Tommy Hilfiger wins at World Retail Awards 2018

Global fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger was among the winners at this year’s World Retail Awards 2018, which celebrates "innovation, collaboration and creativity” across the retail industry.

Announced at the 12th World Retail Congress in Madrid, Tommy Hilfiger was awarded with the Retail Employer of the Year accolade, crowning the fashion label as the best place to work in retail.

The hotly contested Retailer of the Year award was won by beauty retailer, Sephora, with the judges praising the company’s “provision of a unique and unparalleled customer experience through a strategy of honest and open two-way conversation”.

Ian McGarrigle, chairman of The World Retail Congress, said: “At a time when AI and online giants are forcing us to think differently, retailers must be receptive to change and be able to adapt accordingly. Sephora is a compelling example of a company which is constantly innovating and challenging market norms whilst always putting the customer experience first.”

The Outstanding Leadership award was given to the chairman of Inditex, Pablo Isla for his “significant contribution and commitment” to the retail industry.

On accepting his award, Isla said: “I am enormously grateful to the World Retail Congress Grand Jury for this award, it is truly an honour and a privilege. The award is really thanks to my hugely committed and ambitious team. In the 90 markets we operate in it is thanks to them that we remain nimble and able to respond to the opportunities and challenges presented to us every day.”

Sephora named Retailer of the Year 2018 at World Retail Awards

There was also a number of UK winners including, retail design agency, Dalziel and Pow, who picked up the Outstanding Store Design over 1200 square metres award for its Missguided Bluewater store design. While Debenhams scooped the Social Media Campaign of the Year for its ‘You Shall…Find Your Fairytale’ Christmas campaign, and The Body Shop was awarded Responsible Retailer Initiative of the Year for its ‘Enrich Not Exploit’ initiative.

Other big winners included Laura Alber, president and chief executive of Williams-Sonoma, Inc being named Woman of The Year award and the World Retail Congress also presented the inaugural Isidoro Alvarez Lifetime Achievement Medal to Gilbert Harrison, founder of boutique investment banking firm Financo, and Jorge Pont, international division director for El Corte Ingles.

There were also awards for Fenty Beauty, which was crowned the best Retail Brand Collaboration in 2018, while newly named Tendam, previously Grupo Cortefiel, was declared Retail Transformation and Reinvention Award and The Mall at Wellington Green in Florida won Best Customer Experience Initiative, while the Arcelik Experience Store picked up the award for Outstanding Store Design under 1200 square metres.

In addition, Germany’s About You was declared Retail Start-Up of the Year, while Spoon Guru won the Retail Technology Gamechanger accolade for its tailored food search and the South Korean company Lotte was awarded Best Customer Experience for the Cognitive Shopping Advisor Initiative.

The award entries were reviewed by panels of expert judges who are specialists in each of the areas covered by the categories with the winners selected by a Grand Jury of members that are all retail leaders from across the different sectors, channels and geographies that reflect retailing today.

Image: Tommy Hilfiger Facebook