Former Sephora stores reopen in Russia under new brand

A number of former Sephora stores have reportedly reopened in Russia on Monday under its new ownership, Ile de Beauté.

According to Reuters, the Russian firm, which recently bought up the LVMH-owned retailer’s subsidiaries in the region, had thanked returning customers in a message on its website and promised to provide a range of international brands through its store.

The company stated: “A lot has changed in the time since our last meeting. We were forced to suspend operation at our shops, but have retained all jobs and continued to support employees, while working in parallel on redesigning the company’s internal processes.”

It is the latest rebranding to take place among brands in Russia, as Western firms looked to exit the country over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

While some brands have removed operations from the country entirely, others have taken to temporary closures or operating via franchises.

In July, Sephora, which had 88 stores in Russia, announced it had agreed to sell 100 percent of the shares of its Russian subsidiary to its local general manager.

Reuters said the beauty retailer had confirmed the deal closed October 7.

Ile de Beauté, a local chain Sephora acquired in 2016, began rebranding stores in Russia under the Sephora banner in 2018 following the takeover.