Make is proud to support Harrods’ ambitious multi-year masterplan transformation of the customer experience. This visionary project will introduce a first-of-its-kind ‘vertical’ two-storey boutique concept and will see Harrods, home of the UK’s first escalator in 1898, introduce Europe’s very first curved escalators to act as a striking architectural centrepiece that reflects its commitment to innovation within a heritage setting.
Since the launch of the original Gem Rooms in 1911, Harrods has been the destination of choice for the world’s most discerning collectors. Today, this redevelopment builds on the store’s global leadership in fine jewellery and watches to bring together the two currently separate departments to better reflect clients’ shopping preferences.
With planning permission now granted, construction is set to begin in 2026.
Katy Ghahremani, Director at Make and Project Lead, commented: “We are pleased to have worked alongside Harrods, Historic England, and conservation officers at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to celebrate Harrods’ Edwardian heritage while enhancing and upgrading the current fine jewellery and watches department for future use. Make’s reimagined design of the Grade II*-listed building creates an impressive sense of arrival, emulating the original Edwardian sales rooms. We are reintroducing new double-height halls and creating a sequence of spaces that can be read as a series of rooms, while providing Harrods with the individual brand boutiques that form an essential part of modern-day luxury retail.”
Michael Ward, Managing Director, Harrods, stated: “Harrods has long stood as the global benchmark in luxury retail, and this investment is a statement of our continued leadership as we look to create an unrivalled environment to celebrate the best fine jewellery and watches the world has to offer. This redevelopment is a powerful expression of our commitment to delivering a personalised, elevated, and world-class experience for every client. Our ambition is simple: to lead, not follow.”
Designed to offer the discretion of a private salon with the presence of a flagship boutique, the redevelopment will bring together the world’s most esteemed maisons under one roof. With crafted spatial design, the environment will allow each house to express its identity and deliver exceptional service while contributing to a cohesive and elevated customer journey for both local and global clients. From the architectural centrepiece of Europe’s first curved escalators found in two new escalator halls to the crafted stone detailing and spatial reimagining, the new destination will celebrate both traditional and modern craftsmanship using the finest marble to offer an immersive, brand-led retail environment without rival.
Martin Illingworth, Director of Store Development, Harrods said: “This is undoubtedly one of the most complex and ambitious transformations we’ve undertaken within store in Harrods’ 175 year history. We are reimagining what fine jewellery and watches retail can be—from spatial flow and materials to craftsmanship and connectivity.”
