Burberry’s High-Tech Flagship, London

Always keen on proving its hyper-modern credentials, it’s perhaps unsurprising that digital innovation is at the forefront of British luxury label Burberry’s new 44,000 sq ft flagship on Regent Street in London.

Just days after announcing a drop in sales and reduced end-of-year profits, the fashion brand hopes to woo customers in store with video entertainment, live events and digitally enhanced service.

Clothing in Burberry’s Regent Street store is embedded with microchips that can be read by screens and mirrors, thanks to radio-frequency identification technology. This micro-technology activates videos illustrating the craftsmanship behind the product whenever a customer walks into a changing room.

The four-storey space is also home to a hydraulic stage for live music events and the world’s tallest retail screen, which beams out Burberry Acoustic videos (a series of live acoustic sessions by young British bands) and fashion show footage.

And forget queuing up to pay at a cash register. Shoppers are directed to sofas where they pay on a swipe machine, and are then presented with a ready-wrapped purchase, inspired by the comforts of online shopping at home.

Boasting a mezzanine shoe salon and beauty store with its own separate entrance, the layout is more akin to a department store. Burberry’s most iconic item of clothing – the trench coat – is also given special attention with the unique in-store customisation service, Burberry Bespoke.

Describing the thinking behind the store, Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s chief creative officer, said: “It’s the physical incarnation of our website [Burberry World Live], the hub of everything to do with Burberry.”

Our report Luxury Brand Temples provides more examples of how high-end brands are reinventing the flagship.

Burberry