Harrods Women's Designer Wear, Lighting Design International
Harrods Women's Designer Wear, Lighting Design International
The illumination of the women's designer wear department of Harrods department store in London has won a Build Back Better GOLD Award in the 2025 lighting category.
The illumination of the women's designer wear department of Harrods department store in London has won a Build Back Better GOLD Award in the 2025 lighting category.
Developed by Lighting Design International, the scheme features track luminaires specifically selected with sustainability in mind, with exceptional circularity (TM66) and embodied carbon (TM65) scores.
Housed in an area of the store that features historic decorative ceilings, the listed ceiling could not be disturbed. To overcome this, a bespoke suspended track solution was developed allowing flexible spotlighting onto brand mats, displays and mannequins.
The track is powered from a minimal power locations and suspended below the historic ceiling in harmony with the space’s heritage. Concealed cabling behind beam casings distributes power to the suspended track for retail spotlighting and smaller upward spotlights to highlight the historic ceiling feature mouldings.
Entrances are framed by mannequin displays backlit by a warm halo of light, and discreetly spotlit from three sides, providing inviting and dramatic displays for the brands available within the development.
The combination of warm welcoming 2400K indirect lighting and 2700K high colour rendering spotlighting sets the tone for the department with all lighting selected from a limited number of suppliers for colour consistency and a feeling of unity across the brands.
Around the room perimeters, concealed indirect lighting washes fluted bulkheads, offering ambient light to the space, while showcasing the architecture and providing a consistent illuminated signage band for branding.
The ambient warm light in the space, is punctuated by low glare high colour rendering spotlighting, creating contrast to accentuate the luxurious fabrics. LDI took care to ensure minimal amounts of direct illumination to the floor, ensuring garments, hats a product displays are the main feature.
All retail lighting uses high colour rendering, with 2700K colour temperature. This has produced a luxury hospitality feel, while also ensuring the fabric colours are vibrant and true in colour representation.
The track luminaires were specifically selected with sustainability in mind, with excellent circularity (TM66) and embodied carbon (TM65) scores, and the number of fittings was carefully considered keeping energy consumption across the department low. Almost all track lighting is product focussed allowing general light levels to be lower, further reducing energy for a sustainable focussed, comfortable and exclusive setting.
Luminaires and details were sampled and tested to ensure balance of effect and tone throughout.
Credits:
Client – Harrods
Lighting design: Lighting Design International
Interior Designer – David Collins Studio
Architect – Woods Hardwick
Project Manager – Ainsley & Partners
M&E Consultant – Silcock Dawson
Main Contractor – TC&D Construction
Photographer – Andrew Beasley
