How Home, Gift & Beauty Brands Are Taking Fashion Retail to the Next Level  

Retail is no longer just about selling items — it’s about “creating a vibe,” says Alex Gagné, the founder and creative director of modern gifting brand Chez Gagné.Though a store’s core focus remains, whether that’s apparel, footwear, or accessories, expanding beyond fashion to include a complimentary home, gift, and beauty offering has become a major focus. Adding these items offers retailers “an opportunity to create a more engaging, memorable experience for customers who aren’t just shopping; they’re curating their lives,” she adds.

The formula for success is cohesion and creating a through-line across categories. “Beauty, for example, can pair seamlessly with clothing and accessories by focusing on self-care as part of a complete look or experience,” Aziza El Wanni, founder of luxury haircare brand The Potion Studio,shares. That level of intentionality creates a one-stop shop that prioritizes “storytelling,” says Zodica Perfumery President Kristi Moe, where shoppers can find an array of products that “express their best selves, from what they wear to how they decorate their home to what they put on their skin.” El Wanni adds: “Thoughtful packaging and complementary color palettes also help create a seamless bridge between different product groups.”

At this season’s MAGIC events which include locations in Las Vegas, New York, and Nashville, retailers will find a carefully curated assortment of home, gift, and beauty items that pair well with their existing core fashion offering. Here are some of the themes buyers should look out for this season, plus the ways how non-apparel goods can not only “enhance the personality of a retail space,” says Kelly Jones, founder of olfactory label Kelly + Jones, but also “surprise and delight the shopper.”