LONDON, England - British department store Selfridges has just opened a 2,300 square metres space entirely dedicated to denim, funded by a 7 million pound investment. Over the past four years, denim has seen its department store sales rise by over 50 percent.

Located on the third floor of Selfridge’s Oxford Street store, the denim studio offers a comprehensive selection of denim, counting more than 60 brands and 11,000 pairs of jeans with something for every budget: prices range from just 11 to 11,000 pounds.

The Denim Studio features a self-service checkout from Primark and J-Brand’s first ever boutique. Also on offer is a large selection of contemporary American denim brands such as Citizens of Humanity, Paige and Goldsign as well as Equipment, Markus Lupfer and American Vintage.

Designer denim can also be found in the space, with labels such as Victoria Beckham, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen present, without forgetting more traditional brands like Levi’s and Lee. The space also plays host to London label Lucas Hugh as well as Nike and a lifestyle collection from Adidas.

The space is resonant with lava stone display tables, large-scale billboards and degradé acrylic grid fixtures set against a feminine pastel and grey backdrop. The original Selfridges architecture has been retained and infused with windows to introduce natural light into the space.

The Fit Studio feature, which consists of 18 fitting rooms, is the first ever personal shopping space entirely dedicated to finding the illusive perfect pair of jeans. Made to feel like a lounge, the Fit Studio allows customers to relax, offering a library and specially selected vending machine.

Technology plays a key role in this new Denim Studio, notably with the ‘jeanius’ bar where customers can access digital content including lookbooks, brand biographies and fit guides.

The omni-channel experience was definitely catered for in the planning of the Denim Studio. Time-conscious clients are able to make use of the Click and Try service which allows customers to select an assortment of jeans that will be ready to try on when they arrive at the store.

Stéphanie Salti