“Estee Lauder has scheduled the opening of three more single-brand stores in 2019, using various brands of Estee Lauder, the development of the online platforms for Estee Lauder and Clinique and, of course, the development of the business on the salon channel with the Aveda brand we intend to launch in Romania,” says Adrian Simionescu (41), country manager of the company.
The company’s brands include Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder and La Mer.
Estee Lauder is both a cosmetics wholesaler to such chains as Sephora, Douglas, Kendra and Marionnaud and a retailer, with MAC and Bobbi Brown single-brand stores. Its products are also available from independent retailers. Working with salons would open a new market segment.
“We opened a MAC store in 2018 and started renovation of the top stores, using a new design. We also started partnerships with a series of partners on the premium luxury fragrance segment for the Jo Malone, By Kilian, Tom Ford and Frederic Malle brands. We also continued the strategic partnership with our most important local retailers – Sephora and Douglas.”
There are 14 single-brand stores, 12 of which MAC and two Bobbi Brown. Total revenue has been on the rise lately and doubled to RON60 million in 2015-2017. Adrian Simionescu would not provide any figures but said that the trend continued in 2018. Estee Lauder’s wholesale and retail operations in Romania are operated by a single legal entity.
“The year 2018 saw the upward trend of Estee Lauder Romania continue, but we felt a slowdown in the performance of the brands like for like.”(EUR1=RON4.7648)
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)