Luxury skincare brand Aesop has unveiled its first store on Hainan Island, China, featuring an innovative underwater cave design that incorporates cutting-edge algae-based materials. The new retail location, situated within the Haitang Bay Duty Free Shopping Complex in Sanya, represents a groundbreaking collaboration between sustainable design and immersive retail experience.
Designed by Aesop's in-house team, the store draws its primary inspiration from deep ocean environments and cave formations. The brand explained that "the space is articulated by the compression and expansion of massive proportions, a strong datum, and enormous ceiling oculi that make one feel as if they were immersed in a deep ocean cave, looking up at the wavering light." The entrance features curved lines that transport customers from the open shopping complex into a more intimate, cave-like environment.
The store's most striking features are two large ceiling oculi designed to resemble underwater cave entrances, from which dramatic lighting installations are suspended. The larger of these circular openings contains an impressive array of 2,000 aluminum panels, each coated with a revolutionary algae-based bioplastic. This installation hangs above a central display table equipped with brass basins, creating a focal point that bathes the entire space in flickering, water-like reflections.
The innovative algae-based material was developed by Jessie French, an experimental artist and designer based in Melbourne, Australia, whose studio Other Matter specializes in creating sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics. French developed a proprietary formulation that incorporates an algae-derived polymer combined with locally milled pigments. The semi-transparent surface preserves the organic properties of natural algae while maintaining complete biodegradability.
According to French, the material offers significant environmental advantages over conventional surfaces like acrylic, vinyl, and resin. "The rapidly changing nature of retail interiors easily generates a large amount of excess material and landfill waste, which also becomes a crucial expression of brands' philosophy," French explained. "Balancing design language and environmental responsibility requires designers to consider the impact of each design material throughout its entire life cycle on the environment and public health."
The algae-based bioplastic demonstrates remarkable versatility in its application. It adheres to smooth surfaces without requiring adhesives, allowing for easy removal and repositioning. The material can also be melted down and reshaped into new forms for reuse, supporting circular design principles. A four-meter-tall circular pillar at the store's entrance showcases another application of this material, featuring a wave-like pattern that was cast directly onto the structure and sealed with an organic coating for permanent use.
The store's interior design incorporates several ocean-themed elements that enhance the underwater cave atmosphere. A round niche was specifically designed to reference a submarine porthole, reinforcing the deep-sea aesthetic. Display shelves and seating areas are strategically arranged around the central table and along the curved perimeter of the space, which is illuminated by warm amber lighting that mimics the filtered light of underwater environments.
Deeper within the store, customers can access a personalization room designed for bespoke customer service. This intimate space features two basins facing each other with a built-in bench positioned between them. Round mirrors above the basins, framed in gold paint, echo the circular motifs of the main room's ceiling oculi, maintaining design consistency throughout the space.
Marianne Lardilleux, Aesop's global retail design director, emphasized the brand's holistic approach to customer experience. "We aim to engage all senses of our customers," she stated. "Our goal is not just to create beautiful visuals, but to focus on the overall experience of the space." This philosophy is evident in how the semi-transparent algal surfaces create dynamic light patterns that shift and change throughout the day, casting flickering reflections onto walls and floors.
This project represents the second collaboration between Aesop and French, following their successful partnership during Melbourne Design Week earlier this year. During that event, they created four installations across Aesop's retail stores in Melbourne, applying algae-based bioplastic decals to shop windows as a sustainable alternative to traditional PVC materials.
The Hainan store joins Aesop's growing portfolio of architecturally distinctive retail locations worldwide. Recent openings include a Madrid branch that was thoughtfully arranged around four rediscovered cast-iron columns and a new store in Leeds' historic arcade that pays homage to Victorian bathroom design. Each location reflects Aesop's commitment to creating unique, site-specific retail environments that honor local architecture and culture while advancing sustainable design practices.
