Sephora prepares for opening of first New Zealand store

By

Robin Driver

Published
Jul 13, 2019

After a long wait, Paris-based global beauty retailer Sephora will be opening the doors of its much-anticipated first store in New Zealand this month.

 
Located at 152 Queen Street, Auckland, the three-storey flagship will have its grand opening at 9AM on Saturday, July 20. The event will feature giveaways, a live DJ and a dance performance from the store’s employees, and will serve as the final destination for the Sephora tour bus, which set off from Christchurch for a journey across New Zealand earlier this month.
 
Sephora began work on the store in April and, according to The New Zealand Herald, has spent more than $5 million on its interior.

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The LVMH-owned cosmetics chain registered the name Sephora New Zealand with the local Companies Office in May of last year and sent representatives to scout out possible store locations, stoking rumours that the retailer would soon be making its brick-and-mortar debut in the country.

Up until now, beauty fans in New Zealand have only been able to make purchases on Sephora’s local e-commerce site, which launched in November 2015.
 
Confirmation that the flagship would be opening in 2019 came from Sephora itself in May of this year, when the company also revealed that New Zealand, which, along with Australia, is included in the retailer's Asia division, will play an important role as the chain continues its expansion in the region.
 
"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," explained Benjamin Vuchot, president of Sephora Asia, at the time.
 
Earlier this year, Sephora, which already operates an omnichannel business in China, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and Malaysia, as well as franchises in India and Indonesia, announced that it would be making its brick-and-mortar comeback in Hong Kong.
 
Sephora is also expected to open a second Auckland location at the Sylvia Park Shopping Centre before the end of the year.