Fortnum & Mason’s new beauty hall

A Georgian ladies’ salon filled with tempting exclusives

In keeping with the old-world elegance that Fortnum & Mason so excels at cultivating, the Piccadilly store’s new second-floor fragrance and beauty department (opening on April 18) is to become a spectacular incarnation of a Georgian ladies’ salon – an oasis of calm that’s quite the antithesis of the usual hectic, buzzy beauty hall.

The space itself is a jewel box of rose quartz, Amazonian malachite and fine veneers in figured sycamore and bird’s-eye maple – with a glass screen adorned with a 1950s Edward Bawden illustration from a Fortnum & Mason Valentine’s Card. The primary emphasis is on scent, with three fragrance rooms leading fluidly into each other. The Heritage Hall will be home to a floor-to-ceiling chandelier designed as a “functional folly”, within which will stand the store’s perfume exclusives, including Clive Christian’s Private Collection Traveller Sets (£185), Roja Dove’s tribute to Fortnum’s, Taif Aoud (£395), Electimuss’ Elysium housed in an extraordinary made-to-order Celestial Cygnus egg (£55,000), Grossmith’s Sylvan Song (£195) and Xerjoff’s Alexandria II (£250), which is a world exclusive. Following on, the octagonal Scent Room will house fragrance classics from the likes of Dior, Guerlain and Chanel – all centred around a Lalique table. Finally, The Contemporary Gallery will celebrate modern innovation and the next generation of perfumers such as Bella Freud, 4160 Tuesday and Avery. Perfume expert Annette Nejad will host one-to-one consultations in The Scent Room to help customers find their signature scent.

The skin and cosmetics area will see several new launches, such as Cult51 Effect Serum (£95), which promises 51 skincare anti-ageing benefits, such as reducing eye wrinkles, and increasing radiance and collagen production. Given that Cult51 Night Cream became the single bestselling beauty product in Fortnum’s history, the new serum is sure to be snapped up fast. As for cosmetics, launches include eco-natural nail care brand Kure Bazaar (which is offering three exclusive shades, Kale, Sahara and Amore, £15 each) alongside those from classic collections such as Guerlain and Chantecaille. Bamford will also launch its first skincare range exclusively to Fortnum’s in June, and will open a deluxe spa to relax and revitalise tired minds and bodies. Perfect for weary shoppers in the heart of Piccadilly.