As Europe's leading omnichannel destination for premium beauty, exclusive brands are a core part of our assortment strategy. In this interview, Stefanie von Albert, EVP Assortment & Purchasing at DOUGLAS Group, explains why exclusivity means much more to DOUGLAS than just listing a brand exclusively – and how it helps to stand out in a highly competitive market.
As Executive Vice President Assortment & Purchasing at DOUGLAS Group, Stefanie von Albert is responsible for shaping our assortment strategy – with exclusive brands playing a central role. They are a powerful way of continuously inspiring our customers.
Stefanie, could you explain what exclusive brands are, and why DOUGLAS focuses so strongly on them?
STEFANIE VON ALBERT: Exclusive brands are brands that are available only at DOUGLAS – they are tied to us as a retail partner. They allow us to truly differentiate ourselves in the market and make our assortment distinctive. Our customers not only discover products at DOUGLAS that they can't find anywhere else, but also brand experiences that stand for quality, diversity, and innovation. This builds relevance and strengthens our role as a curating force in the premium beauty market.
In a highly dynamic market environment, exclusive brands give us a clear competitive edge. They help us to reach new target groups, improve profitability and establish DOUGLAS as an innovative leader. Today, if you want to lead in beauty retail, you have to do more than curate – you have to co-create. That’s exactly what we do with our exclusive brands.
What makes exclusivity at DOUGLAS so unique?
STEFANIE VON ALBERT: For us, exclusivity goes far beyond limited distribution – it means active and strategic brand building. We see ourselves as a holistic strategic partner, ensuring the brand is brought to life across all channels. With our in-depth expertise, we systematically establish these brands in the market. Exclusive brands also significantly strengthen customer loyalty and increase our independence from competitors. For our customers, this means access to innovative, one-of-a-kind brands and the unique experience of constantly discovering something new at DOUGLAS.
How do you and your team decide which brands are the right fit for DOUGLAS exclusivity?
STEFANIE VON ALBERT: We closely monitor international trends, engage with brands that already have a strong community in their home markets, and evaluate whether they align with our strategy. Many of today’s successful brands – whether in skincare, haircare, or makeup – we introduced to the European market for the first time.
With our reach and omnichannel model, we can build brands sustainably. This doesn’t just apply to big names – it’s especially true for smaller brands with high growth potential. This includes external brand partners as well as our own corporate brands. With our own brands, we can set unique accents and quickly respond to emerging trends.
How can we measure the success of our exclusive brand strategy?
STEFANIE VON ALBERT: In addition to revenue and repurchase rates, we look at a variety of metrics. Exclusive brands play a major role in the purchase decision and build strong emotional connections with DOUGLAS. They are a powerful driver of loyalty – and a major lever for customer acquisition. Many customers shop with us for the first time specifically because of these brands. This shows how exclusivity not only builds loyalty, but also opens doors to entirely new audiences.
Many of our exclusive brands are tied to well-known personalities – what do these brands have in common?
STEFANIE VON ALBERT: Whether XO KHLOÉ, Kylie Cosmetics or TYPEBEA – they all share one thing: a strong emotional connection to an engaged community. Often, inspiring female founders are behind the brands, embodying values such as empowerment, diversity, and creativity. This makes them particularly authentic and relatable for many consumers.
What’s crucial for us is that these brands are genuine and build meaningful brand worlds. Especially among younger audiences, it’s not just about product quality anymore – but also what a brand stands for. This is powerfully reflected in the bold personalities featured in our latest international exclusive brand campaign, which we communicate across all channels through 360-degree marketing.
And finally – what excites you personally about these exclusive partnerships?
STEFANIE VON ALBERT: I’m excited that we’ve successfully established strong exclusive brands across all major categories – from skincare and haircare to fragrance and makeup. It’s a clear sign of how consistently we’ve implemented this strategy.
What’s more, we create exclusive experiences around these brands that go beyond the product itself. A great example is our DOUGLAS pop-up café in Düsseldorf, which we opened in May to launch the XO KHLOÉ fragrance. It’s an immersive space where scent, design, and community come together in a new way. Concepts like this show how far exclusivity can go today – and what powerful experiences emerge when strong brands meet a strong partner like DOUGLAS.
