Being something of an outsider, I have a tendency to defend the underdog in most situations and when it comes to fashion, M&S is the underdog du jour. While recent figures show they have suffered their worst sales for three years with shares dropping by almost 25%, I say, give them another chance. (more…)
“It is time to straighten ourselves out, we are too slovenly. Everything seems to be allowed, even eating and drinking in a church square while stripped to the waist.”
Giorgio Armani wants his fellow countrymen to smarten up
I’ve been reading an informative article on The Business Of Fashion about www.storeadore.com, a US website that combines social networking with shopping reviews. BOF points out that while there are increasing numbers of social shopping sites cropping up, there are too many “whose value propositions are unclear and whose technology is shoddy”. I must admit I’m not really the social-networking type -I prefer my socialising to be of the face-to-face variety – but I have checked out a few of these sites in the past.
The most well-known one in the UK is OSOYOU.com and even that hasn’t really made its mark, the site can be difficult to navigate and was so full of technical glitches when it launched, it quite put me off returning. What’s nice about Store Adore is its simplicity. Apparently, the way it works is it handpicks the best fashion shops in a given US area and does a write-up of the store. It then offers the store an opportunity to advertise on the page and that quite often results in a discount voucher which then drives customers to its stores and those customers then add their own reviews. How easy and how clever!
As there isn’t a UK equivalent of Store Adore, I’ve taken it upon myself to do my bit for London retail. These 5 would be in my version of Store Adore:
The Shop At Bluebird, 350 King’s Road, SW3
My favourite ‘destination’ store, I would travel across town to visit The Shop At Bluebird just for the experience. It’s a huge single-floor space, studiously filled with a wish-list mix of labels from the unheard of (Obedient Sons, Nili Lotan) to the roll-call of ubiquitous French-cool labels (APC, Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno, Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, Rue du Mail, Charles Anastase). It’s not all clothing, there’s also a spa and a carefully edited selection of vintage furniture (think 1950s medicine cabinets, cinema chairs and Gulliver-sized mirrors) while their offering of art/photography/fashion books is top notch. Did I mention the staff? These guys get the balance between friendly and helpful but non-harassing just right. When I bought a Helmut Lang blazer there recently they even gave me the name and number of their alterations tailor (www.colpani.com if you’re interested). What I like about The Shop At Bluebird is it feels like a secret shop, despite its size it still has an intimacy you rarely experience in London.
Shop At Maison Bertaux, 27 Greek Street, Basement Premises, W1
Tiny but well-stocked, this is where I go for my fix of Sonia Rykiel socks and APC basics. It’s in a cute little basement underneath a moody French patisserie (don’t try to order a capuccino in there whatever you do!) and if you add yourself to the mailing list, ‘Madame’ will send you email invitations to all sorts of insider shopping shenanigans*. Don’t forget to check out the addictive blog which covers their buying trips as well as nights out with London’s in-crowd.
*Today there is 10% off if you whisper ‘Madame’ at the till!
Couverture and The Garbstore, 188 Kensington Park Road, W11
Retail is suffering at the moment which means stores need to work on the experience and ambience of their set-ups in order to get customers through their doors. New to Notting Hill is Couverture & The Garbstore which I read about last week so decided I had to check out pronto. I love it. On the ground and first floor are women’s and children’s clothes as well as hard-to-resist homesy bits like Alexander Girard cushions, vintage wooden toys and other knick knacks. The fashion is on the chi-chi side so not the sort of stuff I’d buy but it’s the kind of shop where your eyes are constantly darting left and right, you just don’t want to miss a thing and it’s all so beautifully presented. The owner is Emily Dyson who is an ex-Paul Smith designer and the daughter of James Dyson the vacuum cleaner guy (why am I even telling you this?). Downstairs is The Garbstore, classic American-influenced utilitarian menswear – Japanese chinos, no-logo grey-marl sweatshirts – mixed in with military blankets, preppie separates, New Balance 576 trainers and Action Man collectables. The whole concept is very ‘lifestyle’ but still with a personal twist that makes you want to move in there and then. I really hope this store is successful as it’s opened during a turbulent time but is such a unique enterprise and clearly a labour of love.
Matches Marylebone, 87 Marylebone High Street, W1
Matches is a funny one. I like the brand in as much as it’s always ahead of the curve and I love its seasonal magazine, not to mention whiling away many hours on its website. But whenever I’ve been into the Westbourne Grove store I’ve felt rather overwhelmed by the designery-ness of the labels. This new branch feels much more tightly edited and user-friendly. It’s way too expensive for me but it still has that magnetic ‘I’ll just pop in for a minute’ lure that I can’t resist. Plus the staff are super-nice, last time I was there I had a very cosy chat with one of the assistants who complimented my ginormous fur hat. If I was ever in the market for some high-end label action I’d definitely come here first.
Claire De Rouen, 125 Charing Cross Road, WC2
Not strictly a fashion store as this is a bookshop but I’ve included it because I literally can’t walk past without a brief stopover. The great thing about bookshops is you can come out having spent £30 and get the same excited buzz you’d get from dropping £500 on a Marc Jacobs coat. Situated on Charing Cross Road above The Soho Originals Bookstore it’s another of those secret hideaway finds that feels so right for London. Claire De Rouen was the manager of cult bookshop Zwemmers further along Charing Cross Road until it became Shipley and she’s one of London’s unsung fashion heroines. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a photography or fashion-obsessed friend you’ll find it in here (not to mention a little something for yourself too).
PIC: Shop at Maison Bertaux customers modelling the new collections
Thinking of buying a suede bag? Perhaps YSL‘s mock-croc print number or 3.1 Phillip Lim‘s reversible tote? Well take my advice, don’t do it. Unless you have a full-time driver or live somewhere with extremely agreeable weather. I lusted after Baleciaga’s cherry-red suede slouch bag for, oh months, before I finally came face to face with it in a boutique and did the classic ‘if I don’t buy it now it won’t be here next time’ panic splurge. It first gave me come-hither glances from the back page of US Vogue which I subsequently tore out and carried around with me. I fantasised about what I’d wear it with – a bit Frankie Rayder I fancied, in gently faded Levis and a just-fitted-enough white tee – and what it would smell like (I have an unhealthy obsession with sniffing leather and suede). When you see something like that in the flesh after investing so much time and energy in the fantasy, your real-life logic doesn’t stand a chance. I gave it a cursory try-on in the shop before the adrenalin got the better of me and seconds later it was in the carrier bag and in my hand.
A few years down the line and I can count the number of times I’ve used it on three fingers. The simple fact is a suede bag and unpredictable London weather do not a good combination make. Time after time I’ve rediscovered it, tenderly unpacked it from its dustbag, given it a gentle stroke and a sniff and vowed to use it the very next day. Come the next morning, sensing a hint of darkness in the sky and the threat of a downpour it’s back to the PVC Marc shopper and boring reliability.
We all know that the fashion industry is based on fantasy and this example goes to prove it. Every time I see the poor bag it’s an expensive reminder of that seductive back-page-of-Vogue photo and the promise that it would change my life. Sucker! So what now? The bag has been unpacked for the very last time and tomorrow it makes its way to Rellik, the queen bee of vintage stores. It’s not an It bag and it’s not strictly vintage but it’s Balenciaga so Stephen Rellik has hinted he might be up for a swapsies consultation. We can but wait and see.
