Lauren SamsFin editor, deputy editor AFR Magazine and fashion editorAug 21, 2026 – 12.00pmIt has lost money seven years in a row, finding itself outcompeted by local beauty powerhouse Mecca. But this week, Sephora will attempt to pull three rabbits from its hat in a bid to turn around its fortunes.The first of those rabbits comes in the form of cult brand Merit, a pared-back range of products aimed at Millennials that has exploded in popularity. The second is a partnership with Olive Young, a South Korean beauty retailer so popular in its home market that it all but drove Sephora out. The third is Marc Jacobs Beauty, the make-up division associated with the eponymous luxury designer label that is making a bid to scoop up a Generation Z audience.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Lauren SamsFin editor, deputy editor AFR Magazine and fashion editorLauren Sams is the editor of Fin Magazine, The Australian Financial Review’s luxury quarterly edition. She is also the deputy editor at The Australian Financial Review Magazine and the fashion editor. She writes about the business of fashion and beauty.Fetching latest articles
Sephora plans three buzzy brands in push to unseat beauty giant Mecca
For more than a decade, the LVMH-owned retailer has failed to make major inroads in Australia, despite its international dominance. Now it has a new plan.
199 words~1 min read
