Aesop Returns to Armadale

Luxury skincare and fragrance brand Aesop has returned to Armadale, almost four decades after founder Dennis Paphitis established the business in the Melbourne suburb. The return marks a full-circle moment for the Melbourne-founded brand, which began life as a small salon operation before developing into a global luxury beauty business.

The new store on High Street sits just around the corner from the site of the hair salon Paphitis opened in Armadale in 1987 which provided the beginnings of what would become Aesop.

“Aesop has come home, only to begin again,” an update from the company reads.

Rather than applying a standard store format across its network, the company has historically worked with architects and designers to create spaces that respond to their individual locations. Aesop says its intention when entering a new location is to “weave” itself into the existing fabric of the street .

The decision to return to Armadale also places the brand within one of Melbourne’s most established premium retail precincts.

High Street Armadale has developed into a major destination for fashion, discretionary retail, wellness, dining and lifestyle businesses. Recent City of Stonnington data recorded about 39,000 customers visiting the precinct, with total local spend of around $45 million between October 2025 and March 2026.

The precinct’s customer base is particularly relevant to premium and discretionary retailers. Around 70 percent of spending on High Street comes from visitors rather than local residents, while department stores, clothing and accessories accounted for about $26.4 million of spending during the six-month period.

The Armadale opening comes three years after L’Oréal completed its acquisition of Aesop from Natura &Co in 2023. The transaction valued the Australian-founded brand at A$3.7 billion, and is recorded as the largest acquisition of a luxury brand in Australia.