ersonalised skin analysis and product recommendations. Sephora has invested heavily in creating a seamless, unified, and personalised shopping journey that bridges the gap between online and in-person retail. It strives to stay at the forefront of beauty retail with its fully integrated omnichannel shopping experience. Inside Retail spoke to Mark O’Keefe, General Manager of Sephora ANZ, to get the behind-the-scenes details of the beauty conglomerate’s store renovations and openings.  Inside Retail: What was the motivation and inspiration behind Sephora’s Melbourne Central renovation? Could you speak to how Sephora aims to bring in a new era of beauty for Australian consumers? Mark O’Keefe: The renovation of our Melbourne Central store demonstrates Sephora’s commitment to enhancing the customer experience through an innovative shopping environment that merges physical and digital elements. This revitalised space offers customers an immersive beauty experience where they can explore our extensive product range, services and engage with the latest beauty tech elements. This store is the perfect blend of innovation and experience, allowing our customers to fully immerse themselves in the world’s best beauty brands through a highly personalised retail experience. IR: “Omnichannel” and “experiential retail” are some of the industry’s biggest buzzwords right now – what was Sephora’s approach to integrating these into its Melbourne Central location? MO: Sephora is dedicated to ensuring we provide our customers with an “omnichannel” experience as we know customers are looking for a seamless, unified and personalised shopping journey. For our Melbourne Central store, we have created an experiential environment so our customers can touch, feel and experience the products on display. To enhance this hands-on discovery process, we’ve introduced Sephora’s first Beauty Classroom, designed as an exclusive space for education masterclasses with beauty brands. Adding to the omniretail experience, we’ve integrated the convenience of click-and-collect services, allowing customers to shop online and pick up their purchases in-store at their convenience. This service bridges the gap between online shopping and in-person retail, offering flexibility and immediacy to the modern consumer. IR: What are some of the noticeable changes and/or additions to the store layout? MO: In redesigning the Sephora Melbourne Central store, we have created an environment that is not only contemporary and visually striking but also enhances our service offerings. The redesign prioritises a modern aesthetic that aligns with the innovative nature of our brand, reflecting the latest trends in retail design to make the shopping experience inviting and shoppable.  A key feature of this transformation is the introduction of a specialised Skin Consultation zone – an inviting area dedicated to skincare services. Here, clients can indulge in hydrafacial treatments, a beneficial skincare regimen tailored to individual needs. Complementing this is Skincredible, our innovative app developed in collaboration with dermatologists. This state-of-the-art technology offers personalised skin analysis, providing customers with expert advice and product recommendations curated specifically for their skin concerns. IR: Did Sephora’s employees have to undergo additional training to be able to fulfil the store’s new client services? MO: Our team has undergone comprehensive training. This ensures that every team member is fully equipped to deliver these new service offerings with the expertise and care our clients expect from Sephora.  The training includes in-depth education on all the cutting-edge tools and technology now available in-store, such as skin analysis devices. Our staff members have been trained not only in operating this equipment but also in interpreting its outputs to provide personalised advice tailored to each customer’s unique beauty needs. IR: Are you trialling anything new in the Melbourne Central store that you are looking to roll out nationally? MO: At Sephora, we are always at the forefront of beauty retail innovation, continuously exploring new concepts and services that can enhance the shopping experience for our customers. In our Melbourne Central store, we are trialling The Beauty School which has the potential to be implemented across other stores. IR: How do store fit-outs in Australia differ from Sephora’s international stores like in the US or EU? MO: Sephora’s Australian store fit-outs are carefully curated to resonate with the local market while maintaining the brand’s global identity. The Australian stores integrate elements that reflect the unique beauty, culture and lifestyle preferences of the region. While all Sephora stores share a commitment to innovation and customer experience, the nuances in design for the Australian market demonstrate Sephora’s global strategy of localisation – adapting international concepts to suit regional tastes and values for an authentic, customised shopping experience. IR: How does the average Australian beauty consumer differ from consumers in other markets? Has Sephora had to evolve its store offering for the Australian market? MO: Sephora has evolved its store offering in Australia by curating product ranges that align with the interests of our customers. With the powerful influence of social media on beauty trends, we’ve introduced the ‘Hot On Social’ fixture – a dynamic, curated showcase of trending products. This feature highlights what’s currently popular but also allows Sephora to respond to the ever-changing landscape of viral products, ensuring our customers have immediate access to the latest must-haves.