This story was originally part of the 2024 Glossy 50 feature. Click here to see all of this year’s honorees.
Alison Hahn did not begin her career in beauty, instead coming up through fashion and home goods. But her philosophy on merchandising has remained consistent, no matter the category.
“What I’ve always loved to do is bring products to the market that ultimately inspire confidence and make someone feel better about themselves. And that’s what continues to fuel me as a merchant today,” said Hahn, svp of merchandising for makeup and fragrance at Sephora.
Since transitioning to beauty by joining Sephora 13 years ago, Hahn has seen the beauty landscape grow more competitive. And she and Sephora have more than risen to the challenge. “One of the things that merchants often talk about is art and science, and the magic of a brand founder,” said Hahn. “Clients now are more discerning than ever, and we want to make sure that what we offer them has a distinct, unique and authentic story.”
On the makeup front, Hahn has found that magic in the Rare Beauty and Haus Labs brands, which have risen to the top of a saturated celebrity beauty landscape since launching at Sephora in 2020 and 2022, respectively. The latter is only poised to reach more consumers following its expansion to Sephora at Kohl’s locations this year.
But the 2024 breakout category at Sephora has almost certainly been fragrance. What was once a sleepy category in the U.S. market has become one of the retailer’s most rapidly growing sectors since 2020. Much of that success spurs from Sephora’s ability to sell designer mainstays alongside fragrance newcomers like Kayali and Phlur, as well as high-end niche hits like Montale, which joined Sephora this year. And with that unique brand assortment, the retailer is seeing new consumers hop onto the fragrance trend, as well.
“Young men are very interested in fragrance,” said Hahn. “They’re feeling very comfortable coming into a Sephora, which speaks to how welcoming our stores are.”
But Sephora is not resting on its laurels with established hits from well-known celebrities like Rare Beauty and Haus Labs. This year, Sephora welcomed founder-led makeup brands Sarah Creal and Fara Homidi, two indie lines poised to delight makeup aficionados with their modern packaging and bold colors.
“We’re a test-and-learn culture. It’s just innately part of our culture to be bold and to be courageous and to take risks,” said Hahn.
