Wednesday 31 October 2012

FULL SHOP REPORT ON BLUEBIRD!
























SHOP:
From the out side the shop seems barely noticeable. Clean font for "the shop at bluebird" all in lowercase, to give a more casual feel. Silver contrasting the black glossy background, to give it a more classy feel.  

No window display. Therefor not eye catching as such.  

The cool small white tiles, and the sterile white walls, the ceiling covered in ventilators and pipes, with a few lights fitted in as well, this place could resemble a slaughter house, where are the drains for the blood? The air smells of vanilla scented perfume, which is soft, subtle and warming, as opposed the sterile interior you see before your eyes. The soft lighting that mainly comes through the windows, but lightly supported by the lamps in the ceiling.  

To warm the shop up, they have put in glass cabinets with dark wood frames, that displays jewellery in the womenswear department. Big dark wood dining tables covered in the most precious designer shoes and bags. The cold metal rails are met by wooden hangers, which caries beautiful designer clothes. Everything from a casual day dreamers wardrobe staple to your upscale cocktail dresses. From crisp and clean to quirky and fun. It's wonderful to see such a broad palette of colours, prints, textures and fabrics. Its urban, its cool. Fancy the music they're playing in the shop? Go to the bookshelf with a wide selection of music that fits in with the bluebird lifestyle. And right beside it there is a great table stacked with an extensive range of magazines, fashion, art, music and culture.  

Throughout the womenswear department, you will find small display areas. A great long table with chairs around. The table is laid with plates they all have some kind of print on them. Mugs, funny, humorous mugs. And pillows placed on some of the chairs, all of this you can purchase, its not merely for display purpose. They have specialist products, that will fulfill any costumers need, they even have a limited edition Barbie doll for sale, a Photo Fashion edition priced at £70.00. 
The fitting rooms are another story, it's glamorous; stylish seating area, hot pink sofa and two turquoise chairs, covered in so many pillows, that you would struggle to find room for your bum.  

They also have an area especially dedicated to books, it's interior is very pop art inspired. It's stocked with; quirky journals from knockknockstuff.com. A ray of lifestyle books; cars, interior, restaurants, travel guides and other coffee table books.  

The menswear department, as a more masculine feel, its dimmer lit, although the ceiling is impressively covered in hundreds of hanging light bulbs, although its only a few of them that are actually lit. It has an industrial, very 'now' vibe.  

Although the shop has many features and there a lot of things to see, take your time and you will feel surprised that the place feels extremely spacious. Take it all in!  




EXPERIENCE: 
Staff knows the costumers, extremely friendly approach. Will tell you about their latest brands/products they are stocking. Leave you be as you have a look around, give away a sweet smile to make you feel welcome and not intruding. And some staff members does personal fittings on the clients, to make sure to get that perfect fit! Oh did I mentioned that they all are impeccably dressed?  

When you're done shopping and you're in a desperate need for some refreshments; go to either the Bluebird Epicerie or the restaurant. But if you have had an extremely rough day or just feel like spoiling yourself, why don't book an appointment at "the spa at bluebird" and get one of the treatments, especially designed by the renowned Dane Ole Henriksen (skin costmetician).  

The people; urban and edgy, I can see the very high possibility that people outside Chelsea would find the trip worthwhile to go visit the shop. I wouldn't say that the shop immediately reflects on the area, because the shop has a more laid back vibe than then people of Chelsea.  The age range is very broad. Not trying to be judgemental, but young girls that can have anything that they point at, to middle-aged men with exquisite style to everyone in between.  



EPICERIE:
Drink in or take it on the go. Either way you still get what looks like a fair trade paper coffee cup, even though its not. Good quality coffee and a delicious brownie, which is "ymmyly" (yes, I just made up my own word, if the celebrities can, why can't I?) chocolaty, but not too heavy. Deliciously creamy and sticky... There is a heavenly smell of fresh food. They sell drinks in glass bottles - posh! Radio playing in the background to give a relaxed and casual vibe. Fake grass outside, it looks a bit sad in this Autumn weather. Windows decorated with the next big thing; Halloween, its that time of year again. 

