By David Wolfenden, managing director of retail design agency Ripple
Retail design innovation doesn’t always require a new flagship store. The same attention to detail is essential in concessions, particularly when the brands involved also have their own standalone stores.
In September, M&S announced that it will introduce Sephora concessions into 100 UK stores from spring 2027. On paper, the partnership makes considerable commercial sense. M&S has an extensive store network, an established customer base and a reputation for quality and trust. Sephora brings specialist beauty expertise, sought-after brands and a younger audience.
But bringing these two businesses together presents an interesting design challenge. Sephora needs to feel unmistakably like Sephora, while still belonging within an M&S store. Getting that balance right will be fundamental to the partnership’s success.
A new audience for M&S
M&S has been working hard to broaden its appeal, particularly among younger shoppers, and beauty presents an opportunity to accelerate that transformation. According to Worldpanel, the UK beauty market was worth £5.2 billion in the 52 weeks to July 2026, while M&S held just 1.3% of the market over the latest 12-week period. That leaves considerable room for growth.
Sephora has established a strong following among younger beauty consumers, particularly those who follow beauty trends online and want to experience products before committing to a purchase. For M&S, the opportunity extends beyond selling more make-up and skincare. Sephora could introduce an entirely new audience to its stores, including customers who might not ordinarily consider M&S for their fashion, homeware or beauty purchases. And once those customers are through the door, the wider store has an opportunity to win their attention.
A customer visiting specifically for a viral skincare product might discover M&S clothing, accessories or homeware on the same trip. Equally, an existing M&S customer could be encouraged to explore brands they would previously have bought from a specialist beauty retailer.
That crossover is what makes the partnership particularly attractive. But it won’t happen automatically. The layout, positioning and connections between departments will have a significant influence on whether customers explore beyond their original reason for visiting.
Two brands, one retail environment
The concept of a shop-in-shop is nothing new. Department stores have operated concessions for decades, allowing brands to establish their own identity within a larger retail environment. However, there is a difference between allocating space to another retailer and creating a genuinely integrated shopping experience.
Sephora has a distinctive visual identity. Its monochrome branding, strong lighting, product-led displays and opportunities to test and discover products are central to its appeal. M&S has a different visual language, generally built around considered materials, softer finishes and a more understated presentation. Neither approach is necessarily better, and each is designed to communicate something different to its customers. The challenge will be creating a clear transition between the two.
Sephora needs sufficient visual independence to deliver the experience customers associate with the brand. Its familiar black-and-white identity should be immediately recognisable, supported by dedicated fixtures, lighting and merchandising that distinguish the concession from the surrounding departments. However, creating an entirely separate environment risks making Sephora feel disconnected from the host store.
Changes in flooring, lighting and fixture heights can help define the Sephora space without relying on physical barriers. Clear sightlines and carefully positioned access points can encourage customers to move naturally between the concession and the wider M&S environment. The objective should be to create a distinct destination within the store, rather than a store that feels as though it has been dropped into another one.
Designing for discovery
Sephora’s appeal isn’t just about the brands it stocks. A significant part of the experience comes from allowing customers to browse, test products, compare shades and discover something new. That requires a different approach to merchandising from that used in many traditional retail categories.
Customers need space to explore products without feeling rushed, while testers, mirrors, consultation points and accessible displays all contribute to the experience. Specialist beauty advisers will form part of the new concessions, but their presence needs to be supported by the physical environment. Consultation areas should be easy to find, comfortable to use and positioned so that conversations can take place without obstructing shoppers moving through the space.
The concessions will also need to accommodate a combination of established favourites, emerging brands and exclusive products. That means fixtures should be designed with flexibility in mind. Beauty trends can move quickly, particularly when products gain popularity on social media. Displays need to accommodate new launches, changing ranges and promotional activity without requiring a complete redesign each time.
Making the wider store work harder
Perhaps the biggest opportunity for M&S lies in how Sephora is positioned within its existing stores. The relationship between Sephora and the surrounding departments needs to be considered carefully.
Locating concessions near fashion and accessories could create opportunities for complementary purchases. Equally, placing them along established customer routes could introduce existing M&S shoppers to the new beauty offer. The challenge is balancing visibility with the need to create a destination that feels sufficiently special.
CBRE’s 2026 Retail Generational Survey found that 34% of younger UK consumers surveyed consider store aesthetics important, while 29% value in-store events. The findings underline the importance of creating environments that offer something beyond the transaction. For M&S, the opportunity is to turn a routine shopping trip into a more engaging experience, while giving Sephora customers reasons to explore the wider store.
More than the sum of its parts
The Sephora and M&S partnership illustrated the potential for established retailers to use their physical spaces differently to attract new customers and create additional reasons to visit. The physical experience needs to deliver on the expectations customers already have of both brands.
The first concessions aren’t due to open until spring 2027, so the final design remains to be seen, but the principle is already clear: the best shop-in-shop concepts create something neither brand could achieve quite as effectively on its own. That’s where the real opportunity lies.
