Store gallery: Selfridges debuts Designer Studio at Oxford Street

The Designer Studio, which showcases the retailer’s contemporary and luxury ready-to-wear collections, is part of a £300m project to “future-proof Selfridges’ in-store shopping experience”, according to the retailer. 

The Designer Studio debut follows the launch of the Body Studio, the Denim Studio and the Contemporary Studio, all part of Selfridges’ 100,000 sq ft Studio project. More than 60 international labels and 22 new brands have made their Selfridges debut through the Studio project, including eight collections exclusive to the department store.

Designers J.W.Anderson, Christopher Kane, Marni, Joseph and Vetements have new shop-in-shops in the Designer Studio.

’Creativity and practicality’

The Designer Studio aims to connect fashion, contemporary art, music and culture with a range of concept spaces, according to Selfridges. It also features a book shop, which sells a mix of photography, fashion and arts books as well as magazines, annuals and collectible editions.

The space also uses a series of architectural installations as retail fixtures, designed by long-time Selfridges creative collaborators including Anna Lomax, Gary Card and Patternity.

Selfridges buying and merchandising director Sebastian Manes said: “Our starting point for the development of the Designer Studio was the question: what does our customer want? What does she expect and what doesn’t she expect? We asked ourselves: How is she shopping the store up, down and across?

“This is particularly relevant in a time of fast-moving digital retail. We want the experience to surprise and make sense simultaneously. It’s a destination that addresses both the creativity and practicality of shopping for fashion.”