KaDeWe is a key player in the German beauty market.
KaDeWe isa rguably the most famous luxury department store and beauty retailer in Berlin as well as one of the top 10 tourist attractions in the city. This month, the latest incarnation of KaDeWe includes a completely remodelled beauty hall. The Beautyworld department now features bigger counters, different brand groupings and a whole new collection of premium and niche labels. Among the new arrivals are fragrance labels Jo Malone, Agonist, Diptyque and Blood Concept as well as Eve Lom skin care, nail polish brand Deborah Lippmann and hair care label miriamquevedo. Altogether, the perfumery department now offers more than 400 beauty brands.
Treatment options
KaDeWe is keen to make men feel welcome too, offering skincare and shaving preps as well as the store’s assortment of mass market products and accessories. The retailer is also following the current trend of providing pampering and professional services to its visitors. It houses six different beauty treatment lounges, three in Beautyworld and three on the third floor. Each is run by a separate brand, namely Shiseido, Estee Lauder, Dr. Hauschka, La Prairie, La Mer and Kanebo.
What’s Next
KaDeWe is determined to maintain its position as Berlin’s leading luxury department store, so it will need to constantly refresh its beauty offer with new brands and services
KaDeWe is in a strong position to benefit from Berlin’s growing number of international visitors and thus to improve its own international standing.
Many of these overseas visitors come from the Middle East and China, so KaDeWe would benefit from a selection of brands and exclusives that directly target these visitors. The addition of a mini-day spa would also play well with these guests, while male pampering services would help keep men occupied and entertained as their partners shop the store and try out the treatment menus. The provision of Chinese and Arab-speaking personal beauty shoppers would maximise the store’s appeal.
The beauty department may also provide a useful blueprint for the rest of the Karstadt group, which is currently being redeveloped in an attempt to turn its fortunes round. The group went perilously close to disappearing altogether when its then parent, Arcandor, went bankrupt in 2009. Finding a point of difference will be key to the stores’ complete survival, and that’s where a coherent beauty and treatment strategy comes in.
Upmarket own label ranges will also boost the retailer’s bottom line. The Kartstadt chain plans to launch an own label range called She, and a similar, but more upscale fragrance, cosmetics and gifting range would fit well with KaDeWe’s beauty offer.
Find out more
This content is derived from Mintel’s premium intelligence service for the beauty & personal care industry including research across consumers, product innovation and companies & trends. Learn more at bpc.mintel.com. To get in touch, email us at beauty@mintel.com.
