What: Debenhams plans to expand its physical beauty showroom concept with 3-5 new locations following the success of its London Soho space, which offers treatments and product exploration alongside its digital platform.

Why it is important: This expansion demonstrates how digital-first retailers can successfully integrate physical touchpoints to enhance customer experience and brand engagement, creating a new model for online-native businesses.

Debenhams is set to expand its physical retail presence with plans to open between three and five new beauty showrooms, building on the success of its London Soho location. The existing showroom on Great Pulteney Street, which has been operating since 2023, offers customers an immersive beauty experience including fragrance, make-up, and skincare exploration, alongside treatments such as brow tinting, facials, and blow-dries. While specific locations haven't been confirmed, major cities including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Cardiff are potential targets for expansion. CEO Dan Finley emphasises the strategic importance of beauty in the company's overall vision, noting its role in creating delightful customer experiences and leveraging the synergy between fashion and beauty communities. The retailer's commitment to the category is evidenced by the addition of 70 new premium and prestige beauty brands to its site in the past financial year alone.

IADS Notes: Debenhams' June 2025 announcement of plans to expand its beauty showroom concept builds upon the company's transformation. The strategy follows a period of strong digital performance, with the retailer achieving a 65% increase in gross merchandise value to £359.687 million and doubled EBITDA. This financial strength has enabled investment in both physical and digital innovations, as demonstrated by the May 2025 implementation of virtual try-on technology. The success of this integrated approach has been so significant that it led to Boohoo Group rebranding as Debenhams Group in March 2025, acknowledging the effectiveness of combining digital excellence with strategic physical presence. The planned expansion of 3-5 new beauty showrooms, following the success of the London Soho space, represents the next phase in Debenhams' evolution, leveraging its digital foundation to create experiential retail destinations that combine treatments, product exploration, and technological innovation.

Debenhams plans more beauty showrooms after London success