder Desmond Knox-Leet’s early illustrations.
Across the two-week period, animations and personalisation services will be on offer, with a full programme expected to be announced in the coming days.
At the reopening in the Autumn, Diptyque will showcase its full brand catalogue and will host exclusive events and services.
Diptyque’s products are also sold at Liberty, Fenwick and Selfridges in the UK.
Brits want beauty
The brand’s announcement comes following a study by Barclaycard, which said that consumers in the UK are still willing to purchase luxury beauty goods, with spending in beauty rising 13% compared with the same period in 2019.
Diptyque’s product prices range from £265-£22.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC), however, warned that Brits had “put brakes on spending” due to the rising cost of living.
“The rising cost of living has crushed consumer confidence and put the brakes on consumer spending,” said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC.
“Sales growth has been slowing since January, though the real extent of this decline has been masked by rising inflation.”