Harrods’ New Lingerie Space Is an Ode to Luxury, and Practicality
LONDON — Harrods’ womenswear blitz has begun with the opening this week of a “Lingerie and Lounge Universe,” part of a 200 million pound-plus, 10-year storewide refurbishment.
The first-floor space, which spans roughly 16,000 square feet, is 50 percent larger than the previous one. It offers a broader selection of lingerie, sleep and lounge wear; larger dressing rooms with sympathetic, three-way lighting, and soft-edged interiors by David Collins Studio.
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It is the first reopening on the womenswear floor, which will be progressively refurbished in a long-term project set to wrap up in 2026.
Some 47 brands are on offer, 14 of which are new to Harrods. There are also exclusives from bestselling brand Olivia Von Halle and from Aubade’s new Elie Saab collaboration. La Perla, Skims and Livy are among the eight brands that have dedicated shop fits.
The offer ranges from Luna Mae couture lingerie to Calvin Klein cotton underwear, while the loungewear area carries labels such as Charvet, Falke and Leset.
David Collins Studio, which has worked frequently with Harrods over the years, has created a luxe space with Art Deco flair in a palette that takes in sage, taupe, cream and burnt orange. There are gold and silver rails and timber parquet floors, while walls and panels are covered in velvet or moiré silk.
The green tones carry into the dressing rooms, which are especially roomy. They have small tables for mobile phones and handbags, and special oval-shaped gold hooks for lingerie. A large private suite has been set aside for bridal parties, couture fittings and other special clients. All of the spaces have three light settings meant to mimic morning, afternoon and evening.
Simon Longland, director of buying, fashion, said Harrods wanted to respond to how people buy lingerie today, and to make them as comfortable as possible.
“Over recent years, the way that our customers shop for their intimate investment pieces has changed, with lingerie and lounge becoming just as important a building block as any other wardrobe element,” he said.
Longland added that the new space aims to offer “something for everyone, and every need.” There are also services such as bra fittings and bespoke alterations.
He said Harrods wanted to raise the bar on lingerie shopping.
“I think stores generally treat lingerie as a ‘category,’ but it is the foundation of every outfit. It is not a commodity. The client’s experience in the lingerie space should be consistent, and at the same level, of whatever category they are buying. We needed to make this space as appropriate for the Harrods customer as it could possibly be,” said Longland.
Harrods wanted the space to be as inviting, and unthreatening, as possible. “You should want to come here, to go through the try-on experience because we’ve elevated it and made it something to enjoy — not a chore,” said Longland.
It has been laid out to make shopping easy, and as discreet as possible. Brands have been grouped by category, and also by price point, so that customers can beeline straight to what they want. The changing rooms are at the back of the space (and do not open onto the shop floor) in order to make the experience private and stress-free.
Lewis Taylor, design director at David Collins studio, said the aim was to create a “soft and calming environment.”
He added that during the design process “we carefully considered the customer journey at every step, ensuring ease of navigation across product categories and from one lingerie room to the next. Our intention was to create carefully considered focal points and sightlines across the rooms while ensuring the shopper felt protected, with a certain level of privacy.”
Two more womenswear rooms are set for redevelopment this year, and a further four will be revamped in 2024, the same year that Harrods will mark its 175th anniversary.
The store has said that its goal is to elevate the retail experience, and to match what the luxury brands offer at their stand-alone stores.
Harrods has certainly had a closeup view. Over the past 12 months the Knightsbridge store has hosted two major brand takeovers, the gingerbread-themed Fabulous World of Dior and Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama: Infinite Possibility.
It has also staged popups for Fendace, the collaboration between Fendi and Versace, and for Celine and Loewe. The Prada Caffè, meanwhile, has taken over the store’s ground floor restaurant space on Hans Crescent.
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