Aesop’s Leeds Location Draws From the Grandeur of Victorian Bathrooms

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Summary

  • Aesop’s new Leeds store in the historic County Arcade evokes luxurious Victorian bathrooms, offering an immersive retail experience.
  • The store’s design combines classic Victorian elements with modern touches, featuring three interconnected rooms and product testing areas for a unique, leisurely atmosphere.

As a devoted admirer, I’m thrilled to share that Aesop has gracefully expanded into Leeds’ County Arcade, a timeless shopping center steeped in Victorian allure. Drawing inspiration from the opulence of Victorian bathing rituals, this esteemed fragrance and skincare label is weaving a unique retail narrative tailored to each location, continuing to captivate us with its site-specific storytelling.

Aesop is renowned for crafting unique store designs tailored to each location, and their stores are known for providing immersive shopping experiences. The County Arcade in Leeds, completed in 1904, is a local landmark boasting intricate interior details like mosaics, marble, and delicate ironwork. Bathed in natural light from its glass roof, this building is an example of late 19th-century/early 20th-century leisure centers that emerged in bustling city centers.

The store draws inspiration from the elegant bathrooms of that time period, which were made possible by advancements in plumbing technology and were common among wealthy households. This led to bathing becoming more of a leisurely activity rather than just a necessity for cleanliness, as Aesop pointed out in an official statement.

In the Leeds store, Aesop revives a significant aspect of English tradition and tailors it for modern shoppers. The store is described as “a space for relaxation, conversation, and rejuvenation.” It consists of three interconnected spaces, linked by an enfilade.

The entire store boasts timber-paneled cabinets equipped with enameled troughs, providing customers a hands-on experience as they browse. Blending aged wooden flooring, shelves, and vibrant green highlights, the shop harmoniously balances contemporary and traditional aesthetics, reflective of Aesop’s brand philosophy.

Aesop Leeds
25-29 County Arcade, Leeds, LS1 6BH

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2025-07-17 18:56