The primary retail destination for beauty enthusiasts, The Beauty Hall will be followed by two further developments, which will focus on skincare and incorporate masterclass and treatment room spaces. The year long regeneration will result in a 53 per-cent increase in the area devoted to make-up, fragrance, skincare and specialist beauty services.
Reflecting the evolving nature of the world of beauty, the new division champions both power players and new and emerging brands, offering innovative propositions for all genders, ages and backgrounds.
The redevelopment is being driven by Harrods’ Director of Beauty, Accessories, Fine Jewellery & Watches Annalise Fard and her team of world-class buyers, specialists in make-up, skincare and fragrance. Annalise Fard says: “The world of beauty has seen more change in the last five years than the previous 50. We are entering an era of true self-expression, empowerment and celebration of identity, and my vision for Harrods Beauty is to deliver that to every one of our clients. Today, from digital tutorials and personalisation to J-Beauty, the ability to customise and express our individuality through beauty is extraordinary.”
By 2020, Harrods will have expanded its beauty division to nearly 90,000 sq ft across five floors, taking over areas of the store previously occupied by other divisions. The aim is to create an immersive and inspiring experience for customers, designed to create an ultimate beauty environment with an inclusive ambience.
The new Beauty Hall is home to the top make-up and fragrance brands, curated by Harrods’ expert beauty buyers. Superbrands including Chanel, Dior and Tom Ford pave the way to the lifestyle arena and the multibrand ‘play area’, which hosts Rodial, Troy Surrat, Becca and Atelier Cologne, all of which offer new, exclusive products to mark the new landmark space.
Mirroring the innovation of the redevelopment, Harrods welcomes UK-exclusive brands and collections. Gucci Beauty, Fueguia 1833, La Bouche Rouge and Bond No. 9 lipsticks are all housed in The Beauty Hall, with experts on hand to unveil new products from fragrances to scented vegan refillable lipsticks.
“Travelling the world with our talented Beauty team, I’ve witnessed the explosion of Asian creativity, sourced niche brands from unexpected places and listened to the powerful new voices influencing global trends – all of which are impacting beauty both as a concept and an industry,” says Fard. “From industry titans to new and innovative names like Fueguia 1833, the brands in The Beauty Hall will show the world what is possible in 21st century beauty.”
Furthermore, the transformation of The Beauty Hall celebrates the adventurous and inclusive world of beauty, offering a number of bespoke elements to make each customer’s experience unforgettable. “I’m most excited about the magic, innovation and theatre that will define our new beauty offering,” says Fard. “Our ambition is to offer Harrods’ clients instant access to professional insight, experienced know-how and an extraordinary array of curated products and services that can transform both how we look and, ultimately, how we feel.”
To mark the launch of The Beauty Hall, Harrods will come alive with the Metamorphosis celebration and will play host to a number of in-store activities.
On 14th July, ‘Celebrate The Beauty Hall’ is a morning filled with special appearances, exciting brand activations and the opportunity to witness the new space come to life before store opening, in a one-off ticketed event.
Guests will leave with a goodie bag worth more than £1,000, edited by Mia Collins, Head of Beauty at Harrods. Over the coming months, Harrods beauty experts will host a series of staged masterclasses in partnership with leading beauty brands. World-renowned beauty moguls will be invited on stage to share their tips and tricks, passing on pearls of wisdom gathered from their global experiences. Such authority figures include a representative from Anastasia Beverly Hills, and Maria Hatzistefanis, founder of Rodial, to name a few.
On entering the new Beauty Hall, customers have the opportunity for personalised consultations with Harrods’ make-up artists who can guide novices and experts alike through the breadth of products in order to find everyday essentials or special-occasion products.
Further into the hall, customers can test products virtually via the new Magic Mirrors. Through the use of AL Technology (YOUCAM by Perfect Corp), the Magic Mirrors digitally map facial features to generate a live rendering. Customers can apply products (lipstick, foundation, blusher, mascara) without needing to physically test it. The Magic Mirrors form part of the beauty playground, offering the chance to try different looks solo, with a friend or with a Harrods make-up artist.
The new department also offers an array of specialist perfume brands including Le Labo, Aesop and Penhaligon’s. Harrods fragrance experts are on hand for scent wardrobing, advising and guiding customers to a fragrance that suits them. Continuing their journey through the space, customers will enter a hall with the feel of a library, where make-up brands reside, including Huda Beauty, Nars, Laura Mercier, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Hourglass, Bobbi Brown and Charlotte Tilbury.
Designed by GA.Group, the new Beauty Hall takes inspiration from Harrods’ history as a residence, with each room offering a feeling of home. The space emulates the wing of a stately home and includes an entry vestibule, a grand staircase, a fireplace, a library and a dressing room. The result is an exceptionally luxurious environment in keeping with Harrods’ historic Grade II*-listed building.
“My vision is to create an environment that’s unmistakably Harrods that allows for a fully immersive brand experience like nowhere else in the world; a playground to discover the world’s most innovative new beauty products, as well as a place to celebrate can’t-live-without icons,” says Annalise Fard. “Most of all, it will be a must-visit destination and a platform for creating engaging, must-see content for our clients.”
Future developments in Beauty at Harrods will see educational elements come to life, harnessing the beauty community’s passion for sharing and creating content, and the launch of personalised services to help customers create the perfect daily routine and special-occasion looks.
The next phase of the redevelopment is due to be completed this autumn.
Find out more
Harrods.com