Tuesday 30 October 2012

OTHER Shop

OTHER SHOP.
Keeping with the Scandinavian aesthetics for the interior. White, with pale wood flooring, rails and other furniture. Nice upbeat music the makes you sway along with the beat. Staff were incredibly inviting and up for a chat about the recent move and re-naming of the shop, changing the overall image. Selling exclusive designers, not only from the UK, as most of the designers haven't started stocking elsewhere in the world yet. The rails had a really interesting detail, as there were cut rings in the wood, so the hanger would perfectly fall into that rim. All the clothes were kept in this seasons winter colours, with grey, dark blues, burgundy and a hint of pink and yellow. All styles are kept classic and clean - all extremely versatile. Noticed that they stocked a Norwegian magazine downstairs, and all the text written in the mother tongue, so shout out to all Norwegians that fancies reading Dank! Overall lovely experience. 

Absolute Vintage



















Source: Visit London

ABSOLUTE VINTAGE. EAST LONDON. 
I forgot to take a photo, probably because I was overwhelmed with the long que to get into MIX MAX (fancy dress shop) right next door. 
The shop is small and filled with 80s and 90s clothes. It smelt of second hand and burnt candles, that were neatly placed around the shop. They had a wide selection of leathers, within shoes and bags, urgh and the price tags aren't student friendly! Amazing how much money you can spend on clothes that isn't even new, yes it might be a unique piece, but still! 
Awful patterned silk scarfs used as certains to cover up incredibly tiny fitting rooms. Where you're absolutely not allowed to take any photos and no more than 3 pieces to try on at a time! 
Black and white checked limonium flooring upstairs, and cold grey painted concret floor downstairs, with a horrific green coloured rug. Overall I wasn't that impressed. 

BEYOND RETRO

BEYOND RETRO.
They are all ready and set for this time of year festivity: Halloween! They have made a great deal of effort, in contrast is the light hearted upbeat music, everything from the 60's to now. Hey, I was rocking a long to an old Gwen Stafani song, while smiling in amusement, that one of the staff members where on rollerskates! How cool is that?! Like other second hand shops, it has that slight hint of classic second hand smell. I wonder what weird washing powder these places use, when washing the clothes before stocking it... The staff members here are just such a contrast to the high end shops, these people are having shameless fun and raving a long to the music, with an eccentric dress style on top it all of. It's great to see people that doesn't think too highly of themselves. All the costumers clearly felt relaxed in this environment, slowly browsing through the over crammed shop, but crammed with clothes not people. I was genuinely surprised that they had a fancy dress area, but seems fitting. The fancy dress clothes were all hideous to some extend, but I'm not a massive fancy dress fan, so who am I to judge? 
The staff were also really helpful, I asked for an item, that was really awkward to get a hold of, but they did it - and in return I bought it. 


Tuesday 23 October 2012

Browns

BROWNS.
The staff members were all wearing black, greet you as you come in with a smile on their faces. Rather empty, but Browns Focus was completely empty. They give you a certain amount of privacy as you have a wonder around the store, but they always stick their head in the room just to make sure that everything is as it should be. 
Extensive range of classic designers, but they don't keep to a certain style, which I like. They have a bit of everything. Everyday dresses, top notch furs and super soft leathers. 
The layout awakes your curiosity, as you continually look for more, is there another room around the corner? More steps up or down? 
Browns let me take the photos, as long as kept discreet and didn't take any photos of their costumers. Did have to show them my student ID, to convince them that it was for a project. So extremely friendly staff! And they definitely know their costumers, as most of them are regulars. The music was soothing, on the contrary to Browns Focus, and the interior and decor definitely screams sophistication, that would appeal to a more mature shopper, compared to the hip and trendy Browns Focus.  

