I’ve always loved department stores that feel like destinations in themselves, and Rinascente in Milan is taking this to a whole new level. They’re opening a massive new beauty hall, and it’s set to be a real hub for shoppers and beauty lovers. It’s a project that’s going to redefine beauty shopping in the city.
A New Beauty Destination
The Odeon Beauty Hall
Rinascente is transforming a historic building right next to its main store, a place locally known as “Odeon.” This spot used to be cinemas and a popular meeting place for locals for decades before it closed last year. Imagine stepping into a space that’s steeped in history and reimagining it as a temple to beauty. It’s planned to open in May 2027, and it sounds like it will be a truly impressive experience.
Expanding Beauty Space
The new Rinascente Odeon Beauty Hall will be three times bigger than the current beauty area. It will span 32,291 square feet across three floors. This means they can bring together all their beauty brands, from well-known luxury names to exciting indie labels, all under one roof. It’s designed to be a comprehensive destination for makeup, skincare, and fragrances, housing over 300 brands.
Experiential Beauty Shopping
This isn’t just about buying products; it’s about the whole experience. The new hall will feature makeup stations and offer advanced beauty treatments curated by brands. They’ve already been testing this out with initiatives like their Beauty Fair, which featured pop-ups, workshops, and masterclasses. It seems they’re really committed to making beauty shopping interactive and engaging.
Driving Beauty Sales
The CEO mentioned that beauty is a crucial category for a store like Rinascente, drawing in customers and showing strong growth. He believes this new Rinascente Odeon Beauty Hall will significantly boost their beauty sales in Milan. They’re expecting sales to jump from 50 million euros currently to 80 million euros in the first year after the opening, with a goal of reaching 130 to 140 million euros as the space is fully established. This really highlights the importance of beauty for their business.
What is the new beauty hall called
The new destination is being called the “Rinascente Odeon Beauty Hall.”
It is located in the historic “Odeon” building adjacent to the main Rinascente store.
Targeting Younger Shoppers
Rinascente is particularly looking to attract Millennial and Gen Z customers with this new beauty hub. Their data shows that Gen Z is becoming a significant part of their customer base, and many of their current clients are already buying beauty products. This move is clearly strategic to capture the next generation of luxury consumers.
Respecting Historic Architecture
The renovation of the Odeon building is being handled by architect Marco Costanzi. The plan is to respect the original 1930s design while infusing it with modern touches, similar to how they approached their Roma Tritone renovation. They want to enhance the historic features, creating a space that feels both timeless and contemporary. Even with the new beauty focus, four of the original cinema halls will remain operational in the basement, a nice nod to its past.
More Than Just Beauty
Adding to the experiential aspect, a significant portion of the new space, 7,534 square feet, will be dedicated to a food area. This includes a bar on the ground floor and a larger dining destination on the second floor, making the Odeon building a multifaceted destination. It’s great to see them integrating food and beverage seamlessly into the shopping experience.
Impact on the Main Store
Revamped Accessories and Jewelry
This expansion into the Odeon building also has a ripple effect on the main Rinascente store. The space previously dedicated to beauty will be transformed into an expanded area for accessories, watches, and jewelry. This will more than double the current retail surface for these categories, creating a much larger and more impressive offering for shoppers looking for these luxury items.
Significant Investment
The total investment for this ambitious project is around 40 million euros. This is split between the 30 million euros for the Odeon plan and 10 million euros for revamping the main store’s ground floor, a project they’re calling “Grand Floor.” An additional 10 million euros is expected to be invested by the beauty brands themselves to set up their areas within the new hall. This shows strong collaboration and commitment from all parties involved.
Projected Sales Growth
The “Grand Floor” project, also set to be unveiled in 2027, is expected to significantly boost sales in the accessories, watch, and jewelry segments. They aim to increase sales from the current 200 million euros to 370 million euros in the first year of the new layout. This indicates a strategic move to leverage prime space for their strongest categories.
What is the Grand Floor project
The Grand Floor project is an initiative to revamp and repurpose the ground floor of the main Rinascente building.
It aims to expand the retail surface for accessories, watches, and jewelry.
Milan’s Unique Retail Landscape
The CEO also touched upon the challenges and opportunities of retail in Italian cities, noting that their historic urban layouts can be different from those in Paris or London. Despite this, Rinascente Duomo’s impressive 226,042-square-foot surface offers a vast space for luxury retail. It’s interesting to hear about the practical considerations of fitting modern retail into historic city centers.
Rinascente’s Strong Performance
Rinascente’s Milan flagship is a real jewel, attracting around 8.3 million visitors annually and accounting for about half of the company’s total sales. The department store, owned by Thailand’s Central Group, achieved a significant milestone by hitting 1 billion euros in sales last year, showing strong growth. They saw a 16 percent increase compared to the previous year, with luxury accessories and beauty being particularly strong performers, growing by 28 percent and 30 percent respectively. It seems the store is performing exceptionally well, and these new developments are set to further enhance that.
Looking Ahead
Despite global uncertainties, there’s an optimistic outlook for continued record-breaking sales. The upcoming months are considered crucial, and the current sales figures suggest they are on track for another strong year. The focus on key growth areas like luxury accessories and beauty, coupled with these significant investments in new retail experiences, positions Rinascente well for the future. I can’t wait to see this new beauty hall when it opens.
It feels like Milan is always evolving, and Rinascente’s new project is a testament to that. I’m already planning a trip back to experience it firsthand, especially seeing how they’ve blended historical charm with modern retail innovation. It’s definitely one for the travel itinerary.