Skin and body care brand Aesop was founded in 1987 by Dennis Paphitis, who began blending essential oils into hair products at his hair salon in Melbourne, Australia. The brand has since cultivated a global retail business and a luxury grooming product line, spanning skin, hair and body care, as well as fragrance and accessories for the self and the home, with widespread appeal and steady growth. Over a 10-year period, Aesop’s sales increased from $28 million in sales in 2012 to a reported $537 million in 2022. Last year, the brand was acquired by L’Oréal Luxe for $2.5 billion.

A cornerstone of Aesop’s business is its physical retail presence, with over 400 stores and counters globally. Due to in-store consultants’ firm understanding of brand values and customer profiles, store teams regularly collaborate with office-based team members to cultivate the retail and brand offering. This collaborative nature between teams across stores and headquarters enables a culture of learning and development, and unlocks opportunities for internal movement within and across teams.

Employees are afforded the opportunity to explore roles outside of the function into which they were hired, with retail store staff also considered a key talent pool for headquarter roles. Thorough training programmes equip employees for these transitions. Aesop’s retail development and catalyst programmes help retail consultants and store managers cultivate their skills to pursue roles at a more senior level, alongside a mentorship programme to support that process over 12 months.

Additionally, Aesop’s facial academy — a newer concept at the business, currently piloted in the UK — allows for retail consultants to apply to undergo training to become a facial therapist, paid for by Aesop. Upon achieving the qualification, facial therapists can secure a job in this specialist role can secure a job in this specialist role at an Aesop store where facial treatment spaces are available.

To learn more about how the company is unlocking career development opportunities across its retail workforce, BoF sits down with three Aesop employees: Ryad Djellas, general manager of Europe; Victoria Stamos, the UK’s commercial director; and Edio Mortoza; store manager at Aesop Marylebone, London.

Ryad Djellas, General Manager of Europe

How would you describe the culture at Aesop?

Aesop supports an entrepreneurial spirit and seeks to cultivate a professional environment where employees are challenged to give their best while being their true selves. Every Aesop store is designed in response to distinctive characteristics relevant to its location, so no two stores are the same. This is a relevant analogy to describe our company culture: at Aesop, we really believe in authenticity. Being ourselves is integral to who we are as a company.

Employee networks play a great part in this, like Prism, an LGBTQ+ group — these groups provide opportunities to build connections with one another globally, not just in the same city. As a result, employees across the business can develop a stronger connection to each other.

How does Aesop cultivate internal movement and development of employees?

When it comes to vacancies, we have an internal first principle, which means that in practice, whenever possible, existing employees are given first notice of, and the first opportunity to apply to, open vacancies.

Since the acquisition by L’Oréal last year, we are now also informed of opportunities across various areas of L’Oréal in addition to Aesop. This is another way of expanding the potential remit of possibilities for our employees. Obviously, we don’t want to lose them, but if some of our employees want to explore other areas at L’Oréal, it’s a great opportunity for them and it feels that they remain a part of our extended family.

How does Aesop facilitate an environment of learning and career development?

It is essential that every new person is onboarded and immersed into the brand very early on. So learning about products, brand codes, but also learning how we all work together — it can be quite a complex exercise. For retail consultants, this includes a comprehensive induction and onboarding programme. We also offer product and customer experience training programmes to support the launch of new products and campaigns.

We have monthly head office lunches in which we’re encouraged to break bread together, leave everything at our desk and come in and sit next to people that you don’t usually meet with.

For managers, physical training is conducted in the head office to ensure full immersion into the culture and the products. We have a pretty strong retention rate by nurturing corporate development, which is a high priority for me in the region. We love to build careers and we want to support the development of employees’ capabilities and skills now and for the future.

Victoria Stamos, Commercial Director, UK

How has Aesop facilitated your professional development?

When I started at Aesop, I was a retail consultant with experience in customer service, but I had limited capabilities in management. My journey at Aesop has supported and facilitated me moving into different roles in order to flesh out my capabilities for where I wanted to go.

As Aesop has grown, more formal training has been introduced on how to be a leader at a business, which is really helpful, whether that’s looking at operations, commercial management or the people management aspect. But it’s very much about: how do you work with your own style so you become authentic as a leader? There are particular capabilities that I have had to build out, but I have always felt like I could do it in a way that has felt like me, whether that’s having a positive or a difficult conversation.

Starting in retail has benefitted every role that I have had since, because it has given me first-hand experience with how our customers react to us, what our current customer experience looks like, how people react to our product, how we talk to our product and things like that.

What role have leaders played in cultivating your development at Aesop?

