In Pictures: Lush Oxford Street re-opens with innovative global concepts

Lush has re-opened its flagship Oxford Street store and spa in London following a transformational two-month refurbishment designed to create the “ultimate” beauty shopping experience.

Set over three floors, the new concept store features an array of innovative and engaging merchandising initiatives, ranges, customer services and tech developments inspired by top Lush stores around the world.

Having launched at a time when physical retail was under huge economic pressure, the Oxford Street store’s re-birth signalled Lush’s commitment to continuing investment in the highstreet, senior store manager Sergio Mastrodonato said.

Customers entering the store are first met with its new ‘Fresh and Flowers’ concept.

Inspired by the Lush Spa and Shop in Paris, ‘Fresh and Flowers’ offers shoppers an array of freshly prepared short life cosmetics, including facemasks and eye pads, all made from natural ingredients.

An in-store florist selling locally sourced and seasonal bouquets complements the fresh cosmetics range, which is also supported by an array of ‘open’ bath-bombs which shoppers can fill and customise with petals of their choosing.

Freshly made floral massage and cleanser bars complete the Fresh and Flowers offer.

With sustainability “front of mind” many of the store's new fixtures and fittings have been created using recycled materials, including tabletops and counters constructed from used yogurt pots.

Towards the rear of the store, shoppers are invited to interact with its ultra-inclusive range and Lush staff, via an array of experiences including skin, hair and make-up consultations.

A dedicated area which can be discretely screened off has also been created to provide greater privacy for customers who desire it.

“Many of our customers wear a hijab and may not feel comfortable exposing their hair and heads to the shop floor during a consultation, so the creation of this discrete curtained off area is already proving popular,” Mastrodonato added.

The ground floor also hosts a full range of vegan and cruelty free Lush makeup including lipsticks, foundations, concealers, eye products and the new Lush Lashes mascara.

Take a look at TheIndustry.fashion's gallery of the newly refurbished store:

On the lower ground floor, customers are wowed by a taste of Florence with a Perfume Library inspired by the brand’s store in the Italian city.

A wide range of exclusive Lush perfumes sit alongside books on perfumery and a moving conveyor belt of Body Spays, while a multi-sensory ‘scent shower’ brings the scents to life by merging technology, music and lighting.

The Lush Spa, which includes four bespoke treatment rooms, is also nestled on the lower-ground floor.

Borrowing concepts from Lush Shinjuku in Japan, the store’s first floor features a full range of bath and shower products including a sushi-style conveyor-belt of bath-bombs and bubble bars.

Displays feature QR codes which customers can scan to learn more about the products, their uses and provenance in an array of different languages.

The first floor is also home to a range of Lush ‘Merch’ including 'Regeneration' and 'Fighting Animal Testing' T-shirts and Tote bags. The range will be expanded later on this month with an exclusive Oxford Street line.

Also on the first floor is a brand new in-store ‘PlantWorks Café with views over Oxford Street.

The café is run by the SEND Coffee initiative which hires and helps people with special educational needs or disabilities into jobs in the coffee industry.

“I’m so proud of what we have achieved here at Lush Oxford Street, Mastrodonato added.

The design is just so different from anything else out there and really elevates the products to new heights and clearly shows our faith in the strength of the highstreet and the beauty sector as a whole.

“We’ve only been open a few days but footfall is already very pleasing and we’re looking forward to seeing that build as things continue to open up."