Indepth Review- Dover Street Market

Dover Street Market opened its doors to the public in order to provide an alternative shopping experience and it definitely seems to provide that. Some kind of hybrid between a department store, boutique and an art gallery, the space is creative, cool yet incredibly relaxed.

Starting from the shop windows the sheer determination to confuse and wow its customers at the same time is immediately obvious. The current window boasts an artist- not a designer- by the name of René Burri. Entering the store there is a small gift shop type set up where you can quickly grab a Commes des Garcons T-shirt as a souvenir before moving in-between a cabinet of very smartly presented bone fragments to your right and a vague jewellery department to your left. The floor is concrete and a horse hangs upside down casually from the ceiling above the stairs into the basement.

The decoration and feel varies from floor to floor with a sixties dance number playing on the ground floor with the industrial warehouse look and then on the third opera was paired with a more Scandinavian wood feel.

The store is arranged over six levels each dedicated to neither mens or womenswear but instead the clothes are mixed together. This may sound disorganised but upon reflection this makes shopping a mixed gender activity rather than needing to ‘split up’ to shop.  The reasons for this can be debated, it could be a clever way of emphasising the gallery feel or a method for encouraging gender exploration through making cross dressing more acceptable and easier to participate in.

However as is usual there is a disproportionate amount of women’s clothing to men’s. Despite the mix of male and female clothing everything is very well considered. The buyers have put great consideration into creating capsule collections that capture the designers entire collection without watering it down or just hosting a collection of completely unwearable pieces. Not that there weren’t some completely nutty items up for sale. For example the Commes Des Garcons dresses that were sewn like flat 2D cartoon dresses with incredibly extreme silhouettes and the Balinese headdresses in what appeared to be some kind of vintage collection from around the world.

These were only a few examples of the many random touches that had been given to this highly eclectic space, others included pot plants, rugs, tables and chairs, beach hut tills and garden shed changing rooms. Unfortunately the staff varied too, on two of the floors we were greeted and the staff were very helpful but on the others we were either ignored or watched like hawks. I can see the reason for this as rather unusually none of the stock possesses security tags. This is positive in a way as it means everything is available to handle and try on from the Alexander McQueen knuckle duster bags to every fur and leather jacket going, I don’t think there is another store in the whole of London this trusting of it’s customers despite the obvious presence of at least two security guards per floor.

The hanging of the clothes manages to stay neat despite the feel that they are using every available space for something. There is one size only of each garment displayed but any different colour ways are on display also. The hangers are spaced around two inches apart to enable easy browsing and preventing the overcrowding of rails. The hangers are all branded meaning that they were supplied by each designer or label itself except of course for the vintage which is displayed on plain wooden hangers.

To sum up I believe that the Dover Street Market is succeeding in offering an alternative shopping experience to the traditional department store. The experience is quite relaxing if a little confusing but it never fails to keep your interest.

Store Review- FarFetch

   

I have to say I rather love FarFetch. I love the way that when you hover the curser over new in it gives you a quick overview without even needing to click. I love the selection of designers. I love the simple easy to use set up of the site and I really do like their 'highlights' sections which again like most webstores these days has little guides to help you navigate their generous selection of Product. FarFetch sets it out a little differently their current you simple click on 'Autumn Staples: Winter Boots' and every style of winter boot is there for you to browse according to price, colour. designer or if you are dying to try them on the boutique where they are available. I just think this is such a useful basic site which doesn't over complicate the art of shopping which is just what's needed.

Store Review- Browns

Browns has held it's place in Bond Street for many years as well as it's standards. However it would be more than fair to say that it has become a bit stuffy and intolerant over recent years. The staff are unwelcoming to anyone under the age of fifty or with children or teenagers in tow and it is the only place I have ever been where they have specifically asked me on entry not to paint. The stock selection is good all in all if a little predictable and the departments are neat. The shop fit is beginning to look a little tired though and could do with a refresh and the staff are very controlling of where you can and can't go. Basically I felt the shop was a little tired and in need of bringing up to date but would be adequate if they staff would allow you to actually shop.

Store Review- Dover Street Market

As much as I liked the interior of this store I found the assistants to be quite rude and
impatient to get back to playing around on their mobile phones. The place was quite hard to navigate which was a shame as I really wanted to like it. The jewellery was displayed beautifully and pretty much all the merchandising was well thought out in generally breathtaking. The difference between floors was obvious as they tried to create something for everyone and despite the limited natural light the store was kept bright so unlike some areas of Selfridges and Liberty it was always easy to see the products and the changing rooms were all brightly lit also. I think this store has plenty of promise and I really want to like it but the staff really did ruin my experience.

Webstore Review- Not Just A Label

Not Just A Label is a truly unique website that gives young designers a platform on which to showcase their talent and sell their work. They host a wide variety of design work from the avant-garde to simple jersey T-Shirts.  Designers are also collected from all over the world with picks from British, Polish, Spanish and Australian talent being showcased among many more. The price range also varies as much as everything else with a pair of leggings available at £41 all the way up to an orange 'Shouldered Outfit' up for £6,700. This is a great site to visit to see who is truly up and coming or to find something truly unique that no one else will have. Also much like Net-A-Porter they provide a wealth of information about their  designers whilst also releasing editorials, articles and the latest news alongside job listings and intern offerings. They also make it easy for designers to apply to be sold in store.

All in all a brilliant website for people who are more interested in the industry and in seeking out the newest designers.