I feel really lucky, at Aesop, to be exposed to exceptional leaders within the business. People have been very supportive of me, but I have also had people willing to challenge me, who have been respectful of my development and taken the time to give me constructive feedback. Aesop facilitates a culture of feedback and coaching — it’s not just about the formal training that they offer, but also about how to support our people in their current roles on the retail floor.

When this particular position of commercial director came up, I was actually still living and working in Melbourne, Australia. A manager I had, who was always incredibly supportive, said, “This could be a really good opportunity.” So I ended up going through the application process [...] and I was offered the role. Aesop supported me with everything that comes along with relocation, whether that’s simply packing down your house or flying to another country or the visa application process. It would have been so much harder without that.

How does Aesop foster a sense of community among employees?

Aesop cultivates a culture of people in retail working together with head office. So when I was working in retail, I was already building out relationships with people who, in moving into head office, I would be working with on a much closer level. Aesop encourages that relationship, so you don’t feel like you’re stepping into a mystery when you start a new role.

Cultivating genuine connections is a critical aspect of the Aesop culture. We also have monthly head office lunches in which we’re encouraged to break bread together, leave everything at our desk and come in and sit next to people that you don’t usually meet with. There are opportunities to connect outside work too, like volunteering opportunities, which also allows you to do things with teams with whom you don’t usually interact. That informal contact and slipping away from your desk in order to take time for that, is something that we are empowered to do.

Suzanne Santos, Aesop’s founding associate and chief customer officer, is always visiting our store and it’s been great to interact with her.

One of the employee networks in place is called Aesop Women and Allies. It’s a real opportunity for employees to build connections globally, not just within their own regions, and to share their perspectives and help cultivate Aesop as a place of belonging. There was actually a new parental leave policy that came out of the work that a group of employees did within the Women and Allies employee network, so the outcomes are actually tangible and have a positive effect on employees — you really feel like your voice is being heard.

Edio Mortoza, Store Manager of Aesop Marylebone, London

How does Aesop enable shared learnings across global locations?

At Aesop, we get to connect with our colleagues from different countries, whether that’s visitors from other head offices around the world, or colleagues from other Aesop store locations too. Recently, we had employees from the New York office visit, and when I was in Brazil in July, I went to the store in Rio de Janeiro, to understand the Aesop experience there. We are encouraged to see the wider store offering and network when possible.

Just before the pandemic, I also worked for a week at an Aesop store in Copenhagen — the store needed some extra help, so I asked if I could go — and I was able to work with the team there. It was great to see how another store operates in a different country. I also often work at the Aesop counter in Liberty, which is great for me to see how the customer differs from our Marylebone clientele.

What role have leaders played in cultivating your development at Aesop?

Suzanne Santos, Aesop’s founding associate and chief customer officer, is always visiting our store and it’s been great to interact with her. We learn from the training team at the head office during our induction, but we also have the opportunity to learn from Suzanne, who co-founded Aesop.

So, for instance, I was in Paris in May with her for the L’Oréal Paris Science Lab. We were there to show how we host our customers, how our products work, how we do our packaging, and I was able to work with her very closely. Suzanne asked me about my experience of working in the Marylebone store and we had lunch together. I also met with Kit Cheong, Aesop’s strategic advisor whose role includes guidance on global retail operations, and visited other Aesop stores in Paris with her while I was there.

How has Aesop facilitated your professional development?

At Aesop, there’s a commitment to retaining talent and encouraging an ongoing development in retail functions. They provide continuous learning opportunities to enhance skills and deliver our unique customer experience, including branded product and customer experience training.

For me personally, my career at Aesop began as a seasonal retail consultant for the festive period. I was then made a permanent retail consultant before progressing to become an assistant manager within a few different London locations. I became a store manager in 2019 and have worked at a number of other stores across London.

This approach is useful for retail teams’ development because each store and its offering is unique — at the Soho store, for instance, every year during Pride Month, we would celebrate by opening The Aesop Queer Library across the UK Pride weekend. We remove all the products from the shop floor and replace them with queer literature. It’s a great, educational experience.

This is a sponsored feature paid for by Aesop as part of a BoF partnership.

This week, we are pleased to introduce one new partners on BoF Careers.

Aesop was founded in 1987 by Dennis Paphitis, who began experimenting with essential oils in hair products in his salon in Melbourne. Today, the skin and body care brand has grown into a global retail business, with product ranges now including hair care, fragrances and accessories for the self and for the home.

