Natural beauty brand Aesop has taken inspiration from the academic and natural world with the opening of its latest store in Cambridge, UK.
Said to provide a tranquil, studious environment, the new location is inspired by the surrounding area's academic and archival collections and features botanical textures and aromas made with local plant matter.
Shoppers will be able to browse the brand's complete range of botanical-inspired skin, hair and body care products, which are displayed on shelves made from hand-cut English freshwater bulrush, from punts on Cambridgeshire's River Great Ouse.
Aesop's trained consultants will also be on hand to advise consumers on products best suited to their individual needs at the store, which features shelves and cabinetry made from resin-pressed hemp, said to recall the burnished surfaces of old writing desks.
This is not the first time the Natura & Co-owned brand – which takes its name from the famous Greek fable writer – has championed the written word.
Last year, the brand dedicated space in its Soho and Borough destinations in the UK to showcase a 'Queer Library' of literature written by members of the LGBTQ+ community and supporters.
Meanwhile, this May Aesop unveiled a temporary installation at its Coal Drops Yard store, near London’s King’s Cross, UK, for its Sounds of Sisterhood campaign, featuring a collection of quotations designed to honour women and their stories.