Harrods Toy
Kingdom
Breaking gender stereotypes with an immersive retail wonderland.
Location
Harrods, London
Sector
Retail
What we did
Interior Design
A world of wonder, designed for discovery. By breaking steadfast category conventions, Shed reimagined Harrods’ toy department as a gender neutral, immersive playground - where adventure, storytelling and retail collide.
Balancing Harrods’ rich heritage with a bold new vision to redefine what a toy department could be. With a dual audience of children and adults - and multiple brands, conventional retail wasn’t enough. This experience-led space needed to match Harrods’ global reputation, break the mould and be a destination in its own right.
A design approach that considers the duel audience, whilst maintaining a gender neutral stance across all toy categories. Storytelling wins here. A place as magical as the toys themselves.
What began as a toy department, transformed into the Toy Kingdom - a series of ‘dreamscapes’ from different worlds against a traditional backdrop. Imaginary worlds became tangible retail landscapes, designed to captivate and inspire.
The Enchanted Forest, The Big Top, Wonderland, The Odyssey & The Reading Room individual spaces all knitted together and connected by a golden parquet trail - a nod to a certain yellow brick road.
THE APPROACH
A gender neutral toy department where shopping is guided by experience, not stereotypes. This world-first concept redefined retail earning widespread praise and securing a FX Award for creative retail.
Each department anchored around an individual concept, relevant for the brands and product on offer.
THE IDEA
Harrods is one of the world’s greatest retail institutions. We were entrusted to reimagine their entire toy department - not just a place to shop, but an experience that would capture the imagination and emotional hearts of generations past, present, future.
The concept wasn’t born from conventional planning or the division of boys and girl toys. Instead, immersive dreamscapes, each uniquely tailored to its department.
