Burberry takes over Selfridges Corner Shop in playful twist

March 3, 2020

Burberry at The Selfridges Corner Shop. Image courtesy of The Selfridges Corner Shop

Burberry has taken over British department store Selfridges’ Corner Shop, with a new Antarctic expedition-themed popup in a bid to connect with affluent consumers who shop the London flagship store.

The Corner Shop space imagines a world as cool as ice with augmented reality penguins, wooden sleds and silk-scarf sails blowing in the wind. Burberry summer accessories will be on display in this exotic locale, including bucket hats, water bottles and bum bags, as well as the exclusive quilted Lola.

“Temporary is the new buzzword and like Story a decade ago, Selfridges is trying to capture the in-the-know of millennials coupled with experiences for social media,” said Bob Phibbs, CEO of The Retail Doctor, West Coxsackie, NY.

“Both Burberry and Selfridges are trying to shake off stodgy images from their legacy brands,” he said. “With the coronavirus playing havoc with luxury retailers in China and elsewhere, it gives both brands a chance to change the narrative to technology rather than sickness.”

The Burberry at the Selfridges Corner Shop effort runs through March 29.

Burberry at The Selfridges Corner Shop. Image courtesy of The Selfridges Corner Shop

More in store
Selfridges opened its rotating Corner Shop at its London flagship on the corner shared between Oxford and Duke Streets during the holiday season of 2017.

When it opened, the store adopted a retail concept that borrowed from the typical British tradition of the corner shop with an eclectic mix of products of luxuries big and small.

The Corner Shop, while rooted in British tradition, also draws inspiration from the Wunderkammer, a place where curiosities and rarities are exhibited, with displayed items both necessary and non-essential (see story).

Since then, various luxury designers have done takeovers of the space.

During the summer of 2018, Fendi took over the shop and served up a cool artisanal gelato bringing the iconic Italian treat maker Steccolecco to London for the first time. In addition to the ice cream, Fendi also offered branded ice lollipops while pitching fall coats.

Last summer, Bulgari created an entertainment filled experience to draw shoppers to its popup sparkling jewelry bar. Visitors could buy '60s-esque film posters and also enjoy a photo booth, a red carpet and a gourmet popcorn bar.

Burberry at The Selfridges Corner Shop. Image courtesy of The Selfridges Corner Shop

Different tune
Burberry chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci, who is in the process of adding edginess to the British fashion brand, envisioned a musical experience for the Selfridges Corner Store takeover. At his spring/summer 2020 show he placed oversized gramophone horns blasting dubstep songs on the catwalk.

The snow sleds make a nod to this musical inspiration as they have been crafted out of speaker stacks, itself a reference to the inspiration found in music.

The filmed penguins, which come to live through the augmented reality experience, add a layer of the inspiration of travel to the mix.

That last bit did sound a discordant note.

“Penguins in March? Who wants to think of penguins as spring arrives? I'm a bit confused by the strategy, even if it is virtual penguins,” Mr. Phibbs said.

“Surprise and delight has always been part of retail as theater and this shows an evolution in how that is delivered,” he said. “The real question is, will shoppers buy more at higher margins as a result?”

Burberry autumn/winter 2020 runway show

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