July 23, 2025
Dylan Lauren, CEO – Dylan’s Candy Bar
Unwrapping A Retail Revolution One Candy Bar At A Time, Dylan Lauren – Dylan’s Candy Bar
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When it comes down to brands that put 110% into customer experiences, few have managed to create something as sweet Dylan’s Candy Bar. Since opening around the turn of this century, Dylan’s has grown into the world’s largest confectionery emporium and a multi-channel lifestyle brand with more than 7,000 SKUs across categories from gourmet sweets and nostalgic treats to fashion, accessories, and home decor. Through a blend of nostalgia, style, and an immersive experience whenever you interact with their product, it is hard not to feel like a kid again.
Often called the “Candy Queen”, Dylan Lauren is an entrepreneur, designer, daughter of fashion royalty, and CEO of Dylan’s Candy. The visionary who reimagined how the world experiences candy, Dylan has built one of the most iconic brands in retail-tainment, and become a cultural force – merging sweet nostalgia with cutting-edge design and philanthropic purpose. Listen in as she unwraps where her inspiration comes from, how she unleashed her inner child to turn classic candy stores into a playground for all ages, why her childhood dreams and an eye for color helped her create a brand that tastes as sweet as it did decades ago—and what her next reboot looks like.
Living The Sweet Life
The origins of Dylan’s Candy Bar trace back to when Dylan herself was a child. A big player in her inspiration was Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, which she saw when she was six. Another player in her inspiration came from travelling the world as a kid with her father, and finding many stores to be on the boring side. “I was looking, and didn’t find, a store that was actually fun that had candy,” Dylan recalls. “Everything was slat walls and bins.”
So, she built it. Pulling inspiration from her childhood desires, and from some of her favorite stores like Toys R Us, FAO Schwartz, and Nike Town, Dylan designed a space where people didn’t just buy sweets, they experienced them.
The Pop Of Retail-tainment
Dylan has now built one of the most iconic brands in retail-tainment, the combination of retail and entertainment. Her ability to create such vibrant, candy-based playgrounds in-part comes from her father, Ralph Lauren. Dylan notes that she “watched him grow a tie into a lifestyle brand, down to the door handles and fabrics.” His attention to detail was a skill that Dylan picked up and adapted for her wants.
Those wants, of course, being candy mixed with fun. Which is why Dylan’s Candy Bar stores have candy-based pop-art, candy music playing in the background, and displays that change every season. Candy and Color are names of the game, and Dylan has shown through her stores that she is a master at both.
Dylan’s Candy Bar Next Reboot
After 25 years in business, Dylan still wakes up with new ideas. From expanding internationally, to launching a dessert parlor in LA, the brand will continue to evolve and grow. Currently, Dylan has been partnering with Airports, as people love to be able to get a sweet treat before a flight or get a gift for someone they are visiting. In the past, they have even collaborated with Barbie, running a campaign for Barbie’s 50th anniversary. With the mindset of “Everything could be candy” that Dylan has, there is a world of growth and opportunity for Dylan’s Candy Bar.
