Debenhams announces investment in on-demand beauty app, blow LTD.
By Helena Biggs | 25 September 2017 | Movers & Shakers, News
Debenhams has made an investment in on demand beauty services provider, blow LTD., to accelerate its presence in the £4bn beauty services market.
The company’s minority stake will give it a disruptive proposition in the beauty services market via a tech-enabled service provider. It also creates a new distribution channel for the department store whereby beauty services and treatments can now be booked to take place at home, as well as in dedicated beauty bars in Debenhams stores.
The partnership will also allow beauty brands to forge closer relationships with customers via Debenhams’ in-home services and sampling. The first three blow LTD. ‘beauty bars’, offering blow dry, make-up and nail services, will launch in Debenhams’ Oxford Street, Birmingham Bull Ring and Manchester stores this autumn, with more sites following shortly.
Blow LTD.’s tech-enabled curated marketplace delivers over 150,000 beauty services, with over 300+ vetted professionals on board.
Commenting on the partnership, Debenhams CEO, Sergio Bucher, says, “The step is a strategic move which ties into multiple facets of our Debenhams Redesigned strategy. This will allow us to scale up our Beauty Services offer rapidly and bring brands closer to customers both in store and in their own homes. Blow LTD.’s exclusive presence in Debenhams stores will give customers even more reasons to visit us and the digital app booking service fits with our aim to offer customers a seamless mobile experience.
“Through partnering with blow LTD, Debenhams can adopt an entrepreneurial approach to a growing market, acquiring external expertise with flexibility and low overhead commitments.”
Dharmash Mistry, chairman and co-founder of blow LTD. reveals, “Our partnership with Debenhams will turbo charge growth and awareness of blow LTD. by accessing the vibrant and loyal customer base of a UK market leader. This move accelerates our ambition to bring expert beauty services to customers in key regional cities across the UK, either in their homes or in Debenhams stores. We are excited to join forces with Debenhams to reinvent the fragmented, multi-billion pound beauty services market.”