To bring DOUGLAS’ rich heritage to life, we created a dedicated Heritage Gallery at our headquarters in Düsseldorf in the cause of the office remodelling – transforming historical objects and milestones into an engaging visual narrative. What started as a collection of rediscovered items quickly evolved into a curated storytelling experience that connects our past, present, and future.
Viktoria, you led the project - how did the idea to create a Heritage Gallery initially come about?
The idea emerged during our renovations, when teams began clearing out their cabinets and discovered many interesting items from different historical eras. These were collected by Peter Wübben (SVP Group Communications & Sustainability), who was overseeing the office redesign.
Taking a look into the boxes we’ve got from the teams, it became clear that some objects held valuable stories and needed attention. I decided to take on the task – focusing on uncovering the narratives behind the artefacts, shaping a clear storyline, and translating it into an engaging and accessible concept. What started as the idea of a Heritage Wall soon evolved into a Heritage Gallery.
What is the concept behind the Gallery, which was officially introduced in May this year?
The Gallery is divided into three sections: The main wall tells the story of our origins – from the soap factory in 1821, through the opening of our first store, to our evolution into an international beauty retailer by 2000. The second wall focuses on developments since 2000 and reflects who we are today. In addition, a flexible mint-colored area allows us to highlight current topics, such as the ESG Week or our latest SBTi climate target, with regularly updated content.
What was the biggest challenge during the implementation?
The biggest challenge was focusing the content: identifying the most relevant narratives, distilling key messages, and ensuring they are communicated in a concise and impactful way.
Another challenge was defining the design approach. While we initially explored more artsy ideas, we ultimately opted for a more minimalist concept as we wanted to ensure that visitors were not overwhelmed by an overly elaborate design. I’m really happy, that I received some expert advice here, working closely with Milena Suckau (Store Format & Design), who brought her expertise and together we generated ideas.
Do you have a favorite anecdote from the history of the DOUGLAS Group?
Of course – not only one. But one of my favorite anecdotes highlights Jörn Kreke’s visionary character.
Before Jörn Kreke – then CEO of HUSSEL AG and originally active in the chocolate business – went on to build DOUGLAS into the largest perfumery chain in Germany, he had already set his sights on entering the beauty market. Even before owning a single perfumery, he placed an ad in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung stating: “Germany’s largest beauty company is looking for a managing director.”
For me, this story perfectly reflects his boldness and strong belief in his vision – something that ultimately proved to be very successful.
What was your personal highlight of this project?
My highlight was combining professional work with a personal passion. I’ve always been fascinated by exhibitions, galleries, and the way stories are presented, so bringing this interest into my work was incredibly rewarding.
Building something entirely new from scratch, uncovering stories, and developing visual concepts made the project especially exciting.
