Douglas x SheridanCX: Reimagining Retail to Inspire Discovery and Growth

Introduction

In 2019, Douglas partnered with SheridanCX to reimagine the role of physical retail in an increasingly digital beauty market. The collaboration began with the Frankfurt flagship, a bold project that redefined what a beauty store could be and went on to win the German Design Council’s “European Flagship of the Year” award. This pioneering concept became a blueprint for Douglas stores across Europe.

Setting the Scene

Douglas reopened its expansive Frankfurt flagship, spanning five floors and 2,377 m² on the Zeil, the city’s premier shopping street, in October 2018. The store offered more than just a new layout; it was designed to set a benchmark for experiential beauty retail. Tina Müller, then CEO of Douglas, described it as “a unique range of products and a completely new consulting and service concept far surpassing what retailers usually have to offer.”

SheridanCX was brought in to collaborate with the Douglas leadership team on a strategic rethink of the in-store proposition, ensuring it aligned with the brand’s growing online success and evolving customer behaviours.

The Strategic Shift: Online Meets Offline

Douglas’s online sales were growing rapidly, prompting the question: what should the physical retail experience deliver when customers already discover and buy products online? SheridanCX led a deep collaborative strategy process with Douglas’s senior team to answer this. The insight was clear:

• Customers preferred to replenish known products online for convenience.

• They wanted in-store visits to be about discovery, trial, and personal connection with new products.

Designing for Discovery

Together, Douglas and SheridanCX turned the traditional beauty retail model on its head:

• 80% of the store was dedicated to newness and discovery, organised into intuitive zones such as natural brands, science-driven skincare, and trending Asian beauty.

• 20% was reserved for established brands, presented in a streamlined format that kept them accessible without dominating the space.

This design invited customers to navigate the store almost subconsciously, moving between curated areas and engaging with products they had not seen before.

Voice of the Brand

Douglas described the result as “experience led and immersive… allowing new brands to be profiled and promoted without undermining existing, established and well loved brands.” This balance between innovation and familiarity became a core part of the Frankfurt store’s appeal.

Results and Rollout

The Frankfurt flagship delivered exceptional results in-store and online. Customers learned to see Douglas as a destination for discovery, while continuing to use the website for restocking their favourites. The success of the flagship inspired Douglas to roll out key elements of the concept across its network of approximately 1,800 stores in Europe.

Conclusion

The Douglas x SheridanCX collaboration on the Frankfurt flagship is a prime example of how strategic insight and bold design decisions can transform a retail brand’s market presence. By aligning physical and digital experiences, the project not only revitalised the Douglas brand but also set a new benchmark for experiential beauty retail in Europe.