The iconic London department store Harrods has just opened its revamped Chocolate Hall. Smith&+Village has redesigned Harrods’ own-brand confectionery in a unique way that would stand out in the historic hall among other luxury superbrands. Creative director Debrah Smith took inspiration from contemporary art in decorative historic settings, like Jeff Koons in the Palace of Versailles and Anish Kapoor at Chatsworth House.
“Harrods is famous throughout the world for being the home of super brands, and we knew we needed to create a super brand out of confectionery,” commented Richard Village, Strategy Director of Smith&+Village. “We made very sure that the design of the new packaging followed the principles of a super brand and conveyed the same opulent look and feel. Using beautiful materials, beautiful brand pattern, and the big ‘H’ monogram, it has made something uber-luxurious and seductive that sits happily among other luxury chocolate brands and feels like a world-class leader of this fabulous category.”
The revamped Chocolate Hall recognizes the importance of the building’s Grade I-listed status while incorporating modern materials and technology.
Taking the stage alongside the beautifully restored Edwardian tilework, Smith&+Village’s tubs of cocoa-dusted fruit and nuts are a symphony of variegated colors, somehow managing to be both understated and celebratory. They work beautifully as active elements of the store’s visual language and as individual covetable gifts.
“We wanted the design to be a statement, a bold, undeniably modern take on the Harrods mark,” explained Debrah Smith, Creative Director, Smith&+Village. “Our packaging has to sit in Harrods Chocolate Hall, one of the world’s most iconic and historic rooms, full of complex pattern and decoration. I thought about how contemporary art pieces sit so magnificently in intricate baroque rooms, like Jeff Koons at the Palace of Versailles or Anish Kapoor at Chatsworth House. So I decided that bold and modern, with thick glossy inks, shots of neon, and reflective foils was the way to go. It’s that mix of historic and contemporary that I find so inspiring and tried to capture in the chocolate ranges.”
“These rooms are incredibly impressive and we needed to having something that both echoed the grandeur of the Chocolate Hall and would also be contextualized within it, so that it all tells a seamless Harrods story,” Village added.
As well as the cocoa-dusted fruit and nuts, the range encompasses chocolate thins, fondant, and large truffle selection, Turkish delight, and old confectionary favorites like cola cubes. The ‘H’ monogram repeated in gold against a delicious color palette becomes a kind of house check pattern, conveying the finesse of the treats within.
Photos: Courtesy of Smith&+Village
