H Beauty

With a number of long-established high street stalwarts forced into retirement in the wake of the pandemic, luxury department store retailer Harrods is modernising the retail experience with the introduction of a new market-leading model, which combines concession elements with an ‘apothecary’ style experience.

The arrival of the H Beauty store marks the latest stage of Harrods’ plans to grow its domestic footprint by continuing its expansion into the beauty sector. Indeed, the birth of the standalone beauty retail concept model not only allows the brand to position itself as a beauty authority, but enables customers to benefit from the trademark sophisticated Harrods experience without having to venture to the capital.

With its high-profile London location, historically Harrods has benefitted from international spending and tourist revenue; however the launch of H Beauty in 2020 not only dovetailed fortuitously with global travel restrictions, but marked a new focus on domestic and regional markets. Introduced at a variety of regional locations, H Beauty stores have been able to attract a fresh customer demographic, bringing the luxury shopping experience to new audiences. With stores in Bristol, Essex, Milton Keynes and Edinburgh (and a fifth planned in Newcastle in summer 2022), the concept has been developed in response to current market trends – most notably a renewed demand for high-quality retail experiences. Fears of a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour after Covid have proved unfounded, with e-commerce popularity matched by an appetite for the kind of experiences available only in store.

Described as ‘beauty playgrounds’ the expertly curated H Beauty stores bring together a range of exciting high-end make-up, skincare and fragrance brands under one roof, placing legacy names and next generation newcomers side-by-side. Exclusivity is a huge part of the stores’ appeal, with outlets stocking exclusive items and cult products unavailable at the main Harrods outlet, designed to facilitate product discovery through a specialist experience.

Featuring on-site champagne bars, skincare stations for mini treatments plus interactive ‘play’ tables for customers to experiment with products (and take Insta-worthy snaps), the chief aim of the model is to create an immersive experience  something that has become exceedingly rare in an increasingly digital world.

This is not to say that Harrods is turning its back on tech: H Beauty stores also feature ‘magic mirrors’ which use augmented reality technology to enable customers to try on products virtually and share images via their phones. It’s this blending of worlds that gives the model its very unique appeal, drawing enough custom to counter losses from online shopping.

The curation of the experiential environment also extends to service, with staff employed by Harrods directly and instructed to dress for their day, supporting a more relaxed and welcoming feel for shoppers who may be put off by the more formal attire favoured in the Knightsbridge store.

With the costs of leasing a commercial property space higher than ever, Harrods’ new model also gestures towards a more sustainable future. Models like the H Beauty store bring together a range of brands without needing for each of them to cover the costs of their own space – circumnavigating the need to embark on construction work to achieve a bespoke display for each individual brand. This is better for operational and environmental purposes, requiring less resources.

Ultimately, this is a hugely important milestone not just for Harrods, but the future of the retail sector. In pivoting towards the creation of a more experiential environment, retailers are able to appeal to a broader audience by offering something beyond the capabilities of online shopping.