Harvey Nichols opens multilevel menswear destination

Harvey Nichols menswear grand opening stunt

British department store chain Harvey Nichols is including a broad audience in the opening of its new menswear department through a virtual experience.

Consumers can take a digital tour of the two-floor space opened April 7 at its Knightsbridge store to get a feel for the 270 labels carried, including Alexander McQueen, Valentino and Gucci. While Harvey Nichols’ flagship is in London, the store caters to clientele across the United Kingdom, making this online tour a way to make the grand opening an affair for all of its customers.

Going to the dogs
Harvey Nichols’ new menswear space is 28,000-square-feet. Designed by architects Virgil + Partners, the boutique is decked out in marble, oak and metal, providing a bespoke environment to house casual wear, tailoring, denim, footwear and accessories.

Harvey Nichols’ menswear department

Seven rooms hold exclusive collections, including lines from Neil Barrett and John Elliott. The array of styles within the department ranges from contemporary labels to classic designer brands.

A style concierge will be on hand to help consumers pick out a suit or master business casual attire. Consumers can book appointments in advance to work with the stylist free of charge.

In May, Harvey Nichols will open the full-service Aono Barbershop and the Basement Bar + Kitchen, serving up cocktails and coffees in a sociable space.

Also launching in May is Project 109, a concept space that will host installation and collaborations. This will kick off with Hypebeast.

Harvey Nichols took to social media to celebrate the grand opening, sharing pictures of models walking identically dressed dapper dogs. The retailer documented its on-the-street-marketing on Snapchat.

On Harvey Nichols’ Web site, consumers who could not make it to the grand opening could take a tour of the new space. Powered by Avenue Imperial, the virtual experience enables consumers to effectively walk through the department by using arrows to navigate.

Harvey Nichols virtual experience

Making it interactive, hotspots indicated with a plus sign bring up product information, allowing consumers to shop the new destination from their device.

Adding a social media component, screenshots of the space can be shared on Twitter or Facebook.

In 2014, fellow British department store chain Selfridges revamped its menswear offerings with the addition of in-store boutiques.

The newly opened boutiques are meant to create a menswear destination within Selfridges’ London location. Recently, there has been a shift in attention, with many retailers and apparel labels beginning to focus more on the affinities of a discerning, fashion-forward male consumer (see story).

from
http://www.luxurydaily.com/harvey-nichols-opens-multilevel-menswear-destination/