Rennaï Is Montreal’s New Bricks-and-Mortar Beauty Destination
Self-care reimagined.
Social media has transformed the beauty industry. From TikTok “skinfluencers” to celebrity cosmetics line, the modern customer is omnivorous when it comes to brand loyalty, and as demanding as they are discerning. But beyond the trends and filters, there will always be the product. Its look, feel, scent, effectiveness: that’s where Rennaï comes in, a brand new 36,000-square-foot beauty and skin-care space that promises one-stop shopping and services across more than 175 brands.
Rennaï (pronounced re-NAY) is a play on the word “renaissance” and alludes to skin cell regeneration and broader themes of reinvention through beauty, but it also hints at the changing face of retail in an industry that’s still exploring what bricks-and-mortar means in the 21st century. Rennaï is, admittedly, uniquely positioned. It is located in the much-hyped Royalmount, a sprawling, art-filled shopping and dining destination in Montreal’s newly dubbed “midtown” district. It’s an astounding $7-billion shopping destination—now Canada’s second-largest mall—that opened to the public September 5. Its first phase includes 170 stores and 60 restaurants and cafés, with plans for a hotel, movie theatre, and aquarium.
Lead investor Andrew Lutfy is the CEO of the Carbonleo real estate company and Groupe Dynamite fashion house, so it may come as no surprise that he’s all for blending the aspirational and everyday, in the shopping centre and on Rennaï’s shelves. Just as the same shopper picking up a Uniqlo tee or Zara sandals might also buy a Breitling watch or Balenciaga purse, a Rennaï customer can grab both a holy grail Augustinus Bader serum and a cult favourite Maybelline mascara in the same shopping spree. It’s less about price point than personalization. (As more proof that Royalmount is welcoming a wide range of visitors, it built a sleek pedestrian walkway connecting the mall to the closest metro.)
“I’m really proud that here, you can find pharmacy brands and ultraluxury products together,” says Christopher Novak, Rennaï’s president and chief creative officer, who previously spent over a decade at Holt Renfrew (and says he started out working behind a beauty counter). “We wanted it to be really approachable, so you can test things, feel the texture, ask questions.”
The store’s feel definitely hits a sweet spot—more indulgent than a drugstore aisle, more interactive than a traditional department store. Brand-expert employees are clad in muted blush-pink and beige uniforms, complementing the interior design by Ana Borrallo. The space is split into five “realms,” which focus on fragrance, skin care, and self-care (including nutritional supplements and sexual wellness), as well as the Retreat Realm, a lounge where guests can have a coffee, a drink, and a mani-pedi.
In addition to a mix of price ranges, the dizzying array of brands also spans the globe, with powerhouses like La Mer, M.A.C and Dermalogica available alongside smaller labels with burgeoning fandoms, including Canada’s own RMS and Three Ships, as well as Montreal’s Ruby Brown and Apprenti Organik. But the real draw for beauty addicts may be the exclusives, including the just-announced partnership with Victoria Beckham Beauty, as well as an Aveda hair and scalp spa and the first Estée Lauder Longevity Institute in Canada (set to open soon).
Like the shopping centre itself, Rennaï is still growing. In addition to adding more brands and services (like a medi-spa with injectables and laser treatments), the Montreal flagship signals the beginning of something bigger: a multi-store expansion across North America, planned over the next five years. It’s an ambitious vision, but one that’s in good company.
