As beauty and fragrances drive luxury’s growth, experience-led retail partners and physical stores become essential to lasting success
“On one hand, fragrance and beauty are leading consumption, particularly within the luxury sector. On the other, brand performance now hinges on in-store experiences, a rising emphasis on sustainability, and clear communication,” says Daniele Siciliano, General Manager of Naïma. This national fragrance and beauty retailer, founded in 2017 through the merger of historic family-run businesses, has become the second-largest retail player in Italy’s beauty market, with over 250 stores nationwide and an online shop. Naïma showcases a curated selection of top brands, including Chanel and Gucci for fragrances, Givenchy and Bobbi Brown for makeup, La Mer and Shiseido for skincare, and Olaplex and Shu Uemura for haircare.
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With a digital-oriented mindset, Siciliano has developed extensive expertise in marketing and commercial strategy through his experience at multinational companies such as De Longhi, Electrolux, and Electronic Arts. This diverse background enables him to articulate a compelling vision that blends tradition with innovation, positioning him as a disruptive force in the future of physical beauty retail.
Could the True Key to Beauty's Future Be Rooted in Retail and In-Store Experiences?
The fragrance and beauty industry aims to drive consumption by addressing current customer needs while anticipating their desires. In order to succeed, the sector must stay ahead of trends while meeting modern demands. This raises an important question: could the key to future success be a return to in-store experiences? Can the industry thrive by positioning beauty shops and retail partners as the ultimate physical destination for cosmetics, fragrances, skincare, and haircare? Achieving success in this area depends on engaging communities through immersive experiences that leverage two essential pillars: brand value and expertise.
“It’s crucial to return to the roots of fragrance and beauty retail, embracing quality, an exclusive ambience and dedicated customer care,” notes Daniele Siciliano.
Daniele Siciliano, General Manager of Naïma, speaking at a talk hosted by Istituto Marangoni Milano
Traditional beauty retail doesn’t mean outdated; instead, it represents a blend of quality, trust, and expertise. When consumers visit a fragrance or beauty store, the experience should evoke emotions and add value to the brands on display. The challenge is about transforming these familiar spaces into modern beauty destinations that attract customers and inspire loyalty.
In this context, the buyer plays a critical role; they must carefully observe trends and introduce the right brands for the store. Meanwhile, sales associates need to excel in storytelling, sharing each product’s heritage, and guiding customers toward meaningful purchases.
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“Entering a beauty store should feel like an immersion in beauty itself. It’s the allure of the physical visit,” Siciliano explains.
Is AI a Threat to Offline Beauty Retail?
Emerging technologies like the metaverse and AI are making waves in fashion and beauty alike. However, rather than causing concern, these advancements should inspire innovation.
According to Siciliano, we should evaluate change by categorising ideas as possible, impossible, unnecessary, or already accomplished. While the unnecessary and already accomplished ideas can be disregarded, possibilities are always worth pursuing. Interestingly, it’s the “impossible” ideas that are the most captivating—what seems impossible is frequently just a challenge waiting to be overcome.
As the online world evolves, physical retail must keep pace and find ways to transform what once seemed impossible into a clear and achievable path forward.
Naïma's General Manager, Daniele Siciliano, at Istituto Marangoni Milano
Naïma’s approach serves as a great example of this transformation: the brand focuses on creating in-store shopping experiences that are not only inclusive and welcoming but also innovative. Additionally, personalised customer consultations build loyalty by making consumers feel valued and providing expert responses to their needs.
In short, fragrance and beauty retail have always inspired dreams and desires. However, now more than ever, there’s a strong need to provide something deeper—ongoing training, extensive research, and thorough preparation that combines technical skills with communication expertise to meet the demands of an increasingly savvy market, especially among the next generation.
Siciliano’s message is clear: beauty retail is on a growth trajectory, but it must ensure this momentum does not stall. His advice for success? Listen closely—an advantage that offline retail and traditional customer interaction will always have over online experiences.
Agnese Pasquinelli
Alumna, Milano