The 1,200 sq ft (110 sq m) shop was designed by the retailer’s in-house team and cost about£250,000 to fit out and equip, according to Rituals partner and UK franchisee Neil Chahal.
The front half of the store is devoted to cosmetics, with a black centre-floor counter and a table extending into the middle of the shop, providing a home for basins and towels, for those seeking to test-drive the products.
The perimeter has black wood fixturing and is used to display cosmetics and oriental artefacts, intended to promote a sense of Eastern mysticism within a contemporary setting.
The walls on the right have been covered in fine-gauge netting that has been back-lit with spotlights at floor level. On the left, the walls are black and filled with a graphic explaining the “philosophy” behind the brand.
The back of the store is a mini-spa area, offering a range of treatments. It features a dark-wood counter, mirroring the floor. This is backed by a graphic depicting green bamboo.
Rituals will open up to 10 stores in the London area initially and will open its second branch at the new St Pancras International station later this month.
Chahal said negotiations are under way for sites at Windsor, Bromley, Westfield’s White City scheme, Walton-on-Thames and The City. He added that the initial roll-out should be completed by the end of next year.
Rituals operates in eight countries, but has held back from opening in London because of the cost of property.
A spokeswoman said: “London is such a sophisticated market that we had to get it right elsewhere, before bringing it to the UK.”
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