Real or Virtual High Streets?

The wind swept through the desolate street. Grass and weeds blowing in the breeze where once there were pavements and people. Now there was nothing but rubbish and vermin... What a picture. This could be the High Street near you, very soon. In 2090 people in SkyPod tours looking down on what was once the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street, being told over a tannoy how we once lived and shopped. A step too far?… We've lost BHS, Austin Reed, Nicole Farhi, and it's not mid-week yet! What's going on out there? It can't all be the Internet, can it? Is it all Primark and the cheap disposable rubbish they peddle? Is it the greedy buccaneering tactics of people at the top? Is it the financial crisis? Who knows?… But the opening of my blog may not be as far-fetched as it seems.

The Shape of Shopping to Come?...

Do we want a High Street? Well, yes I do. I don't want to sit at home with no outside contact while I wait for my UPS delivery. Yes, that has created other industries, but soon we'll forget how to interact with other humans and shouldn't social interaction be a priority in today's insular world?…

I mentioned Austin Reed earlier on and this slightly surprised me. Although I've not been in one of their stores, I did venture to York Designer Centre this weekend and where once there was a 50-50 mix of women's and menswear, now the percentages have changed. The menswear now accounts for 75% of the clothing on offer. So men are shopping. They are buying fitness, casual, sporty/outdoor pursuits stuff and a smattering of suits, shirts and ties. So what happened to Austin Reed? Maybe they didn't move into the ’00s. Maybe they didn't anticipate the Dandy Man or the Sporty Casual Man. They stuck it out at the office?...

I know I don't shop like the young do. I watched my niece troll through Asos and other clothing sites looking for a dress. Thumbprint picture after picture. Page after page...  Only to exclaim “Oh it's after 9! I've missed next day delivery!” For the time-strapped I get it, but let's not forget the real shop and the bliss of discovery, trying on in a changing room and the joy of a new look in front of us in the mirror.

Has anyone seen my glasses?

Was it kismet? Was it fate? Was it just plain old coincidence that this week the BBC showed a program “Inside the Billionaire's Wardrobe” and what was it about? Fur, snakeskin, alligator, crocodile skin. All extreme luxury materials and Dior hosted a lovely afternoon Fur show! The TV program could have been sponsored by PETA as it showed how the rare skins were farmed, trapped or hunted for the extremely wealthy to wear and then hang in their extremely expensive wardrobes. It certainly didn't want to show the fur industry in a good light and that's a shame, as in my view there was no need to go to the lengths this program went to.

Fun with Fur at Dior!

Back to the beauty of fur... Today saw red, pink, blue, dusky orange, mink, sable, chinchilla and all the horrors of the program were forgotten. By me at least.

Not to sound like Lord Kitchener but remember “Your High Street (wherever it is) needs You”.

Very.
Happy Shopping.

F    XX


Lust of the Week:

My niece in this wonderful ghetto-fabulous top that I bought for myself but, on reflection, how much better it looks on someone in their early twenties (but still curious as to when I would have worn it)