History
Selfridges was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge, an American retail magnate, and opened its doors in 1909. Harry Selfridge’s vision was to create a store that offered a wide range of high-quality goods and provided an exceptional shopping experience. Selfridge used the slogan “the customer is always right” and is one of the people attributed for popularising it. ITV has produced a dramatised series about Selfridge called “Mr. Selfridge”.
Flagship Store
The flagship Selfridges store on Oxford Street in London is one of the most famous department stores in the world. It is known for its striking architectural design and has been a prominent landmark in London for over a century. The store has six floors of shopping, restaurants, and even an in-house cinema. Did we mention the skate bowl next to the skate clothing? There is at least one restaurant on each of the floors.
Lower Ground Floor
Starting from the lower ground floor, the store has an excellent technology section, a cookshop with home accessories, and high-quality confectionaries and candies.
Ground Floor
The ground floor is mainly devoted to beauty products and cosmetics. Also, the food hall with gourmet food and culinary delights is located there, along with food hampers. The food hall also has options for eating or having champagne and oysters. There’s also the Wonder Room with exclusive jewellery and watches for sale.
First, Second and Third Floors
The first and second floors have clothing for men and women, offering a great shoe and sneaker selection. The third floor has more designer clothing for women. One interesting thing to mention is the Hive Restaurant and Bar with beehives on a section of the roof where the honey comes from.
Top Floor
The top floor has toys and clothing for kids and three restaurants. Also, the Christmas shop is located there in the months leading up to Christmas.
Selfridges’s Christmas window displays are an important annual event and attract many people to see the new designs each year.
Shopping Experience
Selfridges offers a wide range of products, including fashion, beauty, home goods, and luxury items. The store carries various high-end and designer brands, making it a destination for luxury shopping. The store’s layout makes it easy to walk around and shop without feeling lost. While the product selection is vast, the store still feels spacious.
Sustainability
Selfridges Project Earth is an effort to improve the sustainability of shopping. One of the ways to do this is by using more sustainable materials. Other ways to increase sustainability are selling “pre-loved” items, renting products and offering a service to repair some product types.
Events and Collaborations
Selfridges frequently hosts special events and collaborations, working with designers, artists, and brands to create unique and exclusive shopping experiences. These events and collaborations often draw in fashion enthusiasts and trendsetters.
Summary
Selfridges has remained an iconic and influential institution in luxury retail. It is celebrated not only for its exclusive merchandise but also for its commitment to innovation and the customer shopping experience.