The brand has a retail footprint of almost 400 stores and counters worldwide, as well as a network of thousands of employees. It was bought by L’Oréal Luxe in 2023 and is a Certified B Corporation. Aesop is currently hiring for a store manager in London, CRM manager in New York, a retail training and performance manager in Hong Kong, among many more global roles.

This week, we are pleased to introduce two new partners on BoF Careers.

Ashcorp is a global fashion group and leading fashion retail company in Africa, stocking over 100 labels with a focus on socially conscious, minority-led brands. Some of Ashcorp’s brands include Ashluxe, the retailer’s own private label, and 234Labs. The group was founded in 2017 by Yinka Ash, a leading figure in Nigeria’s growing streetwear industry and a tastemaker in the city’s luxury retail scene. With branches in Lagos and London, the company is hiring for a head of fashion design, a studio manager and a global wholesale manager in London, among other roles.

Urban Revivo was founded in 2006 by Leo Li. The Chinese brand was one of the first to implement the fast fashion business model in China. The company employs over 8,000 globally, with its design team comprising a 500-strong workforce. Its retail footprint counts 400 stores across China, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, with an online sales network spanning Europe and North America, among others. The company is currently hiring for a fashion designer in London.

This week, we are pleased to introduce two new partners on BoF Careers.

Founded in 1987 by Gary Theodore and Fiona Scanlan, Scanlan Theodore is an Australian-based luxury womenswear brand. The independent fashion house has 29 retail locations globally, including 18 boutiques in Australia and six in the US. The brand is also stocked by Australian department store, David Jones, as well as online. While its headquarters are in Melbourne, the brand is currently hiring for a business boutique manager in Dallas and a senior client advisors in New York.

Camilla Franks launched luxury fashion brand Camilla in 2004. Known for its colourful prints, which are hand-drawn and painted by in-house artists, Camilla is stocked in over 50 global retail locations, including Harrods, Divincenzo, Bergdorf Goodman and David Jones, with 18 boutiques across Australia and four in the US. The brand, which produces womenswear, menswear and kids collections, as well as swim, resort, accessories and homeware, is currently hiring for a head of production and design studio manager in Sydney and a company president in New York.

This week, we are pleased to introduce two new partners on BoF Careers.

The Sarabande Foundation was launched in 2006 by the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen, named after his Spring/Summer 2007 runway show of the same name. The charitable foundation offers financial aid to creatives aspiring to work in the fashion industry, by offering: scholarships to study at prestigious institutions in London; a subsidised mentoring programme; and a public programme of events for creatives across multiple disciplines. The foundation is hiring for a digital and marketing role in London, where the charity is based.

Irene Forte Skincare launched in 2018 and is made with natural ingredients from an organic farm in Sicily, reflecting the founder’s Italian heritage. The brand recently secured Series A investment from L-Catterton, a market-leading consumer-focused investment firm. The business has expanded into 15 spas (including four Irene Forte-branded spas) and is stocked by over 100 wholesalers globally, including Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and more. The brand is currently hiring for a sales intern / coordinator, based in New York.

Discover the latest global job opportunities in management and leadership roles on BoF Careers today.

Fashion executives today must navigate leadership in a constantly changing industry and workplace, impacted by regularly evolving technology and consumer demands to advancements in sustainability and trade regulations — all within an unpredictable macro-economic and political landscape.

In 2022, fashion executives cited capability gaps in areas like supplier management, artificial intelligence, automation and omnichannel customer experience, according to BoF and McKinsey’s State of Fashion 2023 report. Indeed, the C-suite in fashion continues to evolve to represent changing business needs and priorities, with increased attention to areas like brand and sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and supply chain.

However, leaders in all functions, and at all stages of seniority — from managers to C-suite — are experiencing a shift in expectations around cross-functional leadership skill sets in accordance with the changing workplace. Soft skills like adaptability, transparency, even demonstrating vulnerability, are just some of the expected leadership qualities referenced in a live event last week on “What Are the Skills Fashion Executives Need to Get Hired Today?”

To discuss the skills expected of managers and executives in fashion today, as well as how to upskill in and demonstrate those skill sets to progress in your career, BoF’s Sophie Soar spoke to two leaders in executive search and recruitment: Suki Sandhu OBE, founder and CEO of global executive search firm Audeliss and of the global inclusion consulting firm INvolve; and Karen Harvey, founder of Karen Harvey Consulting Group, an executive search consultancy that has worked with companies like Ralph Lauren, Versace and Calvin Klein.

Here, BoF condenses key insights from the event.

Develop strong in-person and digital communication skills

SS: Communication and stakeholder engagement are pretty high up there when you think about being a leader in a company. The effectiveness of an organisation is down to the effectiveness of the leadership team. But good leaders also need to be able to communicate with each other and that also means managing the stakeholder map of people in your organisation — be they in different departments, your customers externally, or the board.

