TUESDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2012

LARGEST MEN'S SHOE DEPARTMENT IN THE WORLD OPENS AT SELFRIDGES LONDON

Selfridges London has unveiled a new a men’s footwear concept, which at over 15,000 square feet and featuring over 250 brands, bespoke brand boutiques and a made-to-order shoe salon, is the largest men’s shoe department in the world. 

The department houses an unparalleled showcase of the most iconic fashion brands in the world, with more than 80 being new to Selfridges including Kenzo, McQ, Opening Ceremony, Oliver Spencer, Ann Demeuleemester and Burberry. From customised sneakers to bespoke Prada brogues, the diversity and breadth of the range is unlike any other department store and includes 120 exclusive styles.

A dedicated space for pop-up shops, exclusive collaborations, customisation services, trunk shows and unique retails initiatives, such as ‘buy from the runway’ concepts, ensures the offering is ever-evolving. Paul Smith has designed his new pop up boutique to reflect one of his other passions outside of designing shoes – books. The space features a series of short films showcasing the inspirational books behind the new collection as well as several exclusive styles. 

In a world-first, Christian Louboutin’s men’s collection will be housed in a beautiful dedicated boutique, due to open in February 2013.

The department features two new salons: one dedicated entirely to driving shoes, the interior of which is inspired by the bodywork of vintage Ferraris. The second is a unique made-to-order salon where you can create your own bespoke styles including selecting the leather and skin, the colour, the sole type and the stitching. 

To design the impressive space, Selfridges teamed up with leather specialist Bill Amberg who explained: “The idea focuses on the idea of ‘leather on leather’ – the floor being made of the same materials at the soles of a gentleman’s shoes. The notion of English modernity comes about in English leather being ballroom bees-waxed and laid in a parquet style usually done with wood, laid directly onto the floor, so that the various patinas come from underneath as time goes on, as well as from the soles above whose marks will age and beautify the material. It’s a brave and inspired choice for a floor, we wouldn’t expect anything else from Selfridges and we were delighted to have been part of their exciting new concept”.

To compliment the extraordinary product offering, a world-class service proposition sees the introduction of a shoe polish pop-up by The Shoe Snob, offering artisanal shines to set your shoes apart from the rest.  

 

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