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Feature: Jenny Coggins
WHEN I was at school, the coolest accessory was a River Island
carrier bag.
That's right, a carrier bag! Such was the suggestion of affluence
that the bag gave you; students desperate to fit in would buy
the cheapest item possible in store just to join the ranks.
Several years on, the shop has fallen slightly from favour. With
the arrival of super giants Hennes and Zara from Europe, British
shoppers have had their heads turned and, thus, their wardrobes
turned upside down.
And stores like River Island have struggled to keep up. So with
flagship stores proving a successful formula for resuscitating
customer's interest, RI closed its doors to begin reviving the
Oxford Street store.
What has emerged is a fresher River Island, unpolluted from the
packed shelves and stands of the last titchy store.
The Zara-esque high ceiling and massive doors give the feeling
of vastness that was missing before.
Now, there is space for retro chairs to lounge in, putting an
end to the awaked dance the shoppers had to perform in spare aisle
space. And the experts agree.
The store was nominated for Store Design of the Year in the 2004
Retail Week Awards.
Like the Big Brother house, circa 2002, the ground floor is divided
up.
The left side is solely for feminine, floaty numbers, with pea
coats (£49.99) and cami vests (£19.99).
The right is for casual outfits, essential-for-spring turn up
jeans (£39.99) and scoop neck jumpers (£19.99).
Hovering somewhat unsurely in the middle is a new venture for
RI; 'Individual garments for individual people'.
Is this an attempt to imitate the retro ranges from the likes
of high-street rivals, Oasis and Miss Selfridges?
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Either way, fashion director, Farida Kaikobad, is moving the
company forward in the right direction. This little extra adds
another dimension to the overall impact of the grand ground floor.
Yet it is where the shop gets smaller again that the details
of the design really flourish, upstairs on the accessories floor.
Hand-painted flowers and birds fly along the walls, alongside
the underwear department, offering polka dot pants (£5.99)
and camis (£9.99).
Glass disco balls hang above the pink plateau of shoes, with
the latest pump-style (£34.99) or strappy knot Summer sandles
(£39.99).
In the basement, the men's department proves it is slicker than
RI has previously been known for, but is it enough to pull the
high-street man away from Hennes and Zara?
As in the women's department, the floor is divided up.
The black floor separates the smart section; checked shirts (£29.99)
and suits, from the casual area, which has a beige floor, as well
as striped jumpers (£29.99) and cord jeans (£39.99).
The clothes, along with the décor, are an improvement.
The glass disco balls from the women's section appear again, but
here they are placed above the black marble check-outs, giving
off a colder, tougher, and altogether more masculine feel.
Black leather lounge chairs are used to the same effect.
Overall, the re-design is a big improvement on a once pokey island.
But if it will be enough to get teenagers carrying school books
in their carrier bags again remains to be seen - at a school near
you.
Room For Improvement
The changing rooms are red, both in colour and heat. Despite
being relatively new, the lock was broken on the first room I
went into.
The service was, however, good on the changing rooms, which makes
up for these small teething problems.
General Info
Opening
Mon-Wed, Fri and Sat: 10am-7pm
Thurs: 10am-8pm
Sun: 12noon - 6pm
www.riverisland.co.uk
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