Dickson Concepts to open new Harvey Nichols concept

Dickson Concepts has unveiled a new luxury retail concept merging the cutting-edge technology with a personalised styling service, to be launched under the Harvey Nichols banner.

The first flagship store for the new format will be unveiled at Pacific Place in Autumn next year, with plans to expand the concept globally.

Dickson Concepts says it plans to invest HK$250 million on the Pacific Place store and up to a further HK$1 billion in technology and technology-related companies, together with additional stores abroad.

The project has evolved from the strategic partnership between Dickson Concepts and its Harvey Nichols Group subsidiary in the UK, announced in March, in which the parent company gained access to the department store’s digital expertise and will use it to create a seamless inventory across the UK and Hong Kong businesses, allowing customers to shop the entire range and even consult with store staff online. The move has trebled the number of products available to shoppers.

Harvey Nichols concept 2

In a statement, Dickson Concepts said it will build on the Harvey Nichols business based on two formats – one being the flagship new format store just announced, the other the traditional flagship store format which Harvey Nichols Landmark operates under.

“Together, the two formats will allow Dickson Concepts to maximise and fully develop the potential of Harvey Nichols in different parts of the world.”

Day and night service

The new concept store will allow Harvey Nichols to offer “day and night service” for the first time, with in-store stylists serving customers during the day and Harvey Nichols’ UK stylist network servicing the e-commerce platform during the night.

“The service will allow customers to shop live and obtain styling advice from Harvey Nichols’ stylists in Hong Kong and the UK via instant messaging, photo sharing, and live video streaming, even during late evening in Hong Kong. Products selected can then be shipped directly to the customers’ home, office or our Hong Kong store for personal service and immediate alteration by our expert tailors as maybe required, thereby creating a service that is unmatched by pure online operators,” the company said.

The live online shopping functionality is powered by global retail technology company Hero, with which Harvey Nichols signed a strategic partnership in June.

“Technology is core to Harvey Nichols’ new store format and is carefully interwoven into the store to drive the most immersive, enjoyable, and personalised shopping experience possible,” the company said.

“In its new retail format, Harvey Nichols’ online exclusive offering will be interspersed into the presentation of physical products to provide customers with the full view of the most up to date and exciting products available, while allowing even frequent customers to explore and discover new product stories on every visit. Customers will be able to scan any digital products showcased in the store directly onto their own smartphones, or alternatively be served with an expert team of stylists.”

Harvey Nichols concept - Dickson

The Pacific Place store will feature an online style lounge where dedicated stylists will work to provide each customer with product recommendations built around the customer’s personal taste, needs and preferences.

“This will allow each customer to be presented with a selection of coordinated outfits that are completely tailored to them, without experiencing the frustrations of surfing through thousands of products available online to find the perfect piece.”

The new store will be located on the second level of the current Harvey Nichols store at Pacific Place, and will showcase three times the offering. The existing store will be reduced in size from 84,000sqft to 42,000sqft,  resulting in a large reduction in fixed costs and substantially increased sales due to the significant increase in products and brands offered. “As such, the new format will allow Dickson Concepts to maximise sales densities and profits, compete against pure online operators, while offering customers the most curated product and service offering possible,” the company said.

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