UK and Ireland managing director Paul Devin talks expansion, growth and opening excitement
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“We are seriously under-represented in London,” said Paul Devin, Kiko Milano’s managing director for the UK and Ireland.
“Before we opened in Canary Wharf, we had branches in Regent Street, Covent Garden and in the two Westfield shopping centres.
“But a brand with our potential customer base should have significantly more sites in the capital and at key locations around the UK and Ireland.
“Canary Wharf is very interesting for us – the demographic of the consumer here is very aligned to Kiko Milano and what’s fascinating is the consumer profile has evolved while the area continues to go through a really exciting evolution.
“It’s not the Wharf of old with Monday-Friday city workers.
“Now it’s a vibrant place seven days a week and we want to be where those customers are.”
The Jubilee Place opening this month was the first in Kiko’s ambitious plan to go from 27 stores in the UK to 100 over the next four years.
It’s also an opportunity for the brand to trial a more compact store with a smaller footprint and see consumers’ reactions to that.
“When visiting our store, people will find quite a disruptive take on the beauty industry,” said Paul.
“If you’re a customer in that market, you’re often sent down one of two paths.
“The first is a self-select environment where there might be great brands but there’s no service.
“You might take a product to the till and try it on, there might be some testers or there might not.
“Alternatively there’s the prestige environment.
“There you have that counter element which, for some consumers, is fantastic, but for others is a little bit formal – it can be a bit of a barrier as it’s not so relaxed.
“What Kiko Milano offers in all of its branches is a bright, relaxed atmosphere with music in the background and beauty advisers who are trained to help customers.
“There are product areas where you can test and play too, so you get the best of both worlds.
“You get prestige quality products at an accessible price point, with unbelievable quality.
“If you want a five or 10-minute makeover, you can have one free of charge, and we’ll talk about the products used.
“Then you can choose to buy or come back another time – or not – it makes no difference to the way we treat people. Nobody else is doing beauty in this way.
“Approximately 98% of our products are made in Italy, which is important because that’s where the best in the world are manufactured.
“In that region, we have access to the same creative minds and the same factories that are used by prestige quality brands.
“We put our own spin and innovation into the mix and offer our products to consumers at a far more affordable price.
“It’s a sweet spot for us, because we’re both the brand and the retailer so you don’t have that margin on the price – the customer doesn’t have to pay a mark-up and we can offer amazing quality for less.”
Founded in Milan, Kiko has been trading for 26 years with a mission to “surprise and delight consumers” with its stores.
Paul said it had been a pioneer, introducing attractions such as video walls and in-store music as it aimed to bring the feel of clothes shopping to the beauty and skincare market.
“Today we have 1,100 stores globally in 65 countries, including market-leading positions in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and the Middle East,” he said.
“Then we’ve got opportunities where we are looking to seriously accelerate the brand in the UK and Ireland, Germany, the US and Asia.
“It’s our ambition to reach more than 2,000. The momentum is there.”
The growth in bricks and mortar stores reflects Kiko’s approach to expanding its brand online both for exposure and sales.
“We have a strategy of unified commerce,” said Paul.
“I don’t think there’s a consumer today, whether they’re in the automotive industry, fashion, beauty or footwear, who is not using digital devices for research and to purchase products.
“But our stores are an integral part of that.
“If someone in Canary Wharf comes into Kiko Milano and has a great experience then I’m delighted.
“If they go on to purchase a product online, via click-and-collect or from the shop, then that’s great.
“What we’re obsessed with is a customer-centric approach – if we’re able to combine online and offline, then that helps us climb further up the hierarchy. It’s a complementary approach.
“When customers go into our stores they will meet one of our fantastic beauty advisers, who wear what we call a brush belt ready to demonstrate key products and applications.
“They are all qualified beauticians, are ready to offer makeovers and are equipped with bespoke iPhones that can be used for all transactions or even to order products to stores or to other locations.
“Our heritage is in physical stores and that will always be at the forefront of what we do – we want to invest in that experience, whether it’s in a compact branch like Canary Wharf or our new flagship in Covent Garden.”
With beauty and skincare firmly at the core of Kiko’s offer – best sellers include its Skin Trainer Opitcal Corrector and 3D Hydra Lipgloss – big plans are afoot to extend the brand’s range.
Paul said: “We’re currently working to articulate our new position, which is: ‘Art, beauty, joy’.
“We’ll be doing so many things to get that message out there over the coming months and it’s the first time the UK will have a heavyweight media campaign from us.
“We’ll open 13 stores in the next eight months and refurbish another three, so that’s key.
“Then we’re also working on a lot of product categories and we’ll be launching a haircare range followed by sun care and then fragrances in the fourth quarter.
“With Kiko there’s a new collection every four weeks and we have some great collaborations coming up including one with Bridgerton, which captures the essence of the new series.”
Clearly one to watch…
THREE WHARF LIFE PICKS
Jess Maddison has scoured the store to find a trio of products for shoppers to look out for…
Days In Bloom Perfecting Face Powder, £17.99
This beautiful compact holds finishing powder to eradicate any shine on the go. Powder in public with pride,” said Jess.
Days In Bloom Flowery Brush Set, £22.99
“One of the prettiest brush sets I’ve seen, I love the fact it is a four-in-one and comes in a little flowery pouch,” said Jess.
Days In Bloom Radiant Universal Oil, £18.99
“This feels heavenly on the skin. It can be used on the face, body and hair and has a lovely shimmer to it too,” said Jess.
THREE KIKO MILANO BEST SELLERS
Kiko Milano has picked out its most popular products for Wharfers’ beauty radars…
Skin Trainer CC Blur, £19.99
“Products like this get people into a really good skincare regime and really set them up for great foundation,” said Paul.
3D Hydra Lipgloss Limited Edition, £14.99
“This is available in 25 different shades and has exploded on the likes of TikTok – it’s amazing,” said Paul.
Maxi Mod Volume And Definition Mascara, £13.99
“We’re famous for our eye products such as this one which is a best seller all around the world,” said Paul.
Find out more about Kiko Milano here
Read more: Why MadeFor office space in Canary Wharf is a vital part of its offering
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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
