Thirteen years after its arrival in the Australian market, SLA Paris has revealed plans to become one of Australia’s ‘Top Five’ makeup brands.
During her visit to Sydney this month, SLA international sales director Olivia Voisin told Professional Beauty that the French brand is planning to increase its presence in the salon market and move into the consumer retail space.
The French brand, which has been distributed by Sydney-based Encore Beauty in Australia since 2006, is currently sold in around 50 spa and beauty salons, and stocked by numerous makeup artists, TV stations and TAFEs.
Voisin said SLA’s “main plan is to support the current Encore Beauty salon accounts and open new doors” but also “explore retail so we can be accessible to all beauty addicts in Oz”.
Currently available online at slamakeupstudio.com.au and zianibeauty.com.au, the brand will soon launch on lookfantastic.com.au, ry.com.au, and facialco.com.au.
In addition Encore Beauty is in discussions “with two major department store chains” to stock the brand around Australia and is planning to launch its own SLA Boutique in an as yet-undecided-location in Sydney.
SLA’s move into Australia’s retail market follows similar moves by the company in its other markets – the brand is now stocked online in most of its 30 export markets and SLA Paris Boutiques have been been opened in France (two in Paris and one in Valence), Cyprus, Canada, Lithuania, Indonesia, Poland with more planned to open in the next 12 months.
According to Voisin, the company began its expansion in to the retail market about three years ago to meet consumers’ growing demand professional grade products.
“Social media has driven makeup demand, particularly among the younger generation who often don’t want a natural look but a more professional face.”
Encore Beauty general manager Shannon Earls said the brand will continue to support and grow its salon and spa market but moving into the broader retail market (including online) will help increase brand awareness.
“We’re finding the move online is positive and so are our salons and spas,” she said.
“Our professional stockists aren’t losing sales to online stores as people still need one-one-on-one mask up lessons.
“We don’t want SLA Paris to be sold in the traditional retail way where people walk into a store, load themselves up with product and then feel guilty about it afterwards because they don’t know how to use it.”
“We want our customers to know how to use the products so they are happy with the result and then come back and buy more.”
Although Encore Beauty hasn’t decided the location of its first SLA Paris Boutique, the entire range is available to professionals and the general public at its Encore Beauty Store in Parramatta.