Aesop opens a second venue in Milan

Aesop chooses the exclusive district of Corso Magenta, to open its second store in Milan. In a context that recalls the elegance and the distinctive ingenuity of Milan, on the corner of Via San Giovanni sul Muro, across the historic Marchesi pastry, the new showroom of the Australian cosmetics brand, inaugurated last Tuesday, fits perfectly into it.

The interior design project is the result of a collaboration with DIMORESTUDIO, a Milan-based design studio formed by the duo Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran, also creators of the Aesop store at Paris Saint-Sulpice.

The new boutique flirts with the most authentic Italian essence. In Its 35sq. m. it offers an interpretation of butler’s pantries of 1930s Italian villas and small neighborhood bottega, still common in the area, with a contemporary twist. A first, clear reference is represented by display cabinets, with rounded windows frames, and the demonstration sink, in steel, inspired by the traditional ones used in the kitchen.

Unlike the Parisian store, that plays on the contrast of light and dark hues, here the designers have opted for pastel shades, especially teals and yellows. The ceramic tiles – that recall the old underground stations – cover the planes and the large arches of the ceiling, enhancing the lemon yellow of the corner shelves to find a gently conclusion in the floor, covered with light gray linoleum. The light is provided by two large disks with brass structure and fiberglass, decorated with amber motifs.

The other setting, the Aesop store in Piazza del Carmine in Brera (Milan), created in collaboration with the Milanese architect Vincenzo De Cotis Architects, features a more minimalist and material style, reminiscent of the industrial roots of the city.