Beauty news: New Zealand, here comes Sephora at last!

It has only been a matter of time for beauty freaks all Aotearoa before Sephora announced its official bricks and mortar arrival into this country, but finally we have a definite statement from the global beauty juggernaut as to where and when.

Founded in France by Dominique Mandonnaud in 1970, Sephora was first beauty retailer to really offer the-then revolutionary concept of offering clients a hands-on relationship with an ever-changing array of carefully curated brand partners, featuring trusted classics, indie darlings, emerging favourites and the critically acclaimed SEPHORA COLLECTION. 

Now owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's leading luxury goods group, Sephora’s excellence, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit have made it a beauty trailblazer in 34 countries and online, providing a diverse range of clients with the perfect environment in which to experiment and learn. Sephora has operated in the Asia Pacific region since 2005, and today announced plans for its first New Zealand retail store to open in Auckland in 2019. With over 3,000 stores globally, Sephora Asia currently operates in twelve countries including Australia, Singapore and Thailand, adding NewZealand, Hong Kong and Korea to that list this year. It’s a testament to the appetite for international beauty in the region, an appetite that appears to know no bounds.

Having launched the New Zealand e-commerce store in November 2015, this first bricks-and-mortar location is an exciting new venture for the brand. It’s also exciting for local lovers of the brand, who often found the online representation a little frustrating (I for one had nothing but mishaps when ordering, but loved their offering so tried to persevere!).

Opening its doors on one of Auckland's most renowned retail strips, the new location is set to become “the home of beauty on Queen Street”, which is no mean feat. The CBD-based store’s design will pay homage to the retailer’s global brand by incorporating its iconic black and white striped calepinage, while staying true to the rich heritage of the building.

Of the opening, Benjamin Vuchot, President of Sephora Asia said, “We believe that New Zealand will be a key market in building Sephora as the most loved beauty community in Asia, and the world. This expansion to a new market will allow Sephora to continue to amplify global beauty trends locally, elevate what our clients expect of the in-store experience and bring fresh, digital touch points to the retail environment to create a virtual, client-centric cycle.” I think all of that is marketing speak for a seriously amazing, super interactive store, and I can’t wait!

Pedro Coutinho, Interim General Manager Sephora Australia & NewZealand adds, “Sephora Auckland will be a beauty destination like no other. We are so excited to introduce our renowned service offering, a suite of the most sought after beauty brands from around the world and a fun place for our clients to experience and explore their own beauty journey. The Sephora client is the future – our customers are ahead of the trends, up to date with the latest brands and they want new products, now, ”said Coutinho. “We’ve listened to what our online clients want from Sephora, and this new Auckland location will help us deliver it.”

Stay tuned for a definite date and address of the destination, and start saving your pennies for an instant splurge!