© copyright Matt Writtle 2016.
This week Selfridges unveiled the world’s first integrated bodywear department, located in a brand new and unseen compartment inside the iconic Oxford Street store, as part of a five-year £300 million redevelopment. The 37,000 square feet Body Studio is Selfridges’ largest department ever and carries an impressive collection of over 150 brands and 5000 products among women’s lingerie, lounge, nightwear, swimwear, hosiery and sportswear.
In addition to providing an exceptional and fun shopping experience, in the Body Studio Selfridges also aims to celebrate women – their strength, their confidence, their bodies and their well-being – through the unique environment, product mix and events calendar. Offering a world-class lingerie fitting experience at the Fit Studio, a ‘knicker bar’ where customers are invited to pick and mix their underwear, the first Hemsley + Hemsley café concept, a courtyard garden and even a new Daniel Galvin hair concept, the Body Studio broadcasts the original ideas of wellness inside and out which inspired the project through a compelling shopping experience.
Depth, variety, newness, exclusivity and inclusivity from brands and collections are paramount, as the Body Studio sets out to deliver solutions to every woman, every situation and in every location. Some of the lingerie brands featured at the department are New York based label Fleur du Mal, Coco de Mer (available for the first time outside their London boutique), Silent Assembly as well as niche highlights including Else and For Love and Lemons. The Body Studio will also offer a year round holiday wardrobe featuring under-the-radar swim brands such as Marysia, Dodo Bar Or, Thierry Colson and Muzungu Sisters.
Premium nightwear is another focal point for the Body Studio as the category continues to grow into one of the most interesting and fast moving in bodywear. Olivia Von Halle, Morgan Lane, Dear Bowie, Pour Les Femmes and newcomer Three Graces lead this movement and after appearing on the SS16 catwalks at Balenciaga, Céline, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs and Saint Laurent, nightwear is set to be one of 2016’s biggest fashion talking points.
Last but not least, sports play a big role in the Body Studio and the global athleisure drift will be represented by a concise line-up of brands including Varley, The Upside and Michi. The product offering is rounded off by the most-wanted sports accessories such as waist trainers, pro boxing kits and a limited edition collection of water bottles and yoga mats created in collaboration with international brands and designers.
To mark the opening of this new space Selfridges have announced EveryBODY, the third thought-provoking project following on the steps of The Beauty Project, launched in 2014, and last year’s Agender, which challenged existing preconceptions of gender in fashion and retail. Through EveryBODY, Selfridges aims to support the legacy of positive self-image, promoting inclusivity and diversity through product, animation and a revolutionary media campaign. This project will see the department store collaborate with PSYCLE to offer an in-store gym space, as well as host a series of inspiring talks and uplifting events to galvanise the body and mind.
