The Interview: Harrods Director of Fashion Buying on the new ‘Designer Collections’ menswear room and growing demand for ‘understated luxury’

Harrods recently unveiled its redesigned ‘Designer Collections’ room at its Knightsbridge flagship, marking a significant evolution of the retailer’s menswear offering and a major expansion of its lifestyle category.

The new space brings together brands including Barbour, Orlebar Brown, Paul & Shark, Sease, Purdey, Herno and Vilebrequin, with newly designed shop fits – each tailored to reflect the individual identity and craftsmanship of the brands featured within the space.

The redesign has also been created to reflect changing customer behaviours and the growing demand for complete wardrobe solutions, championing “a holistic approach to modern dressing” while bringing together luxury fashion, lifestyle and versatility within one destination.

There is also a dedicated pop-up area to host exclusive launches, seasonal stories and brand activations, adding a touch of retail theatre to proceedings.

Harrods Director of Buying, Fashion, Simon Longland, who has been in his current role for approaching four years but has been part of the Harrods buying team for almost 19 years, having previously held accessories buying roles at Liberty and Selfridges, tells TheIndustry.fashion about the highlights and key focus of the new menswear destination.

How would you best describe the newly redesigned Menswear Designer Collections Room and what are the real highlights?

The new Designer Collections Room has a much more relaxed, lifestyle-focused approach to menswear. While our ‘Superbrands’ area continues to focus on the world’s leading luxury houses, this new space responds to the growing demand for a quieter, more understated approach to luxury. The focus of this new room is on casual, off-duty dressing, with collections designed around how our customers spend their time outside work. Whether that’s a weekend in the countryside wearing Barbour or a holiday in the South of France sporting Orlebar Brown, the room brings together brands that reflect these different aspects of our customers’ lifestyles.

Why has there been a focus on brands such as Herno, Purdey, Barbour, Sease, Orlebar Brown, Paul & Shark and Vilebrequin in particular?

The common thread across these brands is that they are all best in class at what they do. Each brings a particular expertise and a strong identity to the room. Whether that’s Herno’s expertise in outerwear, Paul & Shark’s exceptional quality or Vilebrequin’s authority in beachwear, we have selected brands that are specialists in their respective categories. These are also brands that have performed well for us and continued to grow over recent years. The new room is an opportunity to give them greater visibility and a space that better reflects their positioning.

So, the selection has been driven by previously strong sales performance?

Our approach has been to build on brands that have already demonstrated strong performance and customer demand. We often introduce brands through pop-ups before considering a more permanent or larger space. This allows us to understand how customers respond and develop our relationship with the brand. The new Designer Collections Room is a natural progression of that approach, bringing together established performers in a more cohesive environment.

How well has it been received so far?

The response has been incredibly strong. We have seen a very positive reaction from our customers, which reinforces our confidence in this more lifestyle-led approach to menswear.

How is menswear generally performing for Harrods?

Menswear is performing very strongly, with particularly positive momentum around timeless luxury and investment pieces. Brands such as Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli and Zegna continue to resonate with our customers, alongside the more understated approach to luxury represented by brands such as The Row. We are also seeing the continued strength of preppy dressing, with Ralph Lauren being a particularly good example of a brand that appeals across different age groups. What is exciting is the breadth of demand, from established luxury houses to more contemporary designers.

Are there any particular trends that are having a strong impact on sales?

We continue to see strong demand for timeless, understated luxury, with customers investing in quality, craftsmanship and pieces that will remain relevant beyond a single season. More broadly, there is a growing appetite for relaxed, versatile wardrobes that combine luxury with everyday wearability.

What other new additions can we expect to see coming into the Designer Collections Room for SS27?

The room has been designed to evolve, with a flexible approach that allows us to introduce new brands and collections throughout the year. In fact, we will continue to use our dedicated pop-up spaces to test new concepts and respond to customer demand, with a particular focus on brands that complement the room’s lifestyle positioning. New additions will be revealed in good time.

How big is the new dedicated pop-up area and how is that now being utilised?

There are actually two dedicated pop-up areas, each approximately 215 sq ft. They will feature rotating brand activations, typically changing every three to six months, depending on the season. We also have other pop-up spaces that allow us to introduce different brands and collections throughout the year, with a focus on seasonal relevance. However, our customers are international and often shop for different climates throughout the year, whether that’s preparing for a summer holiday in the middle of winter or travelling somewhere cooler during the summer months. This is something we always consider when developing our offer.

Are there any other major plans for the new menswear room?

Retail theatre is an important part of the Harrods experience. We work closely with our brand partners to create engaging in-store experiences that go beyond the product itself, whether through special activations, exclusive pieces or events. The new room gives us further opportunities to bring this approach to life and create memorable experiences for our menswear customers.

Who would you say is Harrods’ real target customer for menswear these days?

Our menswear customer is highly diverse, spanning different ages, nationalities and style preferences, from luxury brands like Louis Vuitton to more contemporary names such as Stone Island. What unites them is a desire for exceptional quality, service and exclusivity. Harrods stands out through its deep customer understanding and close brand partnerships, enabling us to offer exclusive products, limited editions, personalisation and bespoke services. Combined with expert sales associates, tailoring and a highly personalised shopping experience, this creates a unique level of service that sets Harrods apart.