Sephora - from 1970s shop to 'beauty amusement park'

Influencers have described Sephora as a "beauty amusement park," as the global make-up retailer prepares to open its first store in the West Midlands.

The beauty giant will open its highly-anticipated sixth UK store in Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre on Wednesday, following what it has called "phenomenal" demand.

A spokesperson for Sephora said thousands of people were expected to queue for the shop's opening, in what will likely be a welcome boost for the city's economy too.

Sephora already has two locations in both London and Newcastle, as well as one which opened in Manchester earlier this year - and eager customers have been known to travel across the country to make a visit.

So why is it such a big deal?

The French retailer said it decided to open in Birmingham after listening to calls from its "loyal social" following.

Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK, said it was "imperative" that the brand "honoured the rich and vibrant Birmingham beauty community."

"The excitement for our upcoming opening from the community has been unbelievable," she added.

Opening a branch in the middle of England is quite a big deal for those who have travelled two or more hours north or south to get their hands on the iconic black and white bag of goodies.

A global beauty retailer, Sephora has become known for its wide range of high-end and specialist make-up, fragrances, skincare and haircare products, including the likes of Rihanna's Fenty Beauty range and Haus Labs by Lady Gaga.

It operates more than 2,700 shops in 35 countries worldwide, after it was first founded in France in 1970.

Owned by luxury goods company LVMH Group, the retailer has become somewhat of a tourist attraction, with people taking day trips to shop at the stores in other cities.

Many beauty enthusiasts on the likes of TikTok and Instagram have filmed themselves visiting Sephora, with hundreds queuing, some even overnight, before it opened.

Content creator and make-up artist Alicia Land, from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, said Birmingham had always needed a Sephora.

The 24-year-old, who has almost 200,000 followers on Instagram, said the store had the appeal of a tourist attraction because it was "like another world for beauty".

Sephora had "so many brands" which were not yet available at other high street shops, she said.

“It has everything under one roof, all of the best haircare, skincare, make-up, everything you could possibly think of, it’s there. There’s nothing else you could think of that it needs, because it’s got everything.”

After years of waiting for its UK arrival, Ms Land said everything about the store was "exciting," including the "iconic black-and-white bags".

“Until it came to London, every time I went to foreign country, I’d have to find a Sephora," she explained.

"It’s almost like therapy. Just having a look around. You don’t even have to buy anything but just look at everything that’s new."

Sephora quit the country in 2005 and closed a handful of stores amid competition from other national retailers such as Boots and Superdrug.

But the brand has witnessed a boom in recent years and has become increasingly popular on social media, with more than 22 million followers on Instagram alone.

After a 17-year hiatus, it began its UK comeback with an online presence two years ago, when it absorbed FeelUnique's website.

The first location opened at Westfield London White City in March 2023, followed by another in Westfield Stratford months later.

Thousands queued for hours as the shop in Manchester's Trafford Centre opened in May, before two others launched in Newcastle's Eldon Square and Metrocentre in September.

Content creator Iqra Qadir used to live in Pakistan and said she would fly to Dubai just to visit Sephora.

“The only store my sisters were excited about going and shopping in was Sephora," she explained.

The 31-year-old, who now lives near Birmingham, said although the Sephora was available online, it did not compare to the in-store shopping experience.

"The entire store is like a beauty amusement park," said Ms Qadir, who has more than 50,000 followers on Instagram.

"A lot of people who come to the UK are like: 'I need to go to Sephora, I need to buy this'," she said.

"They have literally added Sephora to their tourist list."

Sephora will open on the upper level of the Bullring on 13 November, taking over 4,925 sq ft of floor space.

Katy Letch, from shopping centre owner Hammerson, said it was customers' "most requested brand".

The retailer has arrived at the Bullring at a time when a number of new shops have opened in recent months, following a string of closures during the pandemic.

It follows the opening of new Bershka, Pull & Bear and PureSeoul, as well as a two-storey Marks and Spencer in November last year.

Fashion retailer Zara is also set to open two new shops at the centre later this month.

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