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Harvey Nichols by Virgile and Partners, Birmingham

Personal Shopping suite at Harvey Nichols by Virgile and Partners, Birmingham

Women's Footwear at Harvey Nichols by Virgile and Partners, Birmingham

Harvey Nichols by Virgile and Partners, Birmingham

Personal Shopping suite at Harvey Nichols by Virgile and Partners, Birmingham

Concierge concept

By Victoria Buchanan 07 : 08 : 2015 Harvey Nichols : Birmingham : Department Store

Birmingham, UK – Harvey Nichols has opened a new store in Birmingham with a focus on technology and concierge-style services.

Retailer hopes to emulate the feeling of a boutique shopping experience
Store borrows from the hospitality sector, offering a range of concierge services including coat check and valet parking

Moving away from department store aesthetics, store designer Virgile and Partners was inspired by the idea of controlled disruption. The usual beauty hall entrance has been replaced with a dramatic 39ft LED tunnel that features digital art. Inside, the womenswear, menswear, beauty and accessories sections blur into each other.

The store also focuses on concierge-led services, such as private shopping lounges with access to personal shoppers, smart fitting rooms with 360-degree mirrors, a private VIP entrance, valet parking and a coat check.

‘Customers have told us they love going into hotels, getting rid of everything as they walk in and having it all taken care of,’ says Shadi Halliwell, group marketing and creative director at Harvey Nichols.

The Big Picture: Retailers are borrowing from the hospitality industry and experimenting with hotel-style services. For more, see Pimkie’s Mini Fashion Bar and Gap’s collaboration with Virgin Hotels.