Mark Venables casts his eye over the upmarket retailer's latest Middle East store
The opening of Harvey Nichols in the Mall of the Emirates last month was a widely anticipated event. After my visit, I find myself impressed with what they have achieved and enthusiastic about the standard this store sets for retail in Dubai.
But the message I am getting across the grapevine is largely negative principally why doesn't it feel like Harvey Nichols in London? Well, precisely because Joseph Wan (the CEO) with his designers, merchandisers and buyers are too canny for that. He knows that his main volume will come not from the nostalgia Janes off the beach strip, but from aspirant local shoppers and the extensive tourist traffic that the Mall is designed to tap. Take a deeper look at Harvey Nichols' launch campaign 'Forget London Now in Dubai' to appreciate just how well Wan has succeeded.
The environment
The physical design and the use of space works even prior to entry: the right side of the main entrance and the stunning window displays impel the browser, and signal to the dedicated shopper. At the store entrances, the visual pull is directly down the wide 'avenues', dramatically enhancing the powerful use of display models. The wonderful lack of in your face screaming signage, the discreet positioning (and behavior) of staff, and the spatial sense of "we don't need dirhams for EVERY square foot of this shop" generates a heightened sense of sophisticated chic and retail cool that is unique in Dubai.
But beware! The lighting is ice, uniform, un-modulated (obvious exception being the alluring blue glow from the display units at lady's fashion apparel). This means minimal use of lighting to differentiate mood and zonal separation. The sense of zoning thus depends on the display units seen to best effect in the impressive Ralph Lauren home section on the top floor, but weak elsewhere. I especially missed this in the food section, which does seem to me to be surprisingly small.
Can't move on without reference to the shoe display awesome.
The product
Inevitably, Harvey Nichols' ranging strategy will suffer, like all new entrants, from existing exclusive branding deals that are endemic in the Gulf. In the end, it's hard to know why a Jimmy Choo fan would pay much attention to the 13 pairs of his shoes mauvely on display at Harvey Nichols when there is whole shop-worth at the Boulevard. Clearly, the management understand this dilemma and were at pains to point out that of the 400 brands in the store, 100 are new and unique to Harvey Nichols, and counting.
My sense is that they have done enough for the moment by way of brand diversity, novelty and depth.
Shoppers will visit while there is plenty that is new. However, to maintain the cross-purchasing halo effect, Harvey Nichols will have to continue to innovate they say that this is what they aim to do. It is likely that the existing new brand clusters are at present sufficient to make the store a true destination for shoppers.
Service
Anyone who has shopped in Nordstrom's San Francisco, for example, will know that quality of staff and the way they serve the customer promotes the retail experience from good to great. Harvey Nichols has taken this lesson on board. I found the floor staff to be excellent in their product knowledge, discreet attitude and level of helpful attention when asked for advice. The managerial staff have been recruited from top of the range luxury stores worldwide, reflecting the retailer's valuation of global, diversified talent. The absence of Harvey Nichols-implanted staff seemed to give the new recruits a keener edge.
Location within the Mall
The distribution of stores within large malls will inevitably create winners and losers, Mall of the Emirates is no exception. Mall management attempts to achieve integration by the focused use of anchors outlets to which many browsing as well as destination shoppers are drawn and are thus drawn into and through the space.
At the Mall of the Emirates, the curious positioning of the anchors, coupled with weak signage and poor visual differentiation has served to diminish the impact of the anchors.
Harvey Nichols, however, comes out a winner. Its location at a key entry point means that shoppers can readily visit Harvey Nichols as if it is, in effect, a standalone outlet. This may encourage the marketing strategists in the company to de-emphasize its Mall of the Emirates situation and play to its own uniqueness. The key point is that Harvey Nichols is much less dependent on mall traffic most of its footfall will be its own.
Perhaps this is the solution to another of Joseph Wan's observations about his retail strategy in the Gulf. He doubted that Harvey Nichols was a strong enough brand to stand alone without the cluster effect in a mall. However, with the pull of the name, he has been able to achieve prime location, realizing the nearest thing to a standalone destination without building an independent flagship.
Theatre
Finally, a much debated criticism amongst my colleagues relates to the lack of theatre in the store.
Ultimately cool may become chill without a greater sense of in-store energy.
Where we do concur is that this is by far the finest store in Dubai but perhaps the opportunity to be fantastic has eluded the planners.
© Gulf Marketing Review 2006
