Le Labo on Wheels
Bec Morris
Creative Director and Brand Consultant
This winter, Le Labo have brought their ‘laboratory on wheels’ to Manchester.
I’m a huge fan of the Le Labo brand, both from an aesthetic and a messaging point of view — everything, from product to print, is meticulously crafted. Their manifesto speaks to many of my own brand values, showing passion in craftsmanship, slow and thoughtful work, and going back to traditional methods for the sake of connection. Here are a few of my favourite items from that manifesto:
We believe that there are too many bottles of perfume and not enough soulful fragrances
We believe it is more humane to test cosmetics on New Yorkers than on animals
We believe the future of luxury (hence of perfumery) lies in craftsmanship
We believe in the soulful power of thoughtful hands: hand-picked roses, hand-poured candles, hand-formulated perfumes and handshake agreements
I feel like if I were to build a perfume brand, this is exactly how it would look and feel. There’s nothing like finding a brand that feels like it's yours. So of course when I heard about the pop-up, I had to venture down and see how they had approached it.
Brand Presence
The truck is, as you would expect, beautiful. That industrial style that’s so consistent within the brand lends itself perfectly to the pop-up, inside and out. Granted I visited at a quiet time, but it feels as though there’s a quiet energy around the space that makes you slow down and notice what’s around you. Small touches like greenery, their famous newspaper and crafted benches set the scene, ready for you to step inside.
Fittingly, the first thing I noticed on entering was the aroma. Quintessentially Le Labo, the fresh yet calming fragrance is a positive jolt to the senses that separates this moment from the chaos of Deansgate. Every inch of the interior is considered — lighting, sign writing, wallpaper flaking from the walls.
I have never been to New York (Le Labo’s first location), but have felt for a long time that there are comparisons between the gritty nature of the city and our own northern English industrial location. The truck feels right at home, as though it was created here. That feeling of a city with shadows and rough edges that Chanel dreamed of capturing back in 2023, but didn’t manage, blends seamlessly here.
I do have notes on the human brand presence however… After being questioned for taking photographs of the outside of the truck (a conversation is understandable, but can be managed in a much better way in my opinion), I received a cheery hello, told it was fine to take photos, but nothing further. As the only customer present, I feel it would’ve been effective for the staff to chat to me about the products, extend the brand personality and connect on a level other than an interaction once a sale has been made.
Printed Touchpoints
Le Labo are known for their printed periodical, Le Journal, and I regularly use it as an example of great brand communication. A simple newspaper, it’s a free giveaway that works so well at extending the brand beyond their own walls and platforms. People share images of their copies as it looks great as a prop, the content is creative and interesting — not blatantly focused on selling products, but using a more creative and subtle way of building a lifestyle brand. They were also giving out a UK special edition too, which was a great touch.
I love that they are careful to extend this touch through online orders — including postcards, branded invoices and samples that provide more sharable material and keepsakes. It would’ve been great to see some of the Faculty Dept & Le Labo books in the truck too.
Because I know how well they do physical marketing, I was surprised to find that Le Journal was the only thing on offer before purchase. The perfume testing cards were unbranded — a simple opportunity to reaffirm the memory once your potential customer has left the space (Diptyque do this beautifully). A Manchester themed postcard could’ve been a great personalised touch, encouraging people to buy online if they don’t in store.
Location and Audience
With strategy in mind, it’s positioned perfectly. Spinningfields is an area known for a more luxury audience, featuring locations like The Ivy and Sexy Fish. The Spinningfields Instagram account alone has 25.5k followers, who will all see the pop-up advertised on their feeds.
Set back slightly from the main road, it has plenty of foot traffic (pairing with the route to the Christmas markets) and is certainly eye-catching. Manchester also has a large influencer network — an opening night with guests invited to experience the lab before anyone else made sure there was an instant buzz online.
We do currently have a Le Labo concession in Selfridges, but as with any shared space it’s difficult to get the full brand experience across. This pop-up was the perfect antidote — taking control over the environment and bringing the true essence of the brand to a new customer base.
There is only one Le Labo store up north, in Leeds, and I do wonder if Manchester doesn’t quite have the right location for them at the moment. Their strict aesthetic requires the perfect building, whilst also being located where their target audience already hangs out. We have plenty of those buildings in the city, but I feel like the locations might just not be spot on for their needs. Yet another argument for preserving our architecture rather than tearing it down and building glossy establishments… But I digress.
Final Thoughts…
What Le Labo has gained through this travelling laboratory isn’t just a sales platform — it’s a glimpse of how a brand can shape an atmosphere with very little space. Even with a few opportunities to deepen the human side of the experience, it shows how powerful thoughtful design, place making and printed storytelling can be when done well.
Overall, it’s a smart move for the city and a reminder of how hungry northern audiences are for brands that bring depth, tactility and a sense of occasion. I hope we see more of this — and more brands willing to treat Manchester as a place worth experimenting with.
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Le Labo on Wheels is in Manchester until December 7th.
Check out their website here.
As always, these reflections are my own and come from an external viewpoint. I’m not involved in the brand’s internal strategy, and any suggestions stem from professional curiosity — not criticism.
