What: The luxury department store embarks on a strategic reorganisation of its designer collections, creating dedicated spaces for timeless luxury brands while enhancing the customer journey through improved layout and brand curation.

Why it is important: This transformation exemplifies how luxury department stores are evolving their physical spaces to meet changing consumer expectations, balancing brand presentation with intuitive customer navigation.

Harrods' latest phase of renovation focuses on reimagining its Designer Collection rooms through collaboration with David Collins Studio. The redesign creates a warm, carefully lit environment that groups complementary brands together, addressing the challenge of navigation in the historic building's complex layout. The newly refurbished area features a mix of major luxury brand shops-in-shop, including Hermès, Brunello Cucinelli, and Ralph Lauren, alongside a curated space for niche labels like Agnona, Colombo, and Wolk Morais. The transformation emphasises "ageless, timeless, seasonless" collections, particularly in tailoring and knitwear. This strategic organisation extends to future developments, with planned openings for Max Mara and Moncler, and upcoming renovations of the Superbrands and International Designer rooms through 2026.

IADS Notes: The renovation aligns with broader trends in luxury retail transformation during 2024. While Harrods' approach to creating intuitive spaces reflects industry-wide efforts to enhance customer navigation, its thematic brand clustering mirrors successful initiatives by other luxury retailers. The emphasis on distinct, curated environments echoes recent department store transformations, while the comprehensive scope of the project, including The Georgian restaurant renovation, demonstrates how luxury retailers are creating cohesive, memorable shopping experiences.

Harrods builds a new home for timeless luxury