LONDON — Learn the room.
That’s simply what Harrods desires prospects to do after they go to the designer womenswear areas present process a multiyear refurbishment that started final 12 months and can proceed into 2026.
Harrods has been working with David Collins Studio to create a heat, superbly lit atmosphere, whereas the in-house staff has additionally been considering creatively, grouping manufacturers and designers by theme and enhancing the store ground in order that it’s simpler to learn.
“It’s a complicated constructing — it’s not like a purchasing road with straight traces,” mentioned Simon Longland, the shop’s director of shopping for, style.
He mentioned the primary ground, the place the designer womenswear collections reside, had grown organically through the years, spreading in all instructions. “So what we’ve completed now’s reorganize, group manufacturers which might be like-minded and provides them the correct area to breathe,” he mentioned.
The Yves Salomon area within the new Designer Assortment rooms Harrods.
The brand new areas are additionally very customer-focused, he added. “We wish prospects to reach right here, and be capable of learn the room — identical to that,” he mentioned with a snap of his fingers. “We additionally need to give them selection and a way of discovery.”
The newest space to endure refurbishment is the Designer Assortment rooms, which supply a mixture of shops-in-shop for larger luxurious manufacturers similar to Hermès, Brunello Cucinelli, Ralph Lauren and Yves Salomon and extra specialist, area of interest names.
Close to the row of shops-in-shop is a room that has the texture of a sublime city sq.. It’s stuffed with smaller branded areas and pavilions for manufacturers together with Agnona, Colombo, Eleventy, Sa Su Phi, Nomadissem, Wolk Morais and Johnston’s of Elgin.
Longland mentioned that whereas these manufacturers could have totally different identities, additionally they have quite a bit in frequent. They’re “ageless, timeless, seasonless,” with a give attention to tailoring and knitwear and materials similar to cashmere and silk. He additionally sees them as makers of wardrobe constructing blocks.
The newly refurbished area has a mixture of wholesale and concession, and Harrods has marked the opening with a number of U.Okay. exclusives, together with Agnona, Colombo, Wolk Morais and Nomadissem.
The brand new Agnona area within the Designer Assortment rooms at Harrods.
The manufacturers see the brand new space as a perfect showcase. “We’re glad to embark on our growth within the U.Okay. area beginning with such an excellent accomplice by our aspect,” mentioned Stefano Aimone, Agnona’s chief govt officer and inventive director.
Aimone designed the Harrods shop-in-shop himself. It options white marble partitions, vintage Venetian tiling strategies and handmade glass. On the coronary heart of the room is a picket counter impressed by the crates as soon as used to move premium wools hailing from varied continents.
For Wolk Morais, the Los Angeles-based tailoring model impressed by previous Hollywood model, promoting at Harrods is a milestone. Till now, the model has been stocked at small specialty shops and completed commissions for personal shoppers and the crimson carpet.
“It’s our first massive division retailer,” mentioned Brian Wolk, who cofounded the model with Claude Morais. He added that it was Longland who “found” them throughout one style week on the Palais Royal in Paris.
One of many becoming rooms within the new Designer Assortment rooms at Harrods.
They’ve stuffed their Harrods area with a variety of cocooning double-face coats, capes and bolero-style jackets in colours starting from burgundy and brown to lipstick crimson and sizzling pink. The model caters to women and men, and is available in a variety of sizes.
Though the general area hasn’t been open for lengthy, tailoring has been a prime vendor, and shoppers have been shopping for “a number of items throughout a number of manufacturers,” Longland mentioned. He added that the Italian model Colombo, which makes a speciality of cashmere, is the primary by way of gross sales.
The realm resembles Harrods’ different newly refurbished rooms: Lingerie and Lounge, Night and Event, and Vacation and Swim.
The palette takes in sage, taupe, cream and burnt orange. There are gold and silver rails, whereas flooring have been completed in timber parquet and two-tone marble. Partitions and panels are coated in material, whereas dressing rooms have comfortable lighting and three-way mirrors.
There may be extra to return within the new 12 months, with Max Mara and Moncler opening massive shops-in-shop close to the timeless luxurious rooms.
The Eleventy area on the new Designer Assortment rooms at Harrods.
In April, the ultimate part of the Designer Assortment rooms will open, themed round prints, clothes and extra trend-driven types. Manufacturers will embody Roksanda, La DoubleJ, Missoni, Etro and Erdem.
Subsequent fall, Harrods’ Superbrands room, which incorporates Prada, Gucci, Dior and Loro Piana, can be refurbished. The Worldwide Designer rooms, which function names similar to Givenchy, Chloé and Alaïa, will get a facelift in early 2026.