PEOPLE OF SELFRIDGES
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HENRY GORSE
WORDS BY GEORGIA GRAHAM
They say the clothes maketh the (wo)man, and we say the people make Selfridges. We spent a day capturing our unique community of customers and team members who always look their best when they visit. We asked them what it means to live a big life. Here, they show off their style.
This article is from our archive – some details may no longer be correct and featured products may be out of stock.
MAXIM, BRAND AMBASSADOR
Maxim is short for maximum chic. Maxim works at Selfridges’ Dior boutique but also loves to wear Maison Margiela, Dries Van Noten, Diesel and Jacquemus. When getting dressed in the morning, he’s thinking, “How can I make myself look the cutest that I can look today?” We think he looks really cute in his suit. HOW TO LIVE A BIG LIFE ACCORDING TO MAX… 1. “You need to be grateful. It’s the key to living a happy and full life.” 2. “Be receptive and open to opportunities, always.” 3. “And lastly, ambition. I think being ambitious creates a sense of adventure and drives you to seek new opportunities.”
ROCHELLE, RECEPTIONIST
“How can I present my interests so that, if someone looks at me at a glance, they can tell what I’m about?” Rochelle asks herself this question when getting dressed. She describes her style as fairly gothic and a bit romantic. She’s a big fan of animé and has a homemade Zoro keyring on her bag. THREE THINGS ROCHELLE NEEDS TO LIVE A BIG LIFE: “Love, self-expression and lots of cake!”
MILEY, STUDENT
Miley describes her mood in this outfit as “gentle and soft”. She’s wearing a matching top and trousers, which she ordered online and received in the post that day. She describes her style as “boundless, fluid and unexpected”. MILEY’S INGREDIENTS FOR LIVING A BIG LIFE? “Art, travel and love.”
NICK, LAWYER
Nick chose this outfit to eschew the stereotypical older-man look of shorts and a polo shirt. He describes his style as “adventurous, mature and confident”. He bought his top and trousers from Selfridges and borrowed his handbag from his wife. WHAT THREE THINGS DOES NICK NEED TO LIVE A BIG LIFE? “Family, beauty, physicality.”
EMILY, CREATIVE DIRECTION AT SELFRIDGES
Emily’s dress sense is as original as her ideas. If this outfit had a name, it would be called “blue-sky thinking”. She says the best thing about Selfridges is that there’s a Timpson in the basement – perhaps they have the key to her amazing style? TO SUM UP A BIG LIFE… “I would say live, I would say laugh, and I would say love.”
STEPHEN, STYLIST AT SELFRIDGES
Stephen starred in a Quality Street advert after his lockdown dancing videos went viral. (His favourite is The Purple One.) He describes his style as “eclectic, androgynous and expensive”. Despite his love of fashion, Stephen says he feels most “on brand” when naked. THE THREE THINGS STEPHEN NEEDS TO LIVE A BIG LIFE: “Moisturiser, because I’m never leaving my house looking ashy. My wallet. A positive mental attitude to get me through the day.”
CAROL, NGO CONSULTANT AND BOARD MEMBER
Carol is visiting Selfridges from Brazil – she says it’s not her first time, and it certainly won’t be her last. According to her, our Beauty Hall is the best in town. She’s carrying a Hermès bag with a rare mini-bag charm. A BIG LIFE TO CAROL? “My children’s company every day – if they agree to it! Good food, to maintain my body and my soul. And to surround myself with good people.”
NARDIA, PART-TIME TRAIN DRIVER AND PRODUCER
“This look embodies my love of androgynous pieces,” says Nardia. “Men’s jeans and a white tee, juxtaposed with gold jewellery, frames and a head wrap favoured by the women in my culture.” She describes herself as “a bit of a fashion nomad. I love interpreting new trends. Style is a process of evolution, and I’m enjoying my journey.” WHAT ARE THREE THINGS NARDIA NEEDS TO LIVE A BIG LIFE? “Freedom, connection, purpose.”
PIERRE, MERCHANDISING MANAGER
Pierre proves that the French are always à la mode. He built this outfit around his printed Prada shirt, echoing its details with his bags. If you look closely, you can see the JW Anderson bag’s “little sister”, and the Cartier watch he bought himself for his birthday. THE THREE THINGS PIERRE NEEDS TO LIVE A BIG LIFE: “Friends, family and a little bit of fashion”.
OLIVIA, FLORIST
Olivia describes her style as “romantic goth”. She’s wearing a black corset and a sheer top to show off her tattoos. “For make-up especially, I try to support indie alternative brands. Most of my clothing is charity shop finds or custom-made things from friends.” OLIVIA’S SECRET TO LIVING A BIG LIFE? “Happiness, friends, eyeliner.”
MUS, MAKE-UP ARTIST
Mus works at MAC. He’s big on futurism, which he sees as forward living. “We’re all living together, having a human experience, and I feel like that should be limitless. There’s nothing to define what we can wear or who we can be.” After work, you’ll find him at Bubble Magik on the fourth floor, enjoying a bubble tea. MUS’S PHILOSOPHY FOR LIVING A BIG LIFE? “A sense of self, a consideration of others, and prioritising finding stillness between the pulls of life.”
LUKE, FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER
Luke is wearing a cap from chainsaw company STIHL – his grandfather gave him it as a thank-you present for trimming his hedges. In his bag, he has a notebook, a bottle of San Pellegrino and a book. We forgot to ask him which book. LUKE’S BIG LIFE ESSENTIALS: “My laptop, my notebook and my family.”
SIMON, VISUAL MERCHANDISING MANAGER AT SELFRIDGES
Simon chose this outfit at 5am. He starts work at 7am, making sure everything looks perfect before the store opens. Sometimes he brings his three-year-old Welsh terrier, Duck, to work. Duck thinks Simon’s T-shirt is funny. THE THREE THINGS SIMON NEEDS TO LIVE A BIG LIFE? “Laughter, silliness, wine.”
Thanks to Yell for lending us the name Yellow Pages.
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