Selfridges shop report

Selfridges

Selfridges is one of the most iconic fashion store in London due to its history it has in connection to the retail industry, we all have great interest in this store with serious such as Mr. Selfridge being very successful with the public. Therefore to say that you have your clothing/product in this store is a massive achievement with all their designer wear fitting into the very Designer quality of the stores environment. This store is one that I would love to have my brand featured in due to a number of different reasons including the iconic status of the store which I will briefly highlight bellow.

Atmosphere

The whole feeling of the store from when you enter it from when you leave is consistently amazing. The white marble floors mixed with the tall ceilings and pillars gives this shop this very airy light feeling and the way that the designer brands have their own selected area but are open with each other gives this friendly community feeling (as they don’t feel isolated from each other and boxed up separately but instead open to each other thought the way that they are presented upon the floor) the white environment of the floors and walls has this blank canvas effect to it that really showcases the designers as it doesn’t distract attention.  While the marble of the floors and pillars have this expensive and therefore exclusive quality to it (as not everyone can afford expensive items) due to the way we link them to be a luxury item such as places like castles and palaces and the way that they are expensive to own so to make a floor so large like the one is Selfridges makes me feel that the shop is more cared for and is valued as not just a store is instead something with a greater status adding to this designer exclusive expensive quality (designer in the way that it is a store that not only holds designer products but is as well a designer environment) the main thing that I really love within this store is the airy friendly atmosphere due to the reasons stated above, there are loads of staff available to help you and they are like to chat to you about the products if you want to. The atmosphere and settings are one of the main things I feel has made this shop the success it is today.

Retail theatre

You can’t talk about Selfridges without the mention of its amazing retail theatre seen in the layout mentioned above (with the white expensive quality and the pillars within that make it feel a little like a Greek castle and not a shop at all) and also its famous displays especially the ones featured in the windows that I feel should be included in the shops retail theatre due to the way that they theatrical displays really change the emotions we link to the shop and have helped make it a success throughout history . The retail theatre just seen in the shops everyday environment has this designer feeling with the expensive floor plans stated above and is very clever in what they add to the floor. The designer brands on the second floor of the shop have their own open section with inbuilt rails and shelves which you see in nearly all shops but the way that they then build upon this by placing carpet down in the “court yard” of the individual designers (so each on has a “square” of carpet circled by the marbled floors) with the brand name above then in black and white give the designers a less hash hard (due to the texture of the marble surface ect...) quality to it making it feel more homely (due to the way that carpet is more comfortable) and inviting, therefore making you feel more invited and welcomed to look at the products. The best thing they do though that really makes them stand out if the way that place the product in displays like the window ones they are so famous for. The way they set them up in this fairy story type way intrigues the viewer and creates this mysterious quality to them that makes you want to go inside (kind of like a lure) as we see these products in this story book way playing with our inner child and upmost desires (as everyone wants a happy ending seen in fairy stories like the ones they use in their retail theatre) and therefore making us want the product due to the play on our emotions (we feel that by owning that product in that story we can at least own a little bit of the happy ending found in the tale) I love these displays and always look forward to seeing them (especially at Christmas) after their big reveal and I know others do as well, showcasing just how good their retail theatre is in the way that it is a event they have made that people look forward to and not just something they have to do.

Why I fit into the store

I feel that I identify with this store for various different reasons including the following points below:

·         My style of my collections/brand – looking at the different designers and the way they present themselves within the store along with the actual garments themselves, I came to the realisation that unlike fast fashion brands they like quality over quantity and that is one of the main things I value within my designs. Also looking around at all of the other designers work they have garments that are not trend focused by are instead a range of different styles (some with a more pattern cutted style and the others featuring prints such as the florals that I am inspired by) that can be worn at any time, therefore they are timeless also like the designs I create and feature some of the same imagery that my work also does.

·         Feelings of my brand – the use of white in the store form the marble floors to the rooms high walls almost makes the store feel more feminine due to the pure innocent colour theory and the way that it feels softer then the harsh colour pallet of the darker more masculine stores (as women are linked to being the softer of the sexes) the way that the presents the clothing within the store with the carpet and all makes it feel more friendlier and I aim to make my collection feel very personal and friendly to the wearer so she feels special in the clothing (due to the exclusive designer feeling of the clothing and shopping experience) the clothing in the store headed under the designer title and sectioned off but in an open environment is also how I want my work to be presented for the reasons stated above as well (friendly community quality ect..)

Location

The location of the store could not be in a better place as it is in the main hub of the London fashion market (oxford street) on the main road surrounded by shops it is perfect for someone to wonder into on a spontaneously while out, it is also perfect in the way that it is placed on a straight street between two easily accessible tube stations making it one of the easiest store to get to unlike places like Dover Street market that is completely out the way from everything else. Therefore if I was able to chose where I wanted my brand an garment to be showcased and sold I would want them to be in this location as it is in the heart of the fashion hub. I would also want my collection to be featured in the store due to the history that surrounds this store and what makes it the big success that it is today a due to this (the history) it has some context to it the makes it seem more than just a shop but instead an important step/location within our past and the whole fashion industry giving it an advanced status over every other shopping and some non shopping places in the city of London.

Conclusion

In conclusion I feel that this shop is one of the stores that I aim to feature my garments within due to the way that I can identify with the stores atmosphere, retail theatre and style as said in the above analysis. There are hundreds of reasons I can say that I love about this store and I could write an essay about it but here are a few reasons why I love this shop.  Firstly the atmosphere just gives this very positive quality to the store and therefore a positive nice feeling to the garment and designer featured making a friendlier environment that I want my brand identity to incorporate.  Secondly I also love to place my collections within a story (ever base my collection after a fairy story or use one to place my collections in) to play on people’s imaginations and desires and this makes it perfect to fit into this stores retail theatre and store window look, with my 2014 English Rose collection inspired by the traditional English tale the secret garden fitting the stores displays amazingly. Thirdly I am so inspired by the overall style of the store and the quality of it, there is never something out of place and I is always maintained to the best standards making the collections within it feel important, looked after and loved which is what I want for my own work, that matched with the timeless quality of the beautifully designed garments makes my brand and collections well suited to move into the store straight way. Selfridges processes all the different elements that I desire for my work to be presented in and to represent me as designer, making it one that I identify with greatly and is a perfect one for me to research as this will aid me and help me tailor my work to that store itself. This is good for me as it can help me to be as successful as possible, giving me the knowledge and understanding to be able to use within my portfolio of work to present to the company if within the future I want to gain a job at this iconic store.