It was Giorgio Armani who once declared, 'Jeans represent democracy in fashion', while Yves Saint Laurent often lamented not having invented jeans. They were once a uniform staple for factory workers and miners, but you'd be hard-pressed today to find a closet that doesn't harbour a pair (or five). So it's fitting that Selfridges has dedicated 26,000 sq ft of retail space to fashion's most enduring material. The London department store's new Denim Studio has been pegged as the largest and most comprehensively curated denim emporium in the world.
The anchor of the space is the digital 'jeanius bar', taking pride of place in the so-called Fit Studio. London-based Kin Design (and former Wallpaper* cohorts) fashioned an interactive table with three large touchscreen tablets, running a stream of bespoke media, from lookbooks and brand biographies to street-style snaps. The digital bites can be passed around the table with the swipe of a finger and 'thrown' onto the big screen.
Customers can also browse the 11,000 available styles, bookmarking their selections into a wishlist that can be emailed or printed out as a pocket-sized booklet. Also on offer: a Denim Tailor, who offers two-hour alterations across every brand; the Platform, which hosts special projects launches and previews; and the first ever personal shopping suite dedicated to denim.
The denim wonderland currently boasts 52 designers in its portfolio, including Rag & Bone, Junya Watanabe and Christopher Kane (soon to join the fold are Proenza Schouler, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Givenchy). Nearly every brand chipped in to create exclusive pieces for the opening.
Retail architects HMKM, longtime Selfridges collaborators, restored original architectural details to the space, as well as decking out the shopfit with lava stone display tables, acrylic grid racks and a futuristic neon-blue beam.
Although it recently opened to the public, the official celebration kicks off next Monday with the launch of Denim Lovers: a blockbuster two-month programme of denim-centric events. Timed to coordinate, Selfridges will also unveil its summer store windows, featuring one-off celebratory denim pieces by designers such as J.W. Anderson, Stella McCartney and Erdem.
The Fit Studio houses a tailoriong and alteration service, extensive fitting rooms, and the first ever personal shopping suite dedicated to denim.
The department store giant continues to expand on the phygital (a recently coined term to describe the ever-closing gap between the physical and digital) with the 'jeanius bar', by London-based Kin Design. The interactive table features three large touchscreen tablets...
..running a digital stream of media, from lookbooks and brand biographies to street-style snaps.
he digital bites can be passed around the table with the swipe of a finger and 'thrown' onto the big screen. Customers can also browse the 11,000 available styles, bookmarking their selections into a wishlist that can be emailed or printed out in store as a pocket-sized booklet.
The East End Thrift Store is offering up denim by the kilo at its counter
The denim wonderland currently boasts an eclectic mix of designers in its portfolio, including Rag & Bone, Junya Watanabe, Adidas and Christopher Kane.
ADDRESS
Selfridges
400 Oxford Street
London W1U 1AB
-
The Lighthouse draws on Bauhaus principles to create a new-era workspace campusThe Lighthouse, a Los Angeles office space by Warkentin Associates, brings together Bauhaus, brutalism and contemporary workspace design trends
-
Extreme Cashmere reimagines retail with its new Amsterdam store: ‘You want to take your shoes off and stay’Wallpaper* takes a tour of Extreme Cashmere’s new Amsterdam store, a space which reflects the label’s famed hospitality and unconventional approach to knitwear
-
Titanium watches are strong, light and enduring: here are some of the bestBrands including Bremont, Christopher Ward and Grand Seiko are exploring the possibilities of titanium watches
-
Christmas baubles for fashion fans, from Dior to PradaFashionable Christmas baubles and designer decorations to add a sartorial flourish to this year’s tree from Celine, Dior, Prada, and more
-
Dioriviera pops up at London’s Selfridges
Dior celebrates its Dioriviera holiday capsule collection – featuring toile de Jouy-swathed surfboards, sandals and shopping tote bags – with a pop-up shop and restaurant at Selfridges in London
-
Future face: augmented reality is changing the way we lookAI, e-makeup, augmented reality — discover the rise and rise of algorithmic beauty
-
Fluid feat: Selfridges unveils its transformative contemporary Designer Studio -
Form fit: Selfridges leads the spring charge with Neri & Hu-designed Body Studio -
Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama extend collaboration to Selfridges concept store -
Selfridges presents The Film Project in an installation by Simon Costin
