Always Forever Now: Selfridges Opens “The Forever Shop”

It cannot be denied that the fashion world is one of fleeting passions–remember those boots you loved so dearly last year but wouldn’t dream of wearing this season? Or those “statement jeans” that now live a quiet, mournful existence at the back of your closet? Fashion is a business of come-and-go. But what about when you’re longing for something with a bit more, well, longevity?

This is the reasoning behind Selfridge’s “Forever Shop,” set to open its doors later this month. The British retailer’s Wonder Room Concept Store will be completely renovated to embody a sort of timelessness that exists beneath fashion fads. The room will be curated by the department store’s creative director Alannah Weston, Elle Decoration Editor-In-Chief Michelle Ogundehin, and British designer Sir Paul Smith.

It will consist of a melange of beloved books, classic fashion landmark pieces, and design icons that have stood the test of time. These include Burberry trenches, Levi’s 501s, Dr. Martens, Converse, Wayfarers, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and plenty else.

Ari Seth Cohen, the photog behind beloved blog Advanced Style, will be photographing shoppers and fashionable folk on the nearby streets.

The pop up is sure to attract an interesting crowd–we can imagine a few of Cohen’s former photo subjects will show up to admire the Hermes scarves, at least–but we think that the concept might be even more important than the actual execution.

Fashion, like any industry, has its own set of time-honored traditions. Sure, we all want to be as up-to-the-minute and in-the-now as possible, but let us not forget to look back from time to time, to admire the staple pieces in our wardrobe that deserve our admiration. Because, as Yves Saint Laurent said, “Fashions fade, style is eternal.” Let’s hope the Forever Shop holds up to its name.