Matches


MATCHES. 
Extremely girly with hot pink carpet smiling at your face. The luxurious fabrics tingling between my fingers. Met by an overwhelming sweet smell of perfume. The "secret" stair well leads you to the changing rooms and up again to the second half of the shop which belongs to Diane von Fürstenberg.  
The last photo, is a sneaky onebecause I didn't ask before I took it! They probably have it on the security cameras! But just wanted you to get an idea of how the showcase the garments. All metal rails and plastic hangers! Plastic hangers in a designer boutique, well thats a new one! Most of the shop is colour coordinated, which gives an interesting spin to the shop. The lighting was bright, but no too harsh on the eyes. 
The area of Ledbury, Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove, it has everything you could wish for. Upper class women in black and low-key tourists and Londoners enjoying the groovy shop music playing in the background.   



Oxfam Boutique

OXFAM BOUTIQUE. 
Everything from H&M to Christian Dior can be found here, but nothing there to get really excited about. I know it bit weird to say, but it smells like second hand. 
The layout of the store is actually not too bad, its not too crammed as you will often find with charity shops, this creates that more 'luxurious' feel, like a boutique. I could see that they tried to make an effort of it not looking too much like a charity shop on the inside. I bet that on a good day, you would be able to find a treasure, but today just wasn't my lucky day. I was surprised about how many high street items that they had, I thought it was going to be more up market considering the area. 
The shop was rather dark, as a lot of the interior elements were kept in darker tones, and heavy curtains covering up fitting rooms and the staff room. Although there were white wall, the shop still felt rather gloomy. The staff members seemed extremely engaged with the lastest gossip and gave a friendly nod, when you stepped through the door. 



Pop-up Shop


POP-UP SHOP. PORTOBELLO ROAD.  
On my way to Oxfam Boutique and Matches, I stumbled across this pop-up shop on my way. I was drawn by the very feminine layout of the shop. It's been open for 2 weeks so far, but forgot to ask when they'll be closing down again! So go soon! They stocked two brands SOMA and IRIS. It was all kept in the crème colours, only accessories showing bold colours.  
It hits a very broad market, I saw young girls going in, as well as mid forties women having a nose around. 
All the rails were put against the wall to utilize the space in the best possible way, in the centre of the room, there was a little table overflowing with accessories, everything from necklaces to bags to little ornaments. It was deadquite as there wasn't any music, and the shop assistant was passively sitting behind the desk, not knowing what to do or where to look. 




Dover Street Market

DOVER STREET MARKET. 
This is an old window display from November 2010, I have been there a couple of times since. Just forgot to take the photos.
DSM (Dover Street Market) is probably one of my favourite retails places in London. Unfortunately like most other places you're not allowed to take photos inside, these days you're not even allowed to have a pen out. Apparently they've had some bad experience where people have left pen marks on the clothes... The retail space is incredibly interesting, as though there are mini pop-up shops within the shop. Each area represents either one single designer, or sometimes a few. They have unusual dressing rooms, it all looks a little bit like a big installation and you're only really welcome to observe. You can touch if you're daring. Basically they are 'just' doing groundbreaking retail.
The costumers there are frequent, the shop assistants knows them well and their taste. Tells them about the lastest collections, which ones will suit them and the different occasions they would be appropriate for. Oh and there a powerful smell of the Comme des Garcons perfume, it has a very distinctive scent, so if you're not used to it, you might be taken aback. The music varies from each floor, but it has a cool low beat in the background. 

TOPSHOP


























TOPSHOP.  
The high street mecca of fashion. Big, crammed and always busy. Too busy for my taste, you have to fight if there's something you want. I know loads of girls who loves this place, thinks its amazing, I'm just not falling in love with its so called charm 
It lives up to its status regarding its name TOP SHOP, because it is probably the most popular shop on Oxford Street, its in a price range that most of the population would find affordable, almost everyone from the age 12 to 30 if not a bit older, will at least have one item from there. 
Everything is brightly lit up, crisp white and will be easy to decorate according to any holiday season. My favourite part, must be the off-section where they are currently showing their collaboration between TOPSHOP and J.W. Anderson. Not near as many people, you can actually see the garments hanging on the rail, and the layout and presentation of the clothes is cool and fun.

