Monday 11 May 2009

Selfridges: delighting fashionistas for 100 years




Fashionista loves a big birthday bash, and is thrilled to see that one of the world's best known department stores is celebrating its centenary this year with great style. Of course, Fashionista would expect nothing less from Selfridges - the quintessence of all things fashionable.

H. Gordon Selfridge opened the doors to his famous store 100 years ago on 15 March 1909. To celebrate, shoppers are welcomed by a giant illuminated sign announcing "Open to the World Since 1909" which adorns the London store canopy and which sits above window displays which span the last 100 years.

Every weekend in May will see The Big Yellow Festival taking place throughout the Oxford Street store, hosted by the "Selfridgettes" who will entertain shoppers as they move through the store on the arm of Mr Selfridge. Clad in yellow (of course) dresses designed by Giles Deacon, they will be hard to miss. The Festival includes live music on Fridays and fashion shows on Saturdays, where models will travel up and down the 2nd floor escalators dressed in the latest on-trend pieces, to soundtracks mixed by two of London's most prominent (and multi-talented) fashion designers: Giles Deacon and Henry Holland.

Fashionista doesn't need an excuse to shop, but if she did, what better excuse than to strive to collect each of the limited edition carrier bags designed by Giles Deacon, Stella McCartney, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood, which are only available during May? A worthy challenge! As for the purchase? Perhaps one of the limited edition pieces created by various brands (ranging from a Dualit yellow toaster to a yellow Alexander McQueen clutch) to celebrate Selfridges' 100th birthday?

All in all, an exciting line-up and a fanfare of a birthday tribute. As Alannah Weston - Creative Director of Selfridges - explains in the Centenary Magazine: "Our job is always to surprise, amaze and amuse, but amid all of that, to deliver that sartorial (or culinary) holy grail". Fashionista says: congratulations Selfridges - job done!

Good advertising has us believing that the future is orange. Well, for Selfridges and fashionistas everywhere, the future is most definitely yellow. Pantone 109 to be precise.

1 comments:

Thrifty Gal said...

Despite being a Liberty girl myself, as anyone who has read my blog will know, I have to admire the marketing behind this strategy: well thought out, well targeted and well placed in the media. Result!