ThisisaFashionBasedMagazineasfashionissomethingI’mvery passionateabout,andthisisitwhyI’mstudyingattheFashion Retail Academy to take my passion into a career one day EventuallyIwanttostartupmyownfashionbrand
Ifirstdiscoveredmyloveforfashionduring2020whenIstarted myownjewellerybrand,itmademestartlookingatfashionmore, lookingatcurrenttrendsandwhatwaspopularnowsoIcould additemstomybusiness
ItooktextilesformyGCSEwhichalsowasabigfactorwhenwe didourfinalprojectasitmademedoalotofresearchintoits fashionanddifferentbrands.AlsodoingBusinessStudiesformy GCSEs helped as well as I really enjoyed learning about businesses and factors that go into running businesses, and everythingbehinditsowhenIhadtheoptionbetweenfashion designorretailitwasclearretailiswhatIwantedtodo Sinceit wasmytwofavouriteelementsaddedtogether!
Shoppingisalsooneofmyfavouritepastimes,notonlydoyou gettheexcitementfromtryingonandbuyingnewclothes,itis alwaysinterestingtoseewhatnewstyles,coloursandpatterns are popular and trendy when wandering around the stores or evenwhenshoppingon-line Itsalwaysinterestingtoseeifthe highstreetbrandsareabletokeepupwithtrendsdiscoveredon appslikeTikTokandInstagram,butalsothewayshopsattract youwiththerevisualmarketing.Itisjustsointriguingtoseehow theStoresputitalltogetherandhowitdrawspeopleintothe store
IgrewupinasmallvillageinLincolnshirewhichwasveryrural withnotmuchgoingon.Ihadn'tdreamedoffacareerinfashion asitwasveryunlikelyduetotravellingfactors.Ihadneverreally seen it as a potential career path since opportunities like the FashionRetailAcademyweresofaraway SowhenImovedto Hertfordshireafewyearsagoitreallyopenedmoredoorsforme, sinceyouareliterallyonLondon'sdoorstepwithallthediversity andchoice!!
Iammassivefootballfanandseeingfashionwithinfootballis verycurious,fashionamongfootballplayersisaforevergrowing thingespeciallyamongtheyoungerplayersThelikesofsomeare already modelling for the big design houses and major sports brands.
Iwouldlovetoonedaymovemoreintofashionthaninto my jewellery and create my own fashion and clothing line, with designsIhavedesignedmyself Iwanttocreateatrendybrand butalsocollectionsthataretimelessandsustainableasI feel that’sthewayfashionisgoing.
This magazine was so enjoyable to write and I loved researching the content. 90s glam is something I love and havearealinterestinandI've shown this through my 90s glam youth culture page alongwithmymoodboardto let you get an insight and really experience what the main influences in this era were. Another page I've loved creating was the get the look pageS, as I love creating outfitsandfindingpiecesand how they have been styled etc The Selfridges pages give a good insight into Selfridges and their history You get to learn something you didn't with the Selfridges history timeline and then get an insightintowhySelfridgesare the leader in department retailing. I hope you enjoy reading this magazine as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
W H Y I S S E L F R I D G E S
S T I L L T H E M A R K E T
L E A D E R I N
D E P A R T M E N T
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Selfridges has been able to hold the lead in department retailing due to offering such a wide range of items and brands in-store and online Selfridges is such a well-known store around the Oxford Street area and visited by so many people every year from all around the world And it was the most “Uber” place in 2021 which shows its popularity! Its clear people love to shop here as it has something for everyone no matter your budget, but it also has a lot of attractions and there's always something new to see in Selfridges Selfridges knows how to reach people and attract them into their stores, for example Selfridges is well known for their pop-ups with my personal favourite the Jacquemus 24/7 water-themed one, I felt it was done in such a cool and interesting way It was done in a 24/7 vending machine way but for handbags which was something that hadn’t been done in England before, the vending machine was open 24/7 where you were able to buy handbags and other Jacquemus products, but they were all blue, so as to fit the water theme It also featured other interactive bits like a changing room which had features inside, it gave you the sense of escapism as it doesn't feel like you ’ re shopping This particular theme spread about on TikTok quite a lot which essentially gave Selfridges free advertising which is a big advantage for them doing these pop-ups and making it worthwhile for them Selfridges within their store include something for everyone which could be a big factor to them holding onto lead in department retailing they offer so much for so many styles and age ranges and made it so everyone can have that experience with shopping at Selfridges and that sense of luxury, but it covers all budgets, for example if you spend £30 on a top or £1000 on a luxury coat the wrapping and final experience is the same The wide range of products helps as you can get so much from food in the luxury food court designer items handbags shoes, makeup, homeware, electronics, jewellery and toys By offering a wide selection of brands and products it brings so many people into the store as they have different interests and needs that why Selfridges attracts so many age ranges For example like the huge toy section on the top floor which attracts a lot younger age range who definitely wouldn’t see the fun in shopping for clothes Then the massive designer range brings in the more high-end people or people who want to get a designer item with a luxury experience as shopping in Selfridges just has a good vibe By having all of these sections kind of trick you into spending more money as you can always find something for someone or if you go in as a family there's something for everyone which would suit everyone's interests all in one shop so by having such a large selection of products that's what makes them such a leader in department retailing Visual Merchandising is something you can tell is a big factor for Selfridges as they have gone above and beyond compared to some stores on Oxford street there 'let's change the way we shop' big yellow sign on the corner of the building which makes them stand out and look more appealing to the other stores When stores look more appealing and inviting it’s a higher chance that customers will come inside and want to look around and spend money they want to know what is different to the way we shop! I personally like the way each brand is showed, especially the designer one ’ s, their layouts and showing off items is something I found interesting, as they matched the colour schemes to match the brand so well and make the items they are selling stand out Selfridges has many elements in the store and a massive sensory element to their store which could be a massive contributor to them being the leader in department retailing The DJs and music choices used in Selfridges to add to that element of sensory is interesting as if you go in the morning the music is always a lot softer and quieter unlike if you go a weekend or an evening the music is always a lot more upbeat and intense which is done through DJs as well which isn't you see so often in a store on Oxford Street So they use music and change it depending on the time and day and this is done to increase your mood without you realising and it's their way to hoping you spend more because of this Selfridges always has a pleasant smell to it, and this stems mainly from the perfume section but it’s a very pleasing sensory process to walk into If the store had an unpleasant smell it would put me off and probably avoid shopping there The wide choice of restaurants and bars to fit so many different age ranges and appetites, enjoy a glass of champagne or just a quick sandwich caters for all which is so appealing for many people as they can eat shop and drink all in one store! And again due to the higher end options it gives the shopper more a sense of luxury which enhances their experience Within Selfridges in the basement is a Formula 1 Car on display (with no engine may I add) which you can buy for a cool £200000 or on the top floor is a floor piano something for everyone The Formula 1 car was really interesting to see up close as there was also a Formula 1 display and next to it, they have a driving simulator, so you get to experience what driving a F1 car is really like Most people will never get a chance to drive one so the simulator is a great experience for people who have an interest in Formula 1 or just want to give it a go for fun It's also a great marketing tactic from Selfridges as it attracts Formula 1 fans to the store who may not tend to take an interest in Selfridges The piano floor attraction on the top floor is a good tactic to attract kids and families to the store as it's something kids would really enjoy, creating music from it and just overall playing with it or it's good if you just want to have a laugh with friends More entertainment experiences within Selfridges are the cinema and the workout studio the cinema gives you that sense of luxury again which so many aspire to want in their life so it's nice to experience for people The workout studio offers classes like soul cycle which is not what you expect when shopping but shows how much Selfridges are into wellness Escapist Experiences within Selfridges is their confidence coaching and empowerment sessions which they offer ranging from £30 to £150 which can help you shut off and become a better self Some more escapist experiences are offered in the beauty concierge they offer different services and treatments which can just help you shut off and take some time for yourself Educational Experiences within Selfridges are the library and the massive book selection which is based in the basement and the Selfridges history timeline where you can see and learn the history of Selfridges some find this interesting to see and learn about especially when you are in the shop These are all extraordinarily strong factors and reasons why Selfridges can hold that top spot when it comes to department retailing, they just have such a strong established brand which is liked by so many Selfridges have got their marketing on point by using platforms like Instagram and TikTok by using cool and creative ways to show what they have to offer or what's coming to store or what's hot now, by doing this they can reach new people and people which already love Selfridges but just didn't know a certain event and store was coming to Selfridges The social media team is also super creative and that can contribute to them becoming the leader in department retailing as it's all about advertising nowadays, especially on social media I believe Selfridges gives a good experience from personal experience as the staff have always been so helpful and I love the layout, it's inviting and it's not in your face that is overwhelming which I like I have never had a bad experience with the staff they have always been more than helpful I did some primary research through a few Instagram polls I did to see how big Selfridges is and asked question like have you ever visited Selfridges before to see actually how popular Selfridges is and see how many people actually have visited the store My first question was "have you ever visited Selfridges?" and 91% said yes, they had visited Selfridges which shows how popular Selfridges is because only very few people said they have never been to Selfridges before The next question is "have you ever purchased something from Selfridges" only 55% of people said yes so this shows the experience of Selfridges attracts people in and so many people just go enjoy the experience which Selfridges has to offer I next asked "do you like the experience Selfridges gives" and 82% said yes they do enjoy the experience Selfridge gives so the way they layout and the experience and vibe they give really has an effect on people making it such an enjoyable experience which is clearly a bit factor why they are so popular and so successful My last question is "how did you first hear about Selfridges" and most people said either through friends or social media so it shows that it attracts groups of people to the store to look around and potential to buy something but it’s just a great place to have some fun and a laugh with friends Also people said they found out through social media which shows Selfridges have got there marketing on point as not only they post about Selfridges but people on TikTok post about their experiences and new things to see on TikTok which reach new people and a different types of audiences which the Selfridges social media pages wouldn't reach It's clear that Selfridges is more than just shopping they make it more like an experience for you Their aim is to make you feel like you're not shopping when you ’ re in there and so many elements make it such an enjoyable experience it shows they really value their customers which is why they have been able to hold that lead in department retailing
