What: Breuninger’s focus on experiential retail, seamless online-offline integration, and curated premium assortments sets it apart as a modern destination for fashion and lifestyle.

Why it is important: Breuninger’s approach exemplifies how legacy retailers can thrive by combining tradition with digital innovation and experiential retail.

Breuninger, established in 1881, has transformed itself into a leading European fashion and lifestyle retailer by harmonizing its historic roots with a commitment to innovation. The company invests continuously in digitalization, design, and service quality, ensuring that customers experience a seamless journey across both physical stores and digital platforms. Breuninger’s stores are more than retail spaces—they are destinations where fashion, gastronomy, and culture intersect, creating vibrant environments that encourage customers to linger and engage. This experiential approach is complemented by a curated selection of premium and luxury products, personal shopping, and made-to-measure services, all designed to inspire and delight. The retailer’s omnichannel strategy allows customers to move effortlessly between online and offline touchpoints, maintaining a consistent standard of excellence. By positioning fashion as a form of personal expression and focusing on individuality, authenticity, and quality, Breuninger continues to set benchmarks for customer experience and loyalty in the premium retail sector.

IADS Notes: Breuninger’s evolution in 2025 is a prime example of how legacy retailers can thrive by blending tradition with innovation. As reported by Fashion United in July 2025, Breuninger achieved 6% growth and €1.6 billion in GMV for 2024, with 60% of sales coming from online channels and profitability across all markets, underscoring the effectiveness of its integrated digital and physical strategy. Retail News in November 2025 highlighted Breuninger’s expansion into Switzerland and the Netherlands with localized e-commerce and loyalty programs, advancing its omnichannel approach and reinforcing its position as a premium European retailer. The April 2025 opening of the Hamburg flagship, covered by Horston, showcased the brand’s commitment to experiential shopping and curated premium assortments within a major urban development. Breuninger’s partnership with Monocle for an immersive campaign event in Zürich (Monocle, September 2025) and the “Read my Style” fashion and literature event in Düsseldorf (Lokal Büro, August 2025) further illustrate its focus on experiential, narrative-driven retail and community engagement. Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate how Breuninger leverages its heritage, digital transformation, and a customer-centric, omnichannel strategy to remain a leader in the evolving European retail landscape.

Breuninger: The Art of Retail