Historic Norwegian department store completes major transformation with new beauty hall
Norwegian department store Steen & Strøm is to launch a new 900 square metre beauty hall this month following a £25.7 million refurbishment.
The renovation is part of a two-year master plan to make the 224-year-old department store fit for the future.
Home to wide range of premium and luxury brands including Chanel and Le Labo, the new beauty hall features a skin lab for niche brands, a men’s grooming area and a fragrance bar. In addition, Dior Beauty will be opening its first boutique in the Nordics within the hall.
Annette Lund, chief executive of the store’s management company Promenaden Management, said: “The beauty hall concept is a true USP for us in the city, the country, and for Scandinavia – and keeps our wider investment on track. We are especially excited to be bringing global brands such as Dior to the Nordic market – evidence of our international profile as an affluent nation, and we already see several other international brands eyeing the market.”
The next phase of the masterplan will include transforming the remaining floors of the store through the addition of luxury partners and a new visual identity and omnichannel strategy.
David Wilkinson, executive director of Steen & Strøm, added: “Steen & Strøm represents a unique retail destination as the ‘Store of Oslo’ and we are looking forward to now being able to offer a beauty concept of the highest international standards. A brand new ecommerce platform is also on the cards for the near future as part of our re-positioning strategy – and it will of course feature beauty and cosmetics as part of its offering.”
Despite the ongoing impact of Covid-19 restrictions in Oslo, the department store reported double-digit growth last summer.
