Chester: Retail At Its Best

Growing up, Chester was my nearest city, and once a month or so I popped in for a quick shop. It wasn't as thrilling as going into Manchester, the big city of shining lights - or that's how I saw it, with its enormous Topshop and the wonder that is Afflecks Palace. I took Chester for granted, I think, and kept my blinkers on as I popped in to pick up an essential.

Today I visited Chester for the first time in over a year and saw it with fresh eyes. Whether it was because the sun was shining brightly (at last! Hoorah) or that the city really has changed, I walked around in wonderment, scooting up and down the steps of the historic Rows and rattling over the cobbles. The city centre was bustling with activity, with independent boutiques nestled happily between multis, and big-name retailers inhabiting beautiful Tudor buildings.

I spent a long time in Aliz Vintage, a store housing vintage Chanel and YSL pieces, along with fabulous lower-priced 1970s lurex dresses; two of which I tried on, one being too large, the other too small. Not my day! I was also treated to a tour of The éditeur, complete with a cup of tea and a slice of hat designer Laura Apsit Livens's birthday cake.

One disappointing discovery was the rebranding of Browns department store: it has always been a Debenhams but had a strong personality of its own, too. Now it seems Debenhams have clumsily ripped down the Browns sign to make way for their own branding, taking a little bit of Chester's retail history along with it.


 How cute..!  Have you ever seen such a beautiful Superdrug?
Of course, I couldn't leave without taking a photo of the second most photographed clock in the world... especially so well contrasted against a brilliant blue sky!
I loved Chester's bustling mix of independent, British, and multinational retailers, all under wonderful 16th century rooves; perhaps Mary Queen of Shops should take a trip to Chester before she pronounces the Great British High Street dead and buried.

Milanese Window Shopping

You know you've got visual merchandising fever pretty bad when other people come back from their holidays with window display pictures for you. This happened when Paolo Feroleto took a trip to Milan for Salone del Mobile (which to non-design-heads is Design Week) and in-between snapping pictures of furniture managed to sneak in a little window shopping. Please enjoy Italian Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and Stefanel windows, and my favourite, Moschino's harlequin clown. A new Manchester window shopping will come as soon as the weather clears up!

Totally Surreal, Man

Surrealism, n. Pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any other manner, the real functioning of thought. Dictation of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation.

In the 1930s Salvador Dalí created an installation for America's Bonwit Teller department store entitled "Narcissus". It was soon removed due to complaints from the general public; clearly it was far too outrageous for its time. Although no photographic evidence of the window appears to exist it can only be assumed the display was inspired by Dalí's painting, "Metamorphosis of Narcissus" (1937).

One also guesses the new Harvey Nichols Manchester displays was inspired by Dalí's paintings and the works of other surrealists, such as Delvaux, Magritte, and and Kahlo (top to bottom, below). The windows are utter dreamlike perfection, featuring tree people in D&G, skeletons in a Givenchy-clad clinch, and mannequins chillin' in Burberry next to an awesome interpretation of "The False Mirror".

This is by far my favourite window display I've seen - and as a visual geek I've travelled far and wide to see many - and I am so proud to say it is in my home city of Manchester!

Visual Madness

Check out my mad crazy visual skills! One of the reasons I chose my degree is that along with studying business, marketing, accounting, garment production and Photoshop, I got the chance to install a window display for a visual merchandising module. Today was the big day.

Initially inspired by Stella McCartney's spring/summer 2012 collection, I looked into tropical prints and vintage Hawaii; I was also helped out by my friends at Oasis, whose current collection of printed dresses fitted my idea perfectly.

I am super pleased with the result. Unfortunately due to the sun being so bright today the pictures didn't come out too great, but here they are for your perusal:

Parisien Courses de Fenêtre

Rue St Honoré

Issey Miyake





Diane Von Furstenberg









Miu Miu









Colette





Latin Quarter

Isabel Marant





Champs Elysées

Louis Vuitton



















Hugo Boss











Galeries Lafayette





Céline



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