ACNE

ANCE. 
If you ever want to get a taste of Scandinavian style and you've already been to IKEA, I would suggest that Acne would be the perfect place. Beautifully bleached wooden floors and white walls. Simplistic and wearable clothes to an affordable price, if you're a working girl. 
Coming from Denmark, it does remind me of home, strangely enough. If you were rich enough, I would suggest that you layout your own personal wardrobe like this, 3 floors should cover it, as long as its stocked with great clothes. The staff is prepared to answer your questions, without seeming too bothered, if you ask about the history of the Acne brand. I wonder if they have specifically imported Swedish girls, to get the best shopping experience for the costumers. As they all dress in the Scandinavian aesthetics and have a slight twang when they speak.  I wouldn't say that you feel intimidated when you walk around there, compared to other places. You can take all the time in the world, to suck in all the details and information you could want and get from the Acne shop. You get a peaceful and zen-like experience. 
Cold metal rails and warm pale wooden hangers. Uncomfortable looking sofa's that you're more than welcome to use - and then there's that black wooden quadratic shelve stocked with beautifully folded jeans, in every wash, colour and fit, that would compliment your basic staples. 

Yohji Yamamoto

YOHJI YAMAMOTO.  
Another gallery inspired space, the wooden floors painted white, although there are intentional wear makes around, which gives the place a bit of character. I was met by two Yamamoto robots, not a word from them, they followed me around the store, to make sure I didn't do anything inappropriate. I loved the industrial features in the ceiling. Some of the clothes are laid out on low coffee tables, as if they were works of art, and the rest of the garments are hanging on rails perfectly spaced out.
The store is located at Saville Row, known for its exquisite tailoring and an eye for detail. This is were the people who appreciate handcraftedextreme quality materials come and get their ever so immaculate garments that they would wear on a daily basis. 

START


START.
Owned by Brix Smith Start, famous from starring in a TV programme and not to mention her two pugs Pixie and Gladys. I only went into the one of the three shops; the menswear department. I was met by a super friendly staff member that was up for a chat. 
You'll only know about these shops if you're in the right circle, you have to make an effort if you want to shop here, because of the location: Rivington Street in Shoreditch, not really a place you would think of as a shopping destination. The men here know what they offer, its definitely well-dressed men that walk in and out of this shop. The interior is dark and cosy, wood and glass cabinets displaying high end accessories and the rails are stocked up with the latest Autumn/Winter collections, reflected by this seasons rich colours. All this in dim lighting, which fits the tone perfectly, I also really love that they have kept the raw yellow brick walls inside, and not covered them up!

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Farfetch.com





















FARFETCH.COM.
"A global community" is how they describe themselves, what is interesting with Farfetch.com is rather than representing designers, they represent independent boutiques, so you can shop the boutiques stock online or go to one nearest to you. Under the tab "Boutique"  you can chose your country and then a long list will present it self, they tell you the name of the shop, location, when it got established, what brands to look out for and the history of the shop, on top of this they also tell you if the stock womenswear, menswear or both! Farfetch.com's website is rather sterile, but have cool graphics to catch your attention. The website is easy to maneuver around. One of the exciting features that they have is; when you find an item that you really like, perhaps even want to buy you have two options. One to click "Add to bag" or two Farfect.com will tell you which shops the item is stocked in! Genius! 

OKI-NI





















OKI-NI.
This website have a very distinctive style and pick out the designers that matches their ethos the best. They have picked out the most innovative and edgy designers that are on the market. Its all kept very black and white, classic with an edge. They have made a great effort to present the products in the best possible way; take the shoes as an example, the main image will show the shoe's profile, and as you move the curser over the image, a new image will presents one shoe on an angle and the other so you're able to see the sole - nice attention to detail! An other exemplary example would be the scarfs; first image a neatly folded up scarfs, the second a close up of the print, but you also get a sense of the fabric drapes. Like most other online stores they have a social media platform, with blog, Facebook and Twitter where they take you behind the scenes. 

