Page 20 - #194 Oct/Nov 2024

Making
Life More
Beautiful
Founded more than 200 years
ago, the name DOUGLAS
has become synonymous
with beauty and inspiration
and today the DOUGLAS
Group is the leading omni-
channel premium beauty
destination in Europe. Over
the next couple of pages we
get to know the company
CEO Sander van der Laan,
as we discuss the business in
detail and he outlines what
comes next for a Group that is
operating in its third century.
ince its inauguration, the urge to
Smake beauty a tangible experience
has been part of the DOUGLAS Group
DNA and today, they are an international
retail group made up of several brands
operating across Europe – both in-store
and through an extensive digital presence,
on apps and online shops. Their mission,
which is also their defined purpose, is to
make life more beautiful, every day for
everyone.
The Group’s in-store operations take
place in around 1,870 stores across 22
European countries, whilst their online
transactions happen across 27 countries
on the continent.
The DOUGLAS Group has recently
celebrated the reopening of their “House
of Beauty” luxury flagship store in Vienna,
one of their most important addresses
within the DACHNL region and across
their whole network. This luxury store
is located in the heart of the city, in the
Ernst Wahliss department store on the
very popular Kärntner Street.
It offers a strong and curated selection
of brands and products as well as individual
beauty services on two floors with a total
sales area of 795sq m. The reopening was are committed to further investment in
appropriately celebrated, with a grand our network,” highlights Sander van der
ceremony and a visit by Hollywood star and
DOUGLAS Group testimonial Diane Kruger. “At the beginning of our financial year
“Our physical footprint is a key strategic
pillar and growth driver for us and we store network development program and
20 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2024
WE WANT TO MAKE LIFE MORE BEAUTIFUL –
FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR CUSTOMERS AND
THE WORLD AROUND US. THAT IS THE PURPOSE
OF THE DOUGLAS GROUP AND WE TRY TO LIVE
BY IT AND OUR VALUES EVERY DAY.”
aim to open more than 200 stores and
refurbish more than 400 stores by the end
Laan, CEO of the DOUGLAS Group. of 2026.”
Away from its store portfolio, the
2023/24, we started a comprehensive company is currently rolling out its future- high number of external partners who wish
oriented OWAC (One Warehouse, All
1 3
2 4
Main Picture
Channels) supply chain across Europe, In addition, their offering as a premium Earlier this year for example, we published & 3: Königsallee
Düsseldorf,
with two new OWAC logistics centres beauty retailer is not limited to just our updated sustainability strategy with Germany
1,2 & 4:
in planning for the growing CEE market, products. In many of their locations, ambitious goals – all in-line with Science Vienna, Austria
they have recently launched a premium guests can enjoy individual beauty services Based Targets,” van der Laan explains. Pictures:
Philipp Lipiarski
redesign of their websites, online shops – on top of the personal advice they can “Generally, we focus on three areas:
and apps and they are working towards a receive from in-house beauty experts. People, Planet and Products. Within
Group-wide unified tech stack. By integrating all these elements and these, we strive to create a workplace that
As the discussion moves onto new systematically conceiving them as an champions diversity, equity and inclusion
markets for the brand, van der Laan omni-channel offering, the business is able and actively drives them. We want to
explains that last year they successfully to provide its customers with a unique protect the planet and forge a sustainable
expanded their store business into two premium beauty experience that is not path for the future together and as a
new markets, Belgium and Slovenia. He says available anywhere else on the market. retailer, we pay particular attention to the
that they are now focusing on upgrading “As a retailer, for us it is all about the quality of our assortment – including in
and expanding their footprint within their customer experience and offering the best the area of sustainability.”
existing markets, where they see a lot of selection of beauty brands and products The company believes that the only way
growth potential. Looking a bit further into around. That is what we are striving for a business can thrive over the long run is
the future, he comments that they may also and to that end we are always monitoring by really knowing its customers, which is
look at entering additional markets where market and category trends, customer why they continue to place them at the
they are not currently present. shopping behaviour and new, upcoming centre of their business model. Whether
The company’s assortment covers five technologies,” highlights van der Laan. it is in-store, online or on a smartphone,
strategic core categories within premium A love brand for many of its customers, customers can expect the best shopping
beauty: fragrances, skin care, makeup, social media represents a very important experience, passionate beauty expertise
hair care and accessories. Beyond these, platform for the company as it looks to and an inspiring atmosphere where
they also offer their customers the hottest cultivate and nurture the relationship it products and brands can shine. They have
independent trending and niche brands has with its guests. They maintain a strong aligned all their activities with customer
as well as a strong selection of their own and growing social commerce business expectations and van der Laan feels this
corporate brands exclusively available at and operate their own content creator is a key element of what has made them
the DOUGLAS Group. system, where customers, employees and so successful over a long period of time.
Their online assortment is even broader brand partners present their favourite “We want to make life more beautiful –
– due in part to their successful Partner products to an ever-growing community for our employees, our customers and the
Program where they work together with a of beauty enthusiasts. world around us. That is the purpose of
“Another element that plays a huge role the DOUGLAS Group and we try to live
to be present on the DOUGLAS platform. in everything we do is that of sustainability. by it and our values every day.”
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