Selfridges September - October News and Product Update

LONDON, September 14, 2011 -

News stories:

- Sweatshop Paris is a new creative concept that originated near hotspot canal St Martin in Paris where work stations are equipped with SINGER sewing machines and a central communal table. 

Sweat Shop founders Martena and Sissi join a string of British designers including Markus Lupfer, Alice Temperley, Osman and Jean Pierre Braganza to teach customers how to make and customise product as the ‘café couture’ concept comes to Selfridges for fashion week (12-25 September).

- British luxury accessories designer Sophie Hulme launched in Selfridges Accessories Hall in August, with further styles arriving throughout September and October. Sophie’s handbags are handmade in the UK and the distinctive gold plaques on her signature totes have already started a waiting list in store. We will have an installation launching in time for LFW in September, in the Designer handbags department featuring Sophie’s vintage charms and vintage numbers collection. 

- WeDo Studio, formed of five Royal College of Art graduates will present a new edition of YouDoBag installation in Selfridges for London Fashion Week and London Design Festival 16 - 26. YouDoBag is a unique take on manufacturing; a working installation that demonstrates an original approach towards bag design and production. 

WeDo Studio brought together its members’ diverse interests to blur the boundaries between design and manufacture. This installation will produce a limited edition of 500 bags produced exclusively for Selfridges. A previous version of this installation was first presented in April 2011 at Ventura Lambrate during the Milan Furniture Fair. Its popularity and success have now brought it to Selfridges to celebrate the experience that is within design, colour and choice. YouDoBag explores a journey from a material to function. It infuses the process of design into the stages of manufacture, resulting in bespoke stitch-less bags using a colourful palette of Kvadrat fabrics and Bemis adhesive technology.

- Rachel Zoe womenswear, handbags and designer shoes launched exclusively at Selfridges at the end of August, handbags and shoes from £275.

- Mimi Holliday pop-up to celebrate 10 years of the brand. The pop up will be in store for the month of September in celebration of London Fashion Week where the brand will show on the digital schedule with a presentation featuring product available exclusively at the Selfridges pop-up. Mimi Holliday collaborates with furniture designer Giles Miller on the design of pop-up.

- The Shoe Galleries Anniversary (September-October) Our big story around The Shoe Galleries anniversary is the miniature shoe collection (which are about 10cm from heel to toe). A bespoke wooden advent calendar inspired piece of furniture is being created with drawers containing scaled down replicas of shoes from the likes of Maison Martin Margiela, Rupert Sanderson and Dries van Noten. It’s absolutely divine and will be available for £18,000 from the first week of the 1st Anniversary of The Shoe Galleries (20 September). The full collection of miniatures, which includes a Fendi AW11 runway shoe (£395), a mini Fendi baguette bag (£690), Charlotte Olympia miniatures in six different colourways (£295) and a Christian Louboutin collection of Barbie sizes shoes (£60), will also be showcased as part of an installation in the Shoe Galleries from 24 October to 27 November.

- Dead Cool for Halloween (26 September - 31 October); There will be Halloween pop-ups throughout the store, each stocking exclusive Halloween-themed product as part of our “Dead Cool” theme. There will be a Thrift Shop on G curated by Bay Garnett as homage to dead icons, an A.F. Vandevorst pop-up on 2, an installation in the Shoe Galleries on 2 by Dr Martens using Swarovski Elements, as well as Halloween inspired product from Maison du Posh, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and more.

Handbags:

Exclusive Alexander Wang white pony skin Rocco £795 arrives in store in October, as does the exclusive white Raoul clutch bag (£250) and the exclusive white snakeskin clutch by Rachel Ruddick. New and Exclusive Anya Hindmarch totes (£150) arrive in October too. 

Shoes:

Amazing 70’s style Louboutin’s and black Jil Sander ankle boots (£465), plus exclusive styles from Alexandre Birman (£305), Dr Martens (from £195), Nicholas Kirkwood (£695), Mulberry and more. Jewellery: New & Exclusive brand Pesavento rings, earrings and bangles and New Lara Bohinc pieces (from £195) Womenswear: New and exclusive pieces from Helmut Lang (£290), Acne, Isabel Marant (£665), By Marlene Birger, Roland Mouret and Karl Donoghue (£870) arrive in store in October.

For further information and images, please contact: Emma Whitehair, Selfridges Fashion PR Manager, T: +44(0)20-7318-3638, E: emma.whitehair at selfridges.co.uk; Kitty McGee, Press Officer, (Womenswear, Accessories, Lingerie & Swimwear), T: +44(0)20-7318-3397, E: kitty.mcgee at selfridges.co.uk