Store Review- Urban Outfitters

If I could only use one word to describe Urban Outfitters it would be random. The clothing is broken up with injections of music, memorabilia and home ware and you never quite know if your in sale, boutique or bog standard or how much the item your looking at actually is. At the same time the decor is decent in that torn posters as wallpaper and mismatched lampshades type way which I suppose is there to give it a rock 'n' roll edge and the experience can be bearable if you get the right time of the week however the changing rooms are pretty hard to find and the tills are temperamental and understaffed. I find it difficult to either love or hate this place. It's just average.

Store Review- Start

Start is an interesting place to visit, it is tucked away from everything down quite a pretty street and a shrine to designer wear in East London. It stocks a wide variety of labels from ash shoes to mulberry bags with an electric and slightly crazy decor. Even the mannequins were wearing crazy bunny masks.

It really does provide a modern and unprejudiced shopping experience the staff are happy to serve anyone and the vibe is relaxing. So neon lights and rabbit masks aside I really appreciate this store for setting a new bench mark for premium shopping.

Store Review- Browns Focus

Browns Focus is another beautiful shop. Too small to have a feel of a gallery it's like some strange futuristic bazaar with mirrored walls and a very modern product selection. The idea behind it is to stock up and coming designer and showcase them in a separate store to Browns itself which has an older more sophisticated client which probably would neglect to shop the likes of Acne, House of Holland or Meadham Kirchhoff.

It tends to be on the quiet side in there and the changing room situation can only be described as awkward but the staff are friendly and keen to show off their extensive product knowledge. The windows are minimal but not bad and the staff are guaranteed to know the designer of every item on show.

Webstore Review- NET-A-PORTER

Set up more like a magazine's website than a webstore, NET-A-PORTER's focus is undoubtedly high end. It focuses on delivering the most premium labels such as Dolce and Gabbanna, Alexander McQueen, Prada and many more whilst along side it producing 'edits' offering as much information on trends and how to wear.

These edits are actually invaluable to the website as not only does it draw more eyeballs and increase the amount of time spent by each user on the website but it makes finding the kind of product you need much easier within it's vast and sometimes dizzying offering.

All in all I would say that NET-A-PORTER has everything you want but can be hard work to navigate.

Store Review- The Shop at Bluebird

The Bluebird has long been a special place to me, ever since I could walk I've been watching this space  and seen it being used as everything from a luxury furniture store to Sainsburys and it's fascinating to see the changes. The latest use, as a luxury clothing retailer, is definitely interesting. The space is light, airy and beautiful in a kind of industrial grunge type way but there are no permanent fixtures. The jewellery is stored in old museum cabinets and all the racks on which the clothes are hung are just placed in the space. I think this gives the appearance of a pop up shop as nothing has really settled into it's place and looks like it's still in the process of being merchandised. The stock itself is a great selection with pieces from the likes of Acne and Isabel Morant with a vintage selection at the back of the store and a miniature denim department stocking just Victoria Beckham and J Brand. As a premium retailer it isn't doing a bad job as it provides a relaxed atmosphere a light space and great product however the staff are either invisible or unhelpful as though they aren't interested in selling anything which really does make shopping here a bit of a turn off.

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Store Review- Liberty

Liberty is probably my dream store. It's a truly premium department store that's in a good location but not in the middle of the main throng of Oxford Street. Instead it sits comfortably just next to Carnaby Street with a relaxing environment and it is never too crowded. It is a beautiful store in so many ways, firstly it's exterior is a beautiful arts and crafts building with the insides, such as the wooden sculptures and carved doorways have been preserved beautifully except for a far from sympathetic lift that has been installed in the central section. It's offering is eclectic in many ways but it is all very wearable. They feature designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Acne, House of Hackney, Kenzo and Richard Nicholl. The only downside is that the set up makes it easy to miss things like the shoe department but if you are willing to keep your wits about you then Liberty really is a wonderful place to go.

Store Review- Topshop

Topshop Oxford Street is probably the biggest stand alone store of any high street retailer. The huge offering really is an advantage but one of few, staff will rarely be able to tell you where anything is,  the fitting rooms have massive queues are often unclean and there is no kind of service offered- if you need another size you have to get back into your own clothes, grab whatevetr you wanted to keep and go to get that other size yourself ready to queue again for another dusty cubicle. 

The windows are redressed fairly regularly and the mannequins are changed often to keep up with the seasons stories and trends as they seem to filter through on a six week cycle. The mannequins are supposedly edgy in a high street attempt at being fashion forward. You can't fault them for making the effort as it is the only high street store alongside Zara to do so and from a money making point of view it is very successful at drawing the customers in and making the sales.

In conclusion I would say that Topshop is alright, it works.

Store Review- Selfridges

Selfirdges is very much a store built for tourists, it's set up is such that the typical expensive brands sought after by tourists such as Prada and Louis Vuitton Handbags, fine jewellery and perfume can be accessed really easily on the ground floor straight from the street. Unlike Browns or Libertys there is no focus on promoting British designers or up and coming designers instead it focuses on supplying the typical that will sell to tourists with limited designer knowledge who just want to impress their friends back home with a low tax high end designer product. The general set up is reminiscent of Bloomingdales in New York with the high end stores getting their own little pods to turn into their own little stores and the lesser brands being set up like any other department store. The more money you are willing to spend the nicer an environment they will provide you with (apart from designer handbags which is just a thoroughly unpleasant experience) with Alexander McQueen presented like art work and Miss Selfridges presented mostly on the floor.