[Report] Find 'My Own Scent' Here... Loewe Perfume Knocks on Seongsu's Door

Popup Store Opens in 'Seongsu,' a Sanctuary for Foreigners and Young People
Candle Collection Space Displays Cucumber, Tomato, and Beet Scents
Scheduled to Open in Shinsegae Gangnam and Lotte Mall Suwon in the First Half of the Year

On the afternoon of the 16th, at the Loewe Perfume Seongsu pop-up store located on Yeonmujang-gil in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, the area was bustling with people waiting to enter despite it being a quiet time after the weekday lunch hour.

Exterior view of the Loewe Perfume pop-up store located on Yeonmujang-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul.
Photo by Minji Lee

Foreigners passing by joined the long queue in front of the store, attracted by the crowd. Some tourists even posed in the middle of the road to take photos with the Loewe ambassador NCT Taeyong displayed on the building's exterior.

Loewe Perfume is a fragrance brand launched by Loewe, a leading luxury brand from Spain. The brand first introduced perfumes in 1972 and is characterized by expressing inspiration from nature-friendly concepts through scent, design, and packaging. In the mid-1990s, Loewe was acquired by LVMH (Louis Vuitton Mo?t Hennessy), and it is now one of the LVMH group's perfume brands.

The candle price range is 700,000 won, and everything from the candlestick to the base can be used as a candle. I thought it would be perfect as a housewarming gift, but it seemed to require several considerations.

Loewe Perfume is not a 'niche perfume' leading the recent 'small luxury' trend. Strictly speaking, it belongs to the category of 'fashion perfumes' created by fashion companies. Unlike niche perfumes, which start as independent small companies producing uncommon scents, Loewe Perfume differs in its origin. However, Loewe Perfume is regarded by consumers as being on par with niche perfumes because, unlike typical luxury fashion companies, it creates unique and uncommon scents inspired by nature.

The pop-up store, which opened on the 15th, was not large. The number of visitors allowed inside was limited to about 20 people. Although the space was small, Loewe Perfume organized the story it wanted to convey into sections such as ▲ ceramic pottery collection ▲ wax scented candleholder collection ▲ perfume counseling zone.

The most eye-catching area was the wax scented candleholder collection shaped like candlesticks. Various colorful candles were hanging, each containing the scent of nature evoked by its color. For example, the light green candle emitted a cucumber scent, the deep purple candle had a beet scent, the red candle smelled like tomato, and the pale yellow candle carried a sweet honey fragrance. The price was around 700,000 KRW, making it a perfect housewarming gift, though it seemed to require some careful consideration.

Ceramic pottery collection area. The Loewe logo engraved on the pottery was all handcrafted.

In the space where visitors could receive perfume recommendations, they could fully experience scents including the 'Loewe Paula Ibiza Collection,' inspired by Spain's Ibiza Island, as well as popular products like the '001 Series,' 'Airesutilesa,' and 'Esencia.' Visitors could also learn about the background of each scent's creation, why the wooden cap colors differ by product, and the origins of the fragrances.

One of the benefits exclusive to the pop-up store is the availability of small-sized perfume collections. If the 50mL bottles available in stores feel too large, customers can purchase a convenient 15mL size, which is being introduced for the first time in Korea. The price is 67,000 KRW, making it less burdensome to buy.

A space where Loewe's signature perfumes are gathered.

This is the first time Loewe Perfume has opened a pop-up store in Seongsu, known as the 'holy ground for young people.' Loewe explained that after launching its first store at Galleria Department Store in February, it opened the pop-up store to build more touchpoints with customers. Next month, offline stores will be launched at Shinsegae Gangnam and Lotte Mall Suwon.

Shinsegae International, which handles Loewe Perfume's domestic distribution, expects interest in Loewe Perfume to grow as more people seek their own unique scents. In fact, online sales of brands managed by Shinsegae International?Diptyque, Byredo, Memo Paris, and Santa Maria Novella?have increased by 20% compared to the same period last year, from January to the 30th of last month.

The Loewe Perfume Seongsu pop-up store will run until the 16th of next month. A Loewe representative said, "Despite the rainy weather during the recent holiday, there were quite a few visitors," adding, "About 200 people visit daily, showing strong interest in our first pop-up store."