The Lingerie Boutique is the newest womenswear department of the high-end department store Harrods. Unveiled on the retailer’s first floor, the dedicated space showcases a range of flattering loungewear and lingerie sets from much-loved brands such as Skims and La Perla. The department also offers a range of unique services alongside capsule collections designed exclusively for Harrods.

To ensure the clothes can be fully appreciated, a considered lighting scheme was required. Award-winning independent lighting design consultants Lighting Design International (LDI) were commissioned for the project. Having worked with Harrods on a number of previous lighting projects, the team had demonstrated their ability to deliver for the renowned British retailer.

The new department is housed in an area of the store that features historic decorative ceilings. As a listed part of the building, the ceiling could not be disturbed or altered. To overcome this, LDI developed a bespoke suspended track solution. This allows flexible spotlighting onto different sections where brands are grouped together.

Additional spots deliver uplighting, illuminating key parts of the intricate ceiling so the architecture can be enjoyed.

Upon entry to the department, a mannequin stands atop a plinth that is backlit by a warm halo of light. This provides depth and acts as an introduction to the warm soft ambience of the space. Around the perimeter, integral lighting has been added through the use of fluted bulkheads. This offers indirect ambient light to the space while showcasing the architecture and providing a consistent illuminated signage band for branding.

Elsewhere across the boutique, integral lighting has been introduced by LDI into the signage on the hanging rails, and around the bases of the perimeter hanging fixtures. This adds a layer of depth and interest to the lighting scheme. The column cladding is now also illuminated with integral lighting, providing further feature lighting to the column VM displays.

Lighting Design International has used ambient lighting to great effect, choosing indirect light in a 2400K. The extra warm white colour temperature creates a soft, flattering and welcoming environment. This warmer light has been continued through to the signage as this is an important part of the feel of the space. Softer-lit signage reduces any harshness or brashness, making it more integrated into the department.

The space has a background level of warm, indirect lighting punctuated for contrast on the products by well-focussed spotlighting. LDI has taken great care to ensure a minimal amount of direct illumination onto the floor, which would break the softness and fluid nature of the lighting.

All of the retail lighting is high colour rendering, with a temperature of 2700K. This has produced a residential or hospitality feel, while also ensuring fabric colours are vibrant and true in colour representation – something that is very important to give shoppers a real feel for the items they are buying.

The track-mounted luminaires were selected with sustainability in mind, with excellent circularity and embodied carbon investigated through the TM65 and TM66 calculations.

All of the luminaires were sampled by Lighting Design International, to ensure they delivered a balance of effect and tone. The result needed to be a luxurious, relaxing warm lighting effect with balanced colour hues – which has undoubtedly been achieved.

Graham Rollins, Creative Director at Lighting Design International said “It was a tremendous pleasure to collaborate once more with Harrods on yet another sensational department to their renowned store. Illuminating the lingerie boutique presented a unique challenge, given the historical ceilings, but the outcome is truly breathtaking. The warm lighting creates a relaxed ambience, inviting shoppers to unwind rather than feeling like they’re in a typical retail environment. We are pleased with the results and look forward to collaborating with Harrods again in the future.”