When you might not be physically in the same [work] space, the need for communication is even more pronounced. Try to find ways to recreate that watercooler chat that you might have physically in a space online. For example, Slack has an option where you can create informal coffee meets with your colleagues around the world, which is a way to try and build relationships across functions and geographies.

Champion adaptability and a growth mindset in an ever-evolving workplace

KH: Change is inevitable. You have to know that your constituents around the world will always have questions. [...] If we go back to what some of the most fundamental and critical qualities of leaders are today, I think self-awareness and having a growth mindset and being able to be empathetic, clear, transparent — [that] requires that we are always growing.

Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their experiences and perspectives and actively listen to their feedback.

SS: Flexibility and adaptability is really important — particularly in the current climate in terms of hybrid work. [...] We’re all creatures of habit, but we need to be more flexible in adapting in the new working world. The workplace has changed hugely over the last few years — and again, there’s the importance of communicating change to the rest of the workforce to ensure that people react in the best way, because people react to change in very different ways.

Lead by example and foster a culture of openness

SS: You should always be leading by example, because [...] people look to you for the behaviours that you represent. The culture carries the organisation. Make sure that you are driving clear policies within the business around promoting diversity, equity and inclusion — so anti-discrimination policies, flexible work arrangements. Ensure that these are followed and that there are consequences if they are not.

Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their experiences and perspectives and actively listen to their feedback. And be vulnerable yourself, because when you’re vulnerable, you’re inviting others to be vulnerable. [...] It’s about ensuring that there is a strong communication strategy and that it’s true to the values and culture of the business.

KH: When people think about becoming leaders and having that ambition, you are really committing yourself to being vulnerable to operating in a transparent way. That doesn’t mean — tell everybody everything, right away, all at once. What it really means is telling the truth in a way that people can digest it and work with it.

I think a leader’s job is to frame up reality in terms of what’s happening externally, and what they believe needs to happen internally, in a way that doesn’t create fear and panic, but gives [employees] the facts and a well thought-out platform for response.

Evaluate your leadership style and approach

SS: The old style of leadership — the autocratic directive style — does not align well with anyone nowadays. I’m the founder and CEO of our business. I rarely get my way. You listen to your people and [if] people maybe want to go in a different direction and do different things, you have to try and balance all these different views. [...] Active listening I think is pretty key.

KH: Really include your teams. [...] This whole top down [approach] — the boss is meant to know everything — I think just doesn’t work anymore. No one person is prepared to lead in times like this without the support, not just of their top team, but actually the voices that are [...] closer to the ground sometimes.

Embrace AI and digital advancements for competitive advantage

SS: [Artificial intelligence is at the forefront of conversations and developments across all industries]. But within a lot of companies, including within the fashion industry, there’s a fear of the unknown, so not all [businesses] are embracing [AI] as much as you might think — many are still trying to figure out how to apply it to their business.

There are lots of online courses around AI that you can learn from. But, you want to be clear about what your area of interest is and what your passions are [...] because there are going to be so many products and tools within that space for you to learn. And actually, if you do learn them, if you find the right employer, they’re probably going to bite your hand off to employ you because they probably don’t know how to implement [the technology themselves].

This whole top down [approach] — the boss is meant to know everything — I think just doesn’t work anymore.

KH: Digital is now the centre of everything [...] in the supply chain. The technologies that are evolving and coming [along] very fast will be critical to companies addressing issues of sustainability.

With 73 percent of executives investing in [AI] technology and believing that it will be game-changing for their businesses, we have to think about efficiency without losing creativity — and creativity doesn’t just come from the designers. What we use AI for should not be the things that take time away from being creative, being great leaders, or actually being strategic.

I think training and development has gone by the wayside in so many companies because [of the] cost and speed [...] but executives with a growth mindset are already going outside their organisations, going to universities, going to wherever they can, to learn about AI. [...] It’s building that knowledge base for everyone, across the board.

Nurture and support all generations in the workplace

SS: We’re all growing older. There are currently five generations in the workplace. The ability to build bridges across these generations is really important. And actually, it’s one of the things that we learnt from the diagnostics we do with INvolve’s partners: companies think they might have a problem with race or gender — actually, a lot of the time, it’s age.

There’s this huge focus on Gen-Z and their development and their support, but what about the ageing population who are working longer and living longer? What support are we giving to them? It’s probably the case that the Baby Boomers or Gen X are more able to take things more directly, whereas Gen-Z want to have more of a purpose, with questions like, “why am I doing [this task]? What’s the purpose of it? How is it going to help me?” And so it’s really about having a different mindset and management style across the different generations.

