First ‘Beauty Source’ concept store opens in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu’s growing middle-class segment has prompted luxury goods retail giant Rustan Commercial Corporation to open its first "Beauty Source" concept store in the Philippines at The Mall in Nustar Resort and Casino, Cebu.

“Our first boutique in Cebu is a significant milestone in our journey to offer personalized, high-quality beauty experiences to the region,” said Michael Huang, Senior Vice President for Support & Development at Rustan Commercial Corp.

“We look forward to welcoming Cebu’s beauty enthusiasts with an expansive selection of products that inspire confidence, self-expression, and a deeper connection to beauty,” he said in an interview.

Aside from its iconic Rustan’s department store in Cebu, in Ayala Center Cebu, which already houses signature beauty, skincare, cosmetics, and fragrance brands, the "Beauty Source" boutique expands the selection of luxury brands available—not only for the Cebuano market but also for discerning consumers nationwide.

The 425-square-meter "Beauty Source" specialty boutique features exclusive, hard-to-access brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Dior, Diptyque, Tom Ford, Hermès (fragrances), Lancôme, among others.

According to Huang, Cebu presents a promising market for this kind of retail approach. He emphasized that this concept store has significant growth potential, with Cebu as its starting point.

“We saw an opportunity to expand because beauty is a significant part of our business. Moving forward, we want to develop more standalone beauty stores outside the department store format,” Huang said, highlighting Cebu’s historical contribution as the pilot location for this new concept.

“This is our first concept store in the Philippines purely dedicated to beauty,” he added.

Huang also noted that Nustar played a crucial role in developing this new retail concept for the group, as The Mall is specifically positioned as Cebu’s luxury retail hub.

“We face challenges in finding the right spaces across the country. Concepts like this present a big opportunity for us,” he said, adding that larger store formats require bigger spaces, which are increasingly difficult to find.

“That’s why we see smaller, specialized stores as the way forward,” he added.

The growing interest of younger consumers in sophisticated and branded products also fueled Rustan’s Group to expand further, with Cebu serving as the launchpad for this concept store format.

“We’re starting to see a lot of young consumers now. In our stores, we are constantly working to find the right mix of products to cater to this emerging demographic,” Huang explained.

He also pointed out that today's young consumers have a strong interest in fashion and beauty, prompting the company to carefully curate selections that cater to their preferences.

Rustan Commercial Corporation is a Philippine-based department store chain specializing in luxury and upscale brands. It was founded in 1952 by Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. and Gliceria Rustia-Tantoco.

Rustan’s was among the first retailers in the Philippines to introduce international brands. — (FREEMAN)