Offbeat, indie brand Aesop’s first book is the story of a man on a mission… Many of the stories in cult skincare brand Aesop’s new book have an element of charm that suggests they’ve taken more inspiration from the famous Greek storyteller than just his name. There’s the tale of emptying bagfuls of fallen leaves over the floors of select Aesop stores in autumn, to herald the change in seasons, or the description of the entrance to the Nakameguro store in Tokyo, hand-washed each morning with hot water and eucalyptus oil for the sensorial pleasure of passersby. It’s all true – beautiful photographs by Yutaka Yamamoto, printed full-bleed across the thick, matte pages of the book, prove it – yet these actions seem almost implausibly painstaking and poetic for a company that boasts more than 230 stores and 90 department store counters, as well as employing around 2,300 staff globally. But that’s what makes Aesop so intriguing: somehow this brand with the offbeat, indie mindset has managed to maintain an under-the-radar feel despite being on pretty much everyone’s radar. Aesop began in 1987 when founder Dennis Paphitis opened his Melbourne hair salon, Emeis, and started blending essential oils into hair products. Trial samples were developed for customers, demand grew and then, in 1989, owing to the phonetic similarity of “Emeis” to a rather more established beauty brand, the nascent company was rechristened Aesop – to gently mock cosmetics brands’ often outlandish claims. Several years ago, Paphitis sold Aesop to Brazilian company Natura Cosmeticos, but he maintains an advisory role. Continue reading...
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