KH: Gen-Z wants purpose [but] I don’t think they’re the only generation that does. I think what’s really cool about this generation is they are happy to hold a leader’s feet to the fire, to really answer that question of “why”. And for this, I feel very grateful. I think those more experienced generations should as well.

Be direct and proactive in your efforts to grow your leadership skills

KH: Going to your manager to tell them where you want to be and what your aspirations are is fantastic. But I also think we need to ask: “What do I need to do to get there?” What are the skills that you see or the attributes that you have today that are working for you in that regard?

It’s important for women to be very specific about why they should be there and what they are bringing to the table. Because, the data [which shows a disproportionate lack of female leaders in fashion], speaks for itself. So, in order to be stepping into that role, it’s really about demonstrating that you have the skill sets: the soft skills and hard skills.

SS: You need to advocate for yourself and take ownership of your own career, whether it’s a small or large company. If you aspire to leadership, talk with your manager about it because they can’t read your mind.

[...] It really comes down to finding ways to get any kind of training — see if there are any training programmes that might be taking place within your business. But, you have to be proactive about it as well and find out where they are. Don’t wait for it to come to you because you could be waiting a very long time.

Explore BoF Careers Executive Search, a tailored recruitment service offering specialist support to secure top-tier executive talent for your open roles across fashion, retail, luxury and beauty.

BoF Careers, The Business of Fashion’s premium jobs platform, has launched Executive Search, a specialised headhunting service tailored to the unique needs of BoF Careers partners. With a bespoke, active approach, Executive Search aims to match employers with top-tier talent, from entry-level to C-suite positions.

Employers will be matched with a dedicated senior talent acquisition specialist with over 10 years experience recruiting within luxury, fashion and media. Leveraging BoF’s strong network of industry contacts, our specialist will develop a tailored approach to support HR and hiring needs in the most effective way possible, all while delivering an exceptional candidate experience.

Key benefits:

• Access to Exceptional Candidates — Leveraging BoF’s unparalleled network within the fashion, retail, luxury and beauty industries to connect companies with the highest calibre of qualified professionals.
• Expert Industry Guidance — With a deep understanding of the industry’s talent landscape, our specialist provides 360 degree support throughout the hiring process, from building an inclusive job description through to offer management of successful hires.
• Actionable Insights — Clear and ongoing assessment of recruitment success, providing partners with weekly feedback and data, including DEI software to ensure a diverse, fair and inclusive hiring process.

Available to BoF Careers premium partners, Executive Search works hand-in-hand with our BoF Careers subscription to empower brands with the tools and expertise needed to attract, secure and retain top talent — from building company profiles and advertising vacant roles to dedicated insider expertise.

To find out more, please contact hannah.ryan@businessoffashion.com or register your interest by filling out this form.

This week, we are pleased to introduce two new partners on BoF Careers.

Primark is a high street retailer which opened its first store in 1969 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. With over 430 stores in 16 countries, Primark has 70,000 employees. Owned by Associated British Foods, Primark’s revenue was up 15 percent to £9 billion year over year by September 2023. Primark is currently hiring for an assistant merchandiser in Dublin, Republic of Ireland and an environmental sustainability assistant in Bangalore, India, among other roles.

House of Sunny is an east London-based ready-to-wear clothing and accessories brand co-founded by Sunny Williams and Camilla Williams in 2011. The business sells through its east London store, its own e-commerce platform as well as through stockists such as Selfridges, Flannels and Urban Outfitters. House of Sunny has an eco-conscious approach, using recycled and biodegradable materials within its product lines. House of Sunny is currently hiring for a social media executive and a production assistant, among other roles, in London.

This week, we are pleased to introduce two new partners on BoF Careers.

Founded by clinical skin specialist and aesthetician Leah Uka in 2020, loungewear and basics company Narvvi fuses beauty and wellness with fashion through their use of specialist materials. Narvvi is a direct-to-consumer platform with its headquarters in Manchester. The first flagship opened in the British city in November 2023. Narvvi is currently hiring for a national retail operations manager in Manchester, UK.

Seiya Nakamura 2.24, founded by its namesake in 2014, is a Japan-based showroom, brand accelerator and multi-disciplinary consultancy. Its clients include Rick Owens, Ganni and Sonia Carrasco. With a holistic approach to sales, PR and distribution, the company employs around 200 people, with offices and showrooms in Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Seiya Nakamura 2.24 is currently hiring for a wholesales manager in Shanghai, China.