NET - A - PORTER





















NET-A-PORTER. 
Which fashion blogger does not know about Net-A-Porter? Everybody is talking about the best luxury online fashion retailer. They sell the catwalk collections and have a waiting list for some of the most hyped items of this season. NAP publish their own online magazine so the costumer can get inspiration for the hottest looks and how to style this seasons trends. One of the features that I particularly enjoy is the "TV" section where you're able to learn about "Who's Who", they are video interviews and its great to see the face behind the brands.
The front page layout is filled with eye-catching and flashing images, its all very streamlined which is a good contrast with the busy images.
I like the fact when you're viewing the garments, that they are all on white background, often laid flat, but as you hover the curser over the image, a new image appears where you can see the product worn by a model. Which in theory should give you a better idea of how the clothes sits on the body, expect the average female body isn't a size 6 or 8. 

NOT JUST A LABEL





















NOT JUST A LABEL. 
NJAL showcases some of the newest designers on their website, so not only can you get one-of-a-kind pieces, but you can also learn more about the designers behind the brand under the section "Our Designers". What's great about NJAL is that it's an all-round platform, with news and articles on what's going on in the industry. Its definitely worth looking at as a student, as they have a section under "Community" that's called "Job Opportunities", which features internships as well as jobs!
When looking closer at the ONLINE SHOP, you get an immediate sense that this website does everything to represent each individual designer. By that I mean; when you look at the products, they have been presented in different ways, one designer has decided on plain white background, and the next have a very sepia vintage photoshoot kind of feel. It gives the site an incohesive feel, unlike other website were all the products have been presented the same way. It could be a very debatable discussion if you like it or not, at the moment I feel thorn.
Over all the site seems, clean, yet with a spike of fun because of the colour scheme, its easy to navigate around and you end up with a rather pleasant experience. 

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Bluebird

I'm not really sure how to describe Bluebird, its probably a little bit of a lifestyle shop.
The Bluebird Epicerie gives you the opportunity to have a sit down and enjoy most delicious lunch or bring home some of the most fantastic looking freshly home made bread you've had in a while. Generally their policy is if there's a available seat you're more than welcome to sit, but the main purpose of the place is more luxurious take on take-away. Which seems very appropriate to the rather posh Chelsea. I would say that its more the laid back Chelsea capita that would go to this fine place. I also love the fact that they play the radio, but its one of those radio stations, where you simply listen to the music and not so much the radio hosts. You can buy home made delicassé foods that you could ever dream of! Go take the time and have a look. It has a great welcoming and cosy atmosphere, anyone would feel right at home! 


Urban Outfitters

URBAN OUTFITTERS (OXFORD STREET). 
More sneaky photos, these are bit poor, as they were taken on the phone. 
I would any day of the week prefer shopping here than in Topshop. With an outdoorsy interior, that welcomes nature, the music is loud, but they are playing something that suits everyone. Although its busy, its not over crowed. The clothes ranges from their own collection to stocking Martin Margiela and other pricy designers. All kept in a fairly muted tones, although there are a few pieces that pop. 
So many floors though! Lots to see, I do like that they have a little area where they sell interior items, it adds a bit of personality. The lighting seems bright, as a contrast to all the dark interior. The fitting rooms followed through with the theme, as it was heavy wooden doors, that resembled a good old steady pound. It was dimly light, which was rather irritating, as you get a false sense of what the colours actually look like. Urban Outfitters has a rather interesting initiative; you are encouraged to take photos of your outfit that you are trying on, upload the photo to Instagram and share the photo via Twitter, to inspire all your fellow UO shoppers!
  



Selfridges

SELFRIDGES. 
Some may call this shopping paradise. But don't go through the main entrance unless you want to be smothered in the smell of perfumes. They have everything you could wish for, except a wonderful shopping experience. There's always too many people here and its too big for my liking. Where should I possibly start my journey. The cleaners are doing their job and standing in the way for the costumers that are trying to come through. Some of their escalators were out of order too! 
P-E-L-E-A-S-E take be back to Liberty!
Each designer has its own section where they are represented, even so far as the interior for that specific place as been designed to follow the designers aesthetics. You enter into each brands mini shop, you can sense how well thought out the space is - and you do have to admire the effort.
Do go and see "My Dream Is To Draw Time" by Yohji Yamamoto, its the first time they have showcased some of his collection. My favourite part of Selfridges is the Womens Designer GaLLERIES, where the majority of the really interesting designers are showcased, such as Comme Des Garcons, Yamamoto, Margiela etc.