The store is based in the historic 19th century, Grade II listed Carriage Hall, which features an expansive hidden courtyard with three levels of galleried floors built around a central atrium. In the centre of the building, light floods in through a stunning glass ceiling and is captured by a suspended Icosahedron mirror sculpture which reflects the light across all the floors.
The innovative interior of the store has been created by retail design experts, Dalziel & Pow, an award-winning company headed up by Creative Director, David Dalziel. He said: “The Shop at Bluebird, Carriage Hall, Covent Garden is one of those rare opportunities in retail design – a great site and a brave client who can see the potential in creating a benchmark retail experience.”
The 15,000-sq. ft. space is an eclectic and whimsical mix of designs, props and bold visual merchandising displays to create a ‘Playground of Wonders’ theme, which takes experiential retailing to another level. The whole store is an instagrammable heaven with something new to uncover in every turn, nook and cranny. The displays include antique furniture, long merchandising tables, handmade rugs and sumptuous draped curtains. The beauty and fragrance area has the natural, earthy feel of an apothercary, which has a living tree coming through a central table.
One of my favourite spaces within the store is a display area that features an inspirational lighting installation, that includes vintage shades alongside Rothschild & Bickers bespoke hand-blown glass pieces.
The Shop at Bluebird has always been a hub of creativity and is the dream store for high end luxury brands, who aspire to have their collections placed in store. The store has always supported new designers and this is still an important element in the new space, allowing customers to discover newer brands alongside the well-known names.
The store houses a carefully curated mix of brands, designers and artists with both an affordable, contemporary offer, as well as
premium luxury brands including Chloe, Alexander McQueen, Peter Pilotto, Victoria Beckham, Racil, Galvan, Temperley London and Ports 1961, alongside contemporary labels like Isa Arfen, Rixo London, Ganni and Forte Forte. Alongside the fashion is the Blink Brow Bar, Italian lifestyle brand Fornasetti, the Avery Perfume Gallery as well as a selection of artworks curated exclusively by William Ling from the Fashion Illustration Gallery.
Alongside the fabulous interior design and the best fashion brands from around the world, the Shop at Bluebird offers something even more impressive – a unique, shopping experience that feels premium without being intimidating.
The minute you step through the door you know that you are part of something special. The Shop at Bluebird offers one of the most welcoming shopping environments in London. Claire Miles, head of The Shop at Bluebird has been quoted as saying: “Our brand is about being warm and welcoming. We want people to feel like they can come in, have a look around, read a book or smell some perfume. There’s no, ‘Don’t touch this because it’s too expensive’.” And the store delivers this – every member of staff is delightfully engaging, inviting visitors to explore new brands, take pictures and browse at ease. Everyone I have sent down to check it out says how fantastic and inviting the experience of being in store was and not at all intimidating.
At a time when so many high street retailers are facing closures or struggling to survive in the current economy, they could learn how to do it differently from the Shop at Bluebird and see what experiential retailing really means in practise.
The Shop at Bluebird offers a totally unique, immersive shopping experience, putting the customer at the forefront of what they do and curating their product offer to meet the customers need. The Shop at Bluebird is set to become the ‘must-see’ fashion lifestyle store in London and I will look forward to seeing you there soon!
We are relentless
Searching far and wide for the most different, unique or perfect examples of the pinnacle of luxury and design, we’re relentless in the pursuit of excellence.
213