Selfridges Beauty Hall on Oxford Street is a space dedicated to world-class beauty brands, interactive masterclasses and diagnostic sessions, all housed within a historic Beaux-Arts building. As part of a major transformation to future-proof the department, we were commissioned to create an industry-leading scheme that redefines beauty retail lighting.
Responding to the Grade II* listed building, renowned for its Carrara marble columns and decorative ceilings, we developed a visually harmonious lighting narrative. The scheme is anchored by a bespoke ring pendant that appears to float effortlessly overhead. Elegant and precisely engineered, each fixture is scaled to complement the traditional proportions of the ceiling and is distilled down to its purest form, with power supplies completely concealed within the suspension system.
Adjustable spotlights, strategically placed throughout the hall, provide the science – light tailored for skincare consultations and makeup application. At the heart of the scheme is our pioneering LED Beauty Module, a specialist light source designed to render skin tones and product shades with a high degree of accuracy.
Developed in collaboration with Xicato and University College London, the strategy uses a 2:1 lighting ratio that balances two extra high CRI LED sources with a softer beauty LED engine. The result is white light with a subtle ‘rosy tinge’: a quality of light that enhances natural skin tones while avoiding the flatness often associated with beauty retail lighting. It also maintains superior colour matching, giving customers greater confidence when testing products as shades appear true to life.
Images © James French
— Daniel Blaker, Creative Director
