Aesop’s in-house Design Department has restored a centuries-old four-floor building on a corner of Antwerp’s Kammenstraat—a narrow, cobbled shopping street—for the company’s first Belgian store. Peeling wallpaper, a covered-over fireplace, crumbling plaster, a cabinet of curiosities. Walnut joinery with tamboured edges reiterates the curved windows and holds an abundance of products. 

Silvery, fibrous travertine lines the floor in large panels, intersected by oxidised steel. This language repeats in the massive basin and counter, which perch on crescent feet. Nickel taps adorn the basin, drawing customers in to rituals of water. An antique brass chandelier hovers; cherubim contemplate. 

Behind the counter, up the stairs, the first, second, and third floors are pared back: modest working spaces. Original timber details have been repaired, walls are washed with hues of brown and beige. Vintage furniture accommodates daily activities. On the fourth floor, a desk, chair, and an abandoned coat allude to some unknown inhabitant. 

Clients can explore and select from a complete range of skin, hair and body care products, distinguished by botanical and laboratory-generated ingredients of the highest quality.

The store’s trained consultants are able to offer advice about products best suited to individual needs. Aesop was founded in Melbourne in 1987 and today offers its superlative formulations in signature stores around the world. As the company evolves, meticulously considered design remains paramount to